Growing older once meant troublesome wrinkles, less energy, and the occasional aches and pains. Yet, once you reach the age of 65 and above, you might start to worry about a loss of mobility, cognitive decline, and other health issues.
Regardless if you’re in tip-top health or struggling with a medical condition, you must try to live a full, happy, and healthy life. Read this guide to protecting your quality of life in your golden years.
Maintain an Active Lifestyle
Your golden years might be for putting your feet up and enjoying a work-free life, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore physical activity. If you do, you could damage your physical and mental health, which could lead to an avoidable medical condition that could shave years off your life.
Exercise doesn’t mean hitting the gym to pump weights or run on a treadmill. It could be as simple as a brisk walk each day, a relaxing cycle to a local green space, or dancing with your friends.
If you have an existing medical condition that makes it hard to exercise, talk to your doctor about physical activities that might be kinder to your body, such as swimming, stretching, or gardening.
Prepare for Aging
Many seniors pretend aging isn’t happening, as it’s easy to ignore the possibility of falling ill than to prepare for it. Yet, doing so could result in your loved ones making decisions that would have been against your wishes. For this reason, it is smart to make decisions now to enjoy a better quality of life as you grow older.
For instance, you might want to set money aside to fund a home help should you ever need one. Alternatively, you could express your wishes to move into an assisted living facility now or in the future to ensure you receive the care and attention you will need at every stage of your golden years. A prime example is memory care in Thousand Oaks, CA, which is designed to preserve your health, happiness, and dignity and ensure you live in a comfortable, secure, and supportive environment.
Exercise Your Brain
In addition to staying in excellent shape, you must exercise your brain regularly. Don’t spend your days staring at a TV screen and find one or more hobbies to keep your brain sharp, which can prevent depression and support good cognitive function. For example, you could read a book, complete a puzzle, learn a new language, draw, paint, or knit.
Follow a Nutritious Diet
It might feel tempting to indulge in your favorite foods now you’ve entered your golden years. After all, you might have spent most of your life eating well or dieting. While there’s nothing wrong with having a little of what you like in moderation, you must have the self-control to protect your health. If you eat too much, you run the risk of developing a serious health issue, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or high blood pressure.
For this reason, you must incorporate the following foods into your daily diet:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Lean protein
- Dairy
- Whole grains
- Healthy fats
Also, limit the amount of salt you eat and avoid processed items and refined sugars to remain in tip-top health.
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