Staying Healthy As We Age

Credit: EpicPC

Who said fitness is only for the young?

In our childhood and our teenage years, staying healthy and making sure to get our cardio in each day wasn’t a top priority, nor was it probably even on our radar. In our 20s and 30s, we may have focused more on our aesthetics rather than our inner-body health. However, as we start hitting our 40s, our age can start bringing health problems as we continue to get older and our bodies change. This may not be true for everyone, but it would be wise for all of us to keep our health in our attention as we hit middle-age and move into our older years.

One of the scarier and deadlier of the common health issues we may face as we get older is the flu. When we’re over the age of 65, our immune systems will not be as strong as they were when we were 20 or 30. This is why seniors make up for a large percentage of the patients hospitalized for the flu and any flu-related problems. Some of these complications can include pneumonia, bacterial infections (sepsis) or even worsening of lung or heart diseases. So if you’re OG, make sure to get your annual flu shots.

Another bodily change you may notice is the loss of muscle and bone mass. As we age, the regular 2 sets of 10 on the bench will not suffice to maintain our muscles. Our bones lose density and our joints may start showing wear by way of arthritis. This in turn may keep you from being more active which will ultimately lead to obesity and worsened arthritis.

In order to slow down the effects of aging, make sure to keep yourself active, eat lots of fruits and veggies high in calcium, quit smoking and drinking and ask your doc if supplements can help.