Path to Healthy Aging

No one wants to get old if it means giving up the activities we love.

But, while it's pointless to try to stop the process of aging altogether, there are obvious reasons to a least try to slow it down.

We are all trying to live longer, be more fruitful and live healthier lives. The quality of life is what is important and we can do this by delaying the deterioration that can come with getting older.

But the big question is: How do we do that?

I believe we need to embrace a holistic point of view. In order to make our golden years, golden, we need to take care of our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social health.

The aging baby boomers are a huge success story.

They are not only living longer but the huge majority of them live outside of care facilities and live an active life.

Although aging is generally connected with mental decline and senility, it is often a reaction to other causes; old age does not always imply a decline in mental ability.

Different prescription medicines for pain or physical dysfunction can sometimes have mental side effects, but the mental decline does not begin to set in until very old age.

Furthermore, a loss of mental sharpness is frequently linked to lifestyle changes as well as physiological changes.

There is frequently less challenge, excitement, and interaction in retirement, all of which might lead to a diminished mental state due to a lack of intellectual engagement.

Older people who participate in social and intellectual activities do not suffer from mental fatigue as much as those who do not.

Aging is not synonymous with disease, slowing down, losing your fun, thinking like an old fogey, being boring or slow, or being essentially "different" from younger people.

Preconceptions and preconceptions about aging are not only wrong, but they also set the stage for a mindset that leads to unsuccessful aging.

You're still the same person; you're just a few years older! You are just as old as you believe you are, or as young, as you believe you are!

Doing weight-bearing exercises at least 3 to 4 times a week is the best form of exercise to prevent osteoporosis.

Beware that there are certain medications that can weaken bones. These include glucocorticoids for arthritis and asthma.

As well some anti-seizure drugs and sleeping pills can have an effect on bone health. Check with your health provider for more information.

Taking an adequate amount of calcium and Vitamin D goes a long way in building and maintaining good bone health.

Osteoporosis Canada recommends taking 1,500 mg of calcium and 800 IU of Vitamin D each day after age 50.

There are a number of good food sources that provide calcium and these include low-fat dairy products, canned fish with soft bones (salmon), and dark green leafy vegetables.

You can also get Vitamin D from eggs.

If you are a smoker, stop smoking as it contributes to the loss of bone mass. And get your doctor to give you a bone density test especially if osteoporosis runs in your family.

The warning signs of vision problems include increased sensitivity to light and difficulty distinguishing colors.

There are also some hidden signs of vision loss and these include social withdrawal, or being less active. If you are a smoker, quit.

People who smoke are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration.

It is a good idea to increase your intake of foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as fruits and dark green leafy vegetables as they contain nutrients that support the macula.

Keep active and exercise to prevent high blood pressure and diabetes which contribute to the risk of eye problems.

Many older people have inner ear hearing loss. Signs of hearing loss include speaking louder than necessary or constantly asking people to repeat themselves.

If you favor one ear over the other or think that people are mumbling, then perhaps it's time to get your hearing checked.

There are many assistive devices such as hearing aids for both ears.

For whatever reason, the majority of people, particularly in western culture, discontinue or severely reduce their physical activity later in life.

To this point, there has been a concept that as we get older, we must switch to low-intensity exercises because we are too frail or old to work with intensity.

This could not be further from the reality, and the truth is that we haven't kept up our physical activity and training to the point where we can participate in those things.

We may not be at our physical peak, but there's no reason we can't still enjoy high-energy or high-intensity physical activities if we continue to train.

Furthermore, the physical benefits of resistance training on bone density, metabolism, inflammation, balance, and other factors suggest that we not only can but should, continue to be active.

Inactivity has no age limit, and an active body breeds an active and youthful mind!