Diet and Exercise for Seniors

Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle by escaping the doldrums of your home. Proper nutrition and exercise can help stave off illnesses such as arthritis, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Before pursuing any workouts, be sure to check with your doctor about any limitations.

Healthy Eating

As you age, your body undergoes physiological and psychological changes. Your relationship with food also changes, and healthy eating is the key to maintaining a robust immune system, mental acuteness, and high energy levels. If you are making this change later in life, you can still reap the benefits of a healthy diet. To help you manage your new or existing diet, consider these tips:

• Cut back on seasoning your foods with salt. Sodium-rich diets can cause high blood pressure, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Use herbs and spices to flavor your foods instead.

• Remember to stay hydrated, and try to drink eight glasses of water each day. Certain medications can cause dehydration, such as diuretics for high blood pressure.

• Consider taking multi-vitamins to support your healthy diet since your appetite declines as you get older.

• Consume fiber and calcium-rich foods to prevent bone loss or osteoporosis. Vitamin D can also aid the absorption of calcium.

• Fruits and vegetables are also rich sources of vitamins and nutrients.

Tell your doctor what diet comprises before taking any supplements so he or she can prescribe a fitting amount.

Exercising

A sedentary lifestyle might be causing you more harm than you think; exercise benefits people of all ages and physical capacities. If you have a chronic health condition or concerns about injury, exercise at your own pace-low-impact exercises might remedy this issue. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that involves slow, gentle and continuous movements that help increase flexibility and balance. If you're looking for a more involved exercise, try playing sports with your grandchild or go for a bike ride together. Water aerobics will also give you a rigorous workout, and this low-impact exercise will go easy on your joints. An exercise as simple as walking can also reduce the risk of heart disease: maximize your walks by keeping a 3 mile per hour pace-a speed slow enough to maintain a conversation but fast enough to get a workout.

Mental Well-Being

The New England Journal of Medicine concluded that older individuals who pursue hobbies, join social clubs, or continue their education are less likely to incur dementia. Reading can also be a great way to stimulate your mind. Keep your noggin sharp by learning something new everyday.