By Anne Musgrove
September is Healthy Aging Month — a time to focus on growing older in a way that promotes health and function for the highest quality of life in our later years. The national theme is “powered by connection” and focuses on the relationships and support systems that contribute to long-term health and wellbeing.
Besides regular visits with a healthcare provider, we can incorporate many simple things into our day-to-day lives to optimize our minds and bodies as we age.
NUTRITION IS KEY
Avoiding processed foods ensures we get the maximum nutritional benefit from our diet. Eating vegetables in a more natural state, or broiled instead of boiled in water, helps to retain their nutritional value. Adequate protein intake from meats, beans, fish and nuts helps our nervous system stay sharp and our muscles to be maintained. Certain medical conditions call for specific diets, but the Mediterranean diet is a great place to start for most people wishing to optimize their nutrition, particularly older adults.
KICK BAD HABITS WHILE YOU ARE YOUNG
Tobacco use in any form causes small blood vessels to constrict, impeding blood flow to the kidneys, heart, brain and spinal cord. Long-term smoking or vaping causes irreversible lung obstruction that will affect the quality of life and breathing in later years, even if the changes are not evident now. Limit alcohol use to moderate amounts, and if your bad habit is sugary or processed foods, start looking for healthier options. The more you do now, the better you will feel later.
REVERSE ENGINEER YOUR FITNESS
Think about your body and how you want it to function in the next five years. Perhaps you want to train for an athletic event, or maybe you just want to be able to bend over and tie your shoes without pain and shortness of breath. Now think about how to achieve that goal with a training schedule, daily walks, stretching and yoga. Incorporate a plan that will preserve or increase your body’s functionality. Write down the steps and chase your goals; you will never regret it.
NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS
Take the time to call old friends, make new ones and surround yourself with family and loved ones. Our mental health and wellbeing are greatly influenced by the people we spend the most time with, so make every interaction count.
If you are curious about how to improve your health for the rest of your life, start the conversation with a primary care provider.
Anne Musgrove is the director of advanced practice providers at Memorial Health System. She is a women’s health and family medicine nurse practitioner, and she manages Memorial’s outpatient nurse practitioner and physician assistant clinic operations. Reach her at (228) 896-4417.
