They say that with age comes wisdom – but it’s safe to say that your advancing years can also drag along another distinctly unwelcome passenger …
… poor health.
Although folk are living longer than ever before, an increasing number of candles on your birthday cake can be emblematic of numerous age related health issues.
Whether it’s musculoskeletal problems, cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions or failing eyesight, decreased function or degeneration are unfortunate by-products of Father Time.
Indeed, Groucho Marx hit the nail on the head when he said: “Getting older is no problem. You just have to live long enough.”
While conditions like the above are often unavoidable, there ARE health problems you can steer clear of provided you take the appropriate preventative measures.
Avoid the Flu At All Costs
You may not have given it much thought as you lounge around your sauna-like conservatory sipping homemade sangria, but protecting yourself from the potentially devastating effects of the flu is vital.
With the NHS stating that more than 600 people die from seasonal flu complications every year, it’s clear to see that influenza is not to be taken lightly.
But what can be done?
Well, people over the age of 65, or those with underlying health conditions, should take advantage of the flu jab to help prevent getting ill and developing a more serious condition.
Additionally, your hand hygiene should be beyond reproach, as mucky digits likely to harbour bacteria unless they’re washed frequently and effectively.
This means taking advantage of washroom facilities, especially when you’re out and about, in an effort to neutralise the threat of bacteria multiplying and attacking your immune system.
Exercise Can Help You Stay Mobile
We all recognise the importance of staying mobile, particularly as we get older, but until recently there had been no good quality studies conducted to back up this assertion.
However, recent research into the matter has shown that exercise CAN lower the chance of walking problems for older people who tend to be more inactive.
The results showed that folk in an exercise group were “less likely to start having walking problems” than those in another group, with around 30 out of 100 people able to complete a 400-metre test.
Research has also shown older people who undertake 25 minutes of “moderate or vigorous” exercise everyday need fewer prescriptions and are less likely to visit the emergency room.
Not only that, but increasing physical activity boosts your metabolism and improves your circulation, which can cut the risk of deadly health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.
With that in mind, we’ll leave you with a quote from Joan Collins, who said: “You can’t help getting older, but you can help yourself from becoming old and infirm, in mind as well as body.”
Ms Collins, we could not agree more…
