Savvy Ways to Go from Age 40 to 90
By Sandy Schroeder
Hanging in for the long run, from age 40 to 90, is usually not the key focus for most of us. We often have all we can handle in daily challenges, but it turns out the two paths are closely aligned.
What you do to stay healthy right now may keep you in the game for all of the years ahead. Health.com tells us exercise, diet and attitude can be as important as genetics in aging.
Try these everyday habits to keep the heart, skin, muscles, bones, and hair in good shape for right now and the long haul.
Maintain family and friend ties – Make the effort to build strong relationships. A PLoS Medicine study showed people who have strong social ties have a 50 percent greater chance of living longer than those with bad relationships.
Attitude counts – Researchers say people who see their future years as opportunities to do new things have a 40 percent greater chance of thriving than those who see age as a downward path of pain or loss.
Eat well – Concentrate on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains to stay healthy. The Mediterranean diet has been endorsed by Harvard Medical School to reduce heart attacks, strokes and early death. They also advise not overeating, following a daily diet of two cups of fruit, six ounces of grains, three cups of dairy, two and a half cups of vegetables and five ounces of protein.
Stay fit – Use exercise to keep the brain and body healthy. Researchers say exercise strengthens the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning. Resistance workouts fight muscle loss, which can be as much as 23 percent from ages 30 to 70 for women.
Baby your skin – Use sunscreen to avoid cancer and wrinkles. Wear hats and protective clothing, too, as you limit your exposure to the sun. Collecting Vitamin D works, but melanoma does not. Hang onto a healthy glow with omega-3 sources in walnuts, salmon and flaxseed. Ditch heavy sugars and fats in chips, soda and white bread.
Sleep tight – Getting 7 to 9 hours sleep every night helps to keep the brain and body strong. Not getting enough sleep opens the door to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Getting enough sleep may be the difference between thriving and just surviving.
Take a quick guess. - Estimate how you are doing with all of these everyday habits. Then focus on the ones that need work and enjoy the ride ahead.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in McKinney, Tex.