While modern medicine has helped eliminate diseases and has contributed to longer lifespans, there is no substitute for the health and wellness tools nature has already provided. Whether it’s healing herbs and spices, sunshine, or food, we have everything we need to keep our bodies in top shape no matter our age. If you are a senior looking for ways to improve your health, keep reading. In the following few paragraphs, we’ll cover some of the most effective ways to keep yourself healthy “” no drugs required.
Exercise Your Body
You only have one body, and it’s up to you to keep it healthy. Physical activity is crucial regardless of your age, but it is especially important for seniors who are more at risk of accidents and injuries than their children and grandchildren. Exercising outdoors is best and helps you tap into a host of benefits you can’t get when working out under fluorescent lights. Fitness expert Eric Walters explains to Health & Fitness Travel that we are hardwired to do things in nature, and being outdoors gives our bodies a chance to experience natural movement. Further, exposure to sunlight, soil microbes, and fresh air are good for the body.
If you must stay indoors due to weather, allergies, or mobility limitations, there are still plenty of ways to exercise; for example, try swimming in an indoor pool, watching fitness videos, playing virtual fitness video games, and walking at your local mall or museum.
Eat for Your Health
We are conditioned to eat on a specific schedule and to include foods we don’t really need into our daily lives. Unfortunately, we’ve also been taught to accept genetically altered food as the best option for nutrition. It’s never too late to change your way of thinking and to follow in the footsteps of your parents and grandparents by eating organic fruits and vegetables. Organic foods are free of dangerous herbicides and synthetic pesticides, which are linked to disease.
Instead of eating to satisfy a food pyramid or calorie counts, eat in a way that promotes overall health. Start by planning your meals to include lean proteins and organic produce. These will provide the majority of nutrients your body needs to stay strong and healthy at a cellular level.
Squash Stress
There’s no denying that stress has a negative impact on the mind and body. Continually elevated levels of cortisone, a hormone released in response to stress, increases your chances of developing hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health conditions. You can beat stress by focusing on yourself as a whole. A holistic approach can help you focus on areas and activities that naturally lower stress. This might be through meditation, therapeutic massage, or taking natural supplements that boost your mood and energy levels.
Dr. Deepak Chopra goes into greater detail on environmental factors that affect stress levels. By looking at these aspects of your life and makings changes that reduce outside interference, you can better manage your own stress and therefore your health.
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
Exercising, eating well, and managing stress are the most important things you can do for yourself. These types of preventative actions give you your best chance at staying healthy for the long-term. However, your doctor is still a viable partner on your road to staying well during your senior years. Keep in mind that your Medicare plan provides coverage for screenings that can help prevent health complications down the road; Medicare.gov lists a few of these as vision tests, BMI calculation, and blood pressure checks. Make sure to take advantage of these no-cost screenings so that you are in a better position to make lifestyle changes as needed.
All the medicines in the world won’t heal the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 65 “” eating well, exercising, and focusing on the whole you is the best way to ensure that your golden years are your best years.
By: Karen Weeks of ElderWellness.net
Image via Pixabay
Recent Comments