Healthy Aging Month is celebrated in September and aims to increase awareness about the benefits of aging. Now is the ideal time for individuals of all ages to develop healthier behaviors that will help them age well. There are several methods for aging folks to reinvent themselves, whether it is through new employment, participation in a new sport, or travel to a new location.
Sequoia Senior Solution urges individuals to take personal responsibility for their physical, social, emotional, and financial health throughout this month. Here are five methods to improve your well-being during National Healthy Aging Month and all year.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Many Americans are unaware of proper portion sizes and, as a result, consume greater quantities than suggested. We all know that overeating leads to obesity, which can lead to even more serious health issues like diabetes or heart disease. Furthermore, as we age, our metabolism slows, and we require fewer calories.
The USDA emphasizes the importance of more vegetables and fruits in the American diet, recommending five a day. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and aim to avoid excessive processed foods. Adding more fresh veggies to our diets is a simple method to increase our feeling of fullness while consuming fewer calories. The USDA offers a simple strategy for achieving nutritional balance: your meal should contain slightly more than one-quarter of grains and vegetables, a little less than one-quarter of lean proteins (lean meat, fish, poultry, or lentils), and fruits. Additionally, consume a lot of water—at least 6 to 8 glasses each day—to keep hydrated.
Stay Social
Try to see your old pals as well as develop new relationships. Isolation may cause despair, and a sedentary lifestyle without social connection with friends and family can cause health problems. Invite your friends and family over instead of staying home and feeling lonely and bored! Alternatively, you can meet others by volunteering, enrolling in a class, or inviting a caregiver along. This may make it easier for you to look forward to engaging in activities like cooking with their assistance, playing cards or games, or just conversing.
Get Moving
Consult your doctor before beginning a fitness program if you are not used to it and start gently to give yourself plenty of time to adjust to each level of activity.
Walking for ten to fifteen minutes, three to four times a week, with an increase as you go, can serve as a simple kind of exercise. Try learning how to play tennis or enrolling in a club where you can swim or utilize the exercise equipment if you’re more active. Gardening, mowing the yard, or even just attending a dancing class or senior yoga session is beneficial. There are various activities you may engage in to keep your body moving.
Getting Enough Sleep
Living a healthy lifestyle requires getting adequate sleep. It enables both the body and the mind to rest. This results in increased clarity, attention, and energy levels.
Adults typically require 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can have an impact on your mood, recollection, and cognitive abilities.
In a study of persons over 65, those with poor sleep quality had a harder time focusing and solving problems than those with high sleep quality. Researchers discovered that persons in their 50s and 60s who slept 6 hours or less were more likely to acquire dementia in a different study that included data from nearly 8,000 participants.
Get Yearly Physicals and Routine Checkups
Never disregard symptoms. Do not “wait for it to go away” if you are not feeling well. While you don’t necessarily need to see a doctor for every disease, you should be familiar enough with yourself and your body to recognize any unusual symptoms.
Don’t skip routine medical checkups; get a physical every year and arrange tests that your doctor suggests. This would include not only your physician but also your dentist and optometrist. If you are vigilant about maintaining your health, many diseases may be avoided when discovered early. To ensure that you are feeling your best, take all recommended medications, vitamins, and supplements.
Awareness
The goal of Healthy Aging Month is to raise awareness of the value of maintaining health as we age naturally and to educate others about it. We may be able to live longer, higher-quality lives if we learn the best ways to maintain health as we age.
Sequoia Senior Solution provides In-home senior care services. Contact Sequoia Senior Solutions if you’re looking for compassionate in-home care that recognizes and respects the particular requirements of elders in the North Bay area.
Our committed caregivers place a high value on cultural sensitivity and diversity, making sure that your loved ones get the attention they need. To find out more about our services and how Sequoia Senior Solutions may help your family, get in touch with us now.