When your body grows older, you need to work harder to keep it in good shape. Read on to find out more about what you can do to look after your general health as you get older.

Bad Habits

Most of us have some bad habits that we’re not particularly proud of, but you need to think about how yours affect your health. If you smoke, for example, you are putting yourself at risk of developing lung cancer, among other diseases. Drinking too much is another problem that afflicts elderly people. When people retire, they have to fill their days with something new, and many turn to drink. Don’t let that happen to you.

Eyes and Ears

Getting your eyes and ears tested is essential for older people. These two senses both start to decline in functionality as our bodies grow older. You should get them tested a couple of times a year to make sure you get the treatment you need. When you get a prescription for your glasses, make sure you get them updated. If you do have a hearing problem, hearing loss specialists offer hearing aids for age related hearing loss.

Blood Pressure

Having a healthy blood pressure is essential if you want to stay in good health. It’s not something that you can do unless you actually know what your blood pressure is though. You can buy a small monitor that will allow you to test your own blood pressure at any time of the day. This will allow you to keep on top of it. If you notice that it’s higher or lower than it should be, talk to your doctor.

Physical Activity

Just because you’re getting older, that doesn’t mean you should stop taking part in physical activities. It doesn’t matter how old you are; you can always do some sort of activity as long as your doctor tells you otherwise. Even small things like going for a walk each day will help you to improve your general health. Cycling is another good activity to do because you can decide whether to cycle in a high or low-intensity way.

Cholesterol

As we get older, the need to keep our hearts healthy increases. Heart disease overwhelmingly strikes people in older age. But this risk can be minimised by changing what you eat. One of the biggest risks is high cholesterol. So, what foods are best to eat for people who want to lower their cholesterol level? Foods with saturated fats should definitely be avoided. Instead, eat plenty of oily fish, nuts, seeds and vegetables.

Isolation

One of the biggest problems that people face when they get older is isolation. If you don’t get out much, and you don’t have friends and family nearby, it can be very easy to experience isolation in old age. This is something that can be helped by joining societies and groups that get together on a regular basis. Most communities have something like this that is specifically geared towards older people.