When is the last time you jogged up a staircase? Bounced to your feet after sitting on the floor? Dashed to the kitchen to pull something from the oven?
Time makes us wiser, but it also takes a toll on our bodies. As you age, you might have started to notice that some things you did with ease when you were younger now take a little more time and effort these days, better health after age 60 is possible.
All seniors experience some occasional aches, but growing older doesn’t have to come with chronic soreness and debilitating pain that keep you from doing what you love.
There are a variety of things you can do and changes you can make—even today!—that will make a difference in how you feel.
The good news is that your body, at any age, is a resilient machine. It wants you to help it work better. By making small, manageable changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can ease or completely relieve some causes of pesky pain and stiffness.
You don’t have to accept a lesser quality of life because it’s never too late to improve your health.
Read on to learn more about starting healthy habits after age 60 to feel better, regain more flexibility, and keep doing more of what you love
Find ways to stay active
Researchers link staying active with many health benefits, including improving your ability to do day-to-day activities and keeping you limber, so you’re less likely to fall.
Plus, getting in regular, moderate exercise can also help prevent you from developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, or having a stroke.
If you are looking to add more physical activity to your daily life, be realistic about your goals, make a plan, and start slowly.
Learn how to start a new exercise program
Watch what you eat
Following a healthy diet is important at any stage of your life. As you age, what you eat and drink make an even bigger difference in your health—and how your body feels overall—since you need fewer calories as you age.
Nutritional health is more than just how much you eat. What you eat is also critical.
Making food choices that are high in sugar or fat can cause painful inflammation, weight problems, feelings of fatigue and weakness, digestive issues, anemia, heart disease, sleep problems, and more.
Get Tips for following a nutritious diet
See your doctor
Gray hair, wrinkles … You can’t stop some things when your body is aging, but you can take steps to make other parts of getting older a little easier.
Stay on top of your healthy by scheduling regular preventative screenings and appointments with your doctor as you age. Think of these tests and visits as an essential investment in your health and help you better understand your overall well-being.
Don’t wait until you’re sick
Regular checkups are a great way to detect diseases and problems earlier when they are often easier to treat. They also provide you with an opportunity to get answers to your questions about how you’re feeling.
Putting your health first at any age will make you feel more in control of your life. There’s a famous saying that goes “you’re only as old as you feel,” but chronological age is just a number.
Just because there are more candles on your birthday cake lately, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep getting the most out of life. The secret to staying young means adopting healthy habits, whether you’re age six or 60.
The doctor is in
If you’re ready to explore ways to improve your wellness, Logansport Memorial Hospital’s new primary care provider—Dr. Olusina Kande—is here to help and accepting new patients.
Dr. Akande is a board-certified family medicine provider with extensive experience in diabetes and weight loss management.
Request an appointment online or call (574) 722-4921.
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