Tips for Healthy Aging

Getting older makes the person feel more weathered and weak, and therefore thinks that with age comes the decrease in the vitality of life. This concept may be unhealthy to think of, especially those under the older group of the population. Being healthy and fit over the age of 50 can be done, but only with the right state of mind and having the straight goal of healthy aging.

When a person reaches the age of 50, certain complications with regards to health may possibly arise. In this situation, medical check ups are to be done on a regular basis, so as to prevent any sudden attacks that the person does no know of. This is important simply because one needs to know about their health, most especially at this age.

Healthy aging comes with a good lifestyle. It is necessary for the aging individual to take care of their health by simple means of exercise. Through exercising, older aged individuals can be one step closer to being fit and healthy. This may not be a 5 mile run, or a 30 minute gym workout. Simple exercises that suits the age, such as moderate walking, can do the trick. Walking is as easy as waking up, and this exercise requires no equipment (except maybe a good pair of shoes), and in addition, this type of exercise can be done on a moderate level every day. Brisk walking for around 30 minutes can reduce the feelings of fatigue, promotes weight loss, lowers the blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and also prevents the development of diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain heart problems. Also a great source for muscle building, exercise can definitely bring good health closer to you.

Of course, smoking would not do any good for one’s health, more so for an older adult. According to research, excess deaths from smoking cigarettes increase with age, and almost 60 percent of all smokers start at an early age. Memory loss can be one of the long lists of health problems, and can also double the risk for getting Alzheimer’s disease. Smoking makes a person develop skin wrinkles at an early age, so smoking is definitely a no-no for the older set.

Healthy aging should be done in a stress free manner. Stress can make one feel sick and a tad bit older than one should be. If an individual is stressed out, one can really see the difference simply because of how they look and act. By managing stress in a healthy manner, one can avoid looking and feeling stressed. In addition to preventing bad habits, the older set should get enough sleep to be able to define their healthy aging process. The optimum amount of sleep should be from seven to eight hours, and lack of such would bring about tiredness and lack of energy.

A healthy individual’s most critical aspect of being healthy is to consume the right amount of food, with the right amount of healthy ingredients to complete a balanced diet. Rich in fruits and vegetables, people aged 50 and above should be practicing eating such, rather than calling for fast food. Those with antioxidants, such as oranges, broccoli, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes should be on the top of the grocery list. Upon knowing all these, healthy aging may not be so hard after all.

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Medical Information for Healthy Diet

There is one thing everyone agrees on when it comes to diets: every program has its good and bad points. What really makesa diet "good" is: can you maintain it—and better yet, should you?

The Sugar Culprit

For older people, "a good diet" is generally not one which gets them svelte, but one that keeps them healthy. Whatever your diet program, the odds are if you are age 62 or older, you should keep an eye on your sugar intake.

Sugar conveys particularly negative health consequences as we age. Older metabolisms tend to slow down in the production of the hormone known as insulin, which normally "soaks up" excess sugar. Most Americans know that insulin problems lead to diabetes, but they are also linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.

Unfortunately, sugar isn’t always easy to spot. Most people recognize honey and maple syrup as sugar, but many people without diabetes education don’t realize fruit salads and pancakes are also "sugars aboteurs."

The Bad Carb Myth

The phrase "bad carbs" became the rage with the Atkins diet, which most people mistakenly believe labels all carbohydrates as unhealthy. That’s not true, as even one of Dr. Atkins’ chief opponents, Dr. Dean Ornish, admits.

Ornish wrote in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that he and Atkins agreed "many Americans eat excessive amounts of processed foods high in simple carbohydrates." The difference is the Ornish diet advocates more of a balance between food groups: low in fat, moderate amounts of protein, and high in complex carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates as a food group provide fuel for the body. Simple carbohydrates have become known as "bad carbs" because they break down very quickly, causing quick peaks—and then drops—in sugar levels. They are found in sugars (including from fruit) and highly refined starches, mostly white flour products like regular pasta, white bread, white rice, and most cereals.

So I’ll Eat ‘Good’ Carbs

On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are generally seen as "good" carbs because they break down more slowly. So they generally provide a steadier, more reliable, source of fuel for the body.

But now scientists have another warning: the glycemic index (GI). It is a measure used to evaluate actual sugar levels in various foods; specifically how fast a food raises sugar levels. In a population where diabetes is a major health issue, this is understandably a key concern.

Unfortunately, even knowing a food’s GI isn’t always a reliable measure as to whether it is good or bad. There are some complex carbohydrates—white potatoes are the most common example—that can spike sugar levels quickly.

What DO I Do?

Ultimately, the main answers to healthful eating are rather boring. They are:

Don’t wait for diabetes to start looking for hidden sugars—Canned fruits in syrups, most cakes and cookies, even many containers of yogurt, can compromise your sugar levels.

Don’t splurge on fat—Do NOT bulk up on high-fat foods like bacon, butter, and hamburger, just because they are low carb. Two major studies have concluded that while highfat diets might help people lose weight faster, the weight loss isn’t maintained better than other diets. Besides, fat delivers about twice as many calories for the same number of grams as carbohydrates or proteins do—and study after study shows the disastrous impact of fat on health.

Balance "good" foods—There are "good" fats, like those found in salmon. Vegetable proteins, like tofu and beans, can be consumed healthfully in greater bulk than animal proteins, like steak. Look for "healthy" carbs in foods rich in whole grains, like oatmeal and whole-wheat pastas.

Resource: "Finding the Healthy Diet" By Wendy J. Meyeroff; THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

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