Intentional daily habits can stack up to healthy aging. As seniors, retirement years can be some of the most fulfilling years of our lives. With a little planning and structure, the final chapter of life can be fulfilling, fruitful, and fun.
Aging is something none of us can avoid, so we might as well get good at it! Lifestyle, dietary choices, activities, and the people we choose to surround ourselves with can all add up to aging gracefully.
1. Enjoy healthy foods to help you feel younger and embrace each day
Ditch the sugar and sodas which can contribute to aging faster. Healthy fats actually promote brain health, so if you want to stay sharper longer, enjoy some avocado, olive oil, or coconut oil daily. Vitamin supplements such as a multivitamins, fish oil, and a probiotic are also wise ways to age gracefully and be the best version of you each day. Here are some healthy food choices to improve your overall health:
- Green leafy veggies
- Colorful antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies (blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, cherries)
- Beans
- Artichoke
- Free-range meat
- Wild caught seafood
- Healthy nuts and seeds
- Bone broth
2. Keep moving
You will age more gracefully if you keep moving on a daily basis. Find activities and establish habits that help you stay active each day. Sitting is the new smoking, so get up and move! Build some time into your daily routine to take a walk, do some yoga, or dance. Resistance training, swimming, and water aerobics are also some fun options! Ride a bike and you’ll increase your metabolism, sharpen your mind, and strengthen your balance.
Regular exercise helps prevent or delay the onset of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and falls. And high intensity burst training can increase your human growth hormone production—which slows aging, helping you live longer and stronger.
3. Decrease your stress level
Journaling, exercising, spending time in nature, and praying are all great ways to decrease your stress level and age in a healthy way. Learn to cope with stress. We all have it, so we need to learn to manage it or decrease it to ensure good long-term health.
4. Socialize and have some fun
Develop a good support system. If you desire to have friends, be a good friend. Friends and family surrounding you with love and support can decrease your stress level greatly—when life is great as well as when it is challenging.
5. To promote wellness, get regular medical exams
If we only had one car to drive for our whole lifetime, we would get regular preventative maintenance done to it so it would work well long term. Our body is like that vehicle, and we need to keep it in good shape with wellness exams, physicals, and addressing any health concerns early. When diseases are caught quickly, they are more likely to be conquered. So, even when you feel great, get regular checkups.
6. Keep your brain in good shape
Train your mind to stay sharp and alert by exercising it. AARP has free “brain games” to help keep your mind sharp. You’ll find yourself entertained as you play the games and exercise your brain.
Luminosity.com also helps you stay mentally fit with its 10-15 minute memory tests. Personalized training programs are tailored to your specific needs and help you reach goals. Each quiz helps uncover which areas of your brain are excelling and which need to be sharpened. Memory, attention, recall, mental flexibility and problem solving are all addressed. You can even track your progress and advance your mental skill set. So, in addition to physical workouts, get a good mental workout in throughout your week.
7. Keep vitamin D levels up
A powerful and budget-friendly anti-aging habit is to get vitamin D into your diet daily. Most adults need at least 5000 units a day, and appreciate the fact that it’s super easy to take.
8. Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity affects over 33% of adults in the U.S., and can be associated with an increased risk for several chronic diseases that could shorten one’s lifespan. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease can be associated with or worsened by obesity. Weight gain decreases the odds of healthy aging and poses significant risks.
Maintaining a healthy weight is vital to good health. As we age, unwanted weight can stress our joints, and decrease our quality of life. So, if weight is an issue, talk with your doctor and create a plan of action to get your weight in healthy limits.
9. Drink water!
Avoid the negative effects of sugar-filled sodas and juices and drink water instead. This healthy habit will help hydrate your cells and keep your skin looking great. And drinking water prior to eating a meal can help curb your appetite. Understand that even mild dehydration can drain your energy and dim your focus. Here are some ideas to make drinking water daily more interesting:
- Brighten up your water by infusing it with fruit such as lemons and limes or refreshing vegetables like cucumber slices.
- Add some fresh mint leaves to your water, and you’re off to a great start to your day!
When is the right time to move mom and dad into an assisted living community?
Independence is something everyone enjoys, and as people age, they should have the dignity of doing everything they can as independently as possible. Assisted living offers seniors the assistance they need with daily activities and lifts the burden of home ownership and maintenance off seniors so they can spend their energy enjoying life.
Assisted living communities give seniors independence
The Parke Assisted Living provides Tulsa seniors with care and assistance as needed, along with delicious food, and a variety of activities from which to choose. Schedule a tour of our beautiful facility, and enjoy lunch on us! Contact The Parke today!