Healthy At Any Age

The month of September is all about Healthy Aging. No matter when you start, a healthy lifestyle improves your quality of life and may extend your lifespan.

When you are physically active, eat healthfully, avoid tobacco and excessive consumption of alcohol, and get regular check-ups you are more likely to look forward to many years of staying active and independent. What’s good for your body is good for your spirit as well. Many research studies have found clear links between lifestyle behaviors and chronic disease.

No matter when you start, a healthy lifestyle improves your quality of life and may extend your lifespan. People who are physically active, eat healthfully, avoid tobacco and alcohol, and who get regular check-ups are more likely to look forward to many years of staying active and independent.

More than 50% of people die from preventable diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and stroke. How a body ages is linked in part to family patterns of aging and genetics, but the greatest impact on how well we age is our personal health behaviors. Your daily lifestyle choices have the most influence on how well your body ages.

You should be aware of your physical, mental and social wellness. These components are the keys to healthy living at any age.

* Physical: Choose an exercise that you like and stick with it. Engage in 30 minutes of aerobic and weight-bearing exercise every day. Regular exercise is even more important for seniors than other age groups. The risk of disease and lost mobility is greater and the positive effects are realized more quickly. Look for ways every day to exercise in work and play. Force yourself to walk by parking your car several parking aisles away from the store or your office entrance and walk briskly...