Lots of factors play into how healthy someone is as the years pass, including genetics, habits, lifestyle choices and environment.
That leaves a lot of room for folks to take some responsibility and control of their overall health as they go along. Even with genetics, there’s an opportunity. While genes are unchangeable, people who know they have a certain genetic risk can pay attention to what can be altered, watch for early signs of an issue and seek help promptly if needed.
Alzheimer’s disease provides a useful example. If it’s in your family, you can take very seriously the advice that’s offered on how to delay onset if it’s coming and perhaps even stave it off. Ditto heart disease or colon cancer or many other genetic risks.
You can at least do what you can do. And in some cases, that’s no small thing.
Here’s advice on healthy aging from a variety of experts, from Mayo Clinic to the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer’s Association, Johns Hopkins University, WebMD, studies and decades of health reporting at Deseret News and other news sources:
Keep track of your health with basic tests: eyes, hearing, cholesterol, blood pressure, cholesterol, appropriate cancer screenings. If you have a health problem, deal with it.
Watch your nutrition. Avoid ultra-processed foods as much as possible. Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and low-fat dairy. Don’t go overboard with butter, sugar, salt, packaged foods and fatty meats.
Walk, walk, walk. Be physically active. Experts suggest at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week. It will boost your mood, help control your weight, strengthen your bones and provide a hedge against dementia and a host of diseases. You’ll also sleep better and have less likelihood of dementia, heart disease and many other health woes, including some cancers.
Have friends in different age groups and enjoy an active social life. Join a book club. Go to the theater or lunch with friends. Play with your grandkids. Don’t turn down an opportunity to get out and be with others. If that’s not possible, invite others to come in.
Engage your mind. Read. Challenge yourself to learn new things, from a new language to new dance moves. Lifelong learning is a key to thriving.
Crank up your fiber intake. It’s a heart-healthy nutrition choice that also eases the chance of constipation, which may be more likely as you age. Fiber is good for your whole digestive tract.
If you smoke, stop. If you drink alcohol, be very mindful of your intake. Alcohol is not safe at any level, but it’s really bad as you age because of its link to certain cancers and it also hurts your liver.
WebMD says to try Tai chi, which can reduce your risk of falls, which is a major danger for older people. Stress, balance, muscles, flexibility and arthritis pain all improve with Tai Chi.
Talk to your doctor about supplements if you’re taking them or if you wonder whether you should take them. Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 may all diminish some when people get older. But vitamin supplements can also interfere with medications, so a candid discussion with a health professional is really crucial.
Get adequate, consistent sleep. Sleeping well can diminish as people age, but it remains very important. The body heals during sleep. Limit naps, stick to a regular schedule and talk to your doctor if sleep has become a problem. Also be aware that inadequate or disordered sleep has been linked to neurocognitive decline. Take sleep seriously.
Choose joy and optimism. Stress creates all sorts of problems, but people who are optimistic live longer and have fewer health problems, including heart disease. Gratitude is a healing gift, so think of things you’re grateful for.
Stay hydrated. Dr. M. Elizabeth Swenor, of Henry Ford Health, tells older adults to divide their weight in half and then drink that many ounces of water a day. A 150-pound man needs 75 ounces. Every organ and cell needs water to function right.
Volunteer. The National Institutes of Health says nothing staves off loneliness and isolation better, plus you meet new people and do something that’s meaningful. Finding meaning is key to a good, healthy life, as well.