We are all looking for ways to boost our energy and feel young again, and as our bodies age, it is natural to want to supplement our quality of life with upgrades to our living situation and environment in order to get the most out of life.
When we are young, our bodies are more robust, and can shrug off some things that become more difficult to cope with as father time keeps his steady vigil.
In this article, we will go over some simple and effective ways to look after yourself as you age, with only minor adjustments to the way you live.
Introduction
Depending on your personal health, situation, and life circumstances, you may need to rethink your daily exercise regiment, diet, and other lifestyle choices, but improving your health often doesn’t need to require any radical changes. Small, conscientious, and affordable improvements to the quality of water you drink, food you eat, and air you breathe can immensely improve your daily quality of life, helping you to have more energy for the things you care about. By installing a home water filter, you can reduce a wide variety of common contaminants, and similar benefits can be had by installing robust air filters, with a high MERV rating, or even getting an air purifier for your home. The modern world is full of synthetic chemicals and creations, the long-term health effects of many of which are still little understood. By putting in some safeguards, you can help to protect yourself and your loved ones from many common dangers.
Nutritional Improvements
Food and water are life, so if you are looking for an uptick in the quality of your life, a great place to start is to seriously assess what you are putting into your body. Processed foods, products high in sugar, corn syrup, saturated fats, cholesterol, and so on, obviously become tougher for our bodies to process as we age, and they don’t do us many favors. It is best to stick with whole foods that are responsibly grown whenever possible. In the midst of an economic downturn, this can be difficult to do, as eating healthy is always more expensive than eating cheap. Especially as we age, however, cutting corners with our diets generally doesn’t serve us well. Pay attention to what foods disagree with you, as our ability to tolerate certain things changes as we age.
Also be on the lookout for high amounts of food preservatives, or any synthetic substances added to food to brighten its appearance, or keep it on store shelves longer. Some foods can keep for quite a while, but others only last so long because of the presence of unnatural and unhealthy ingredients that force foods past their normal shelf lives.
Hydration and Water Quality
Water is relatively easy to overlook compared to food, at least, if you are fortunate enough to live in a part of the world with reliable access to clean, potable water. However, even in developed countries and areas, we shouldn’t take the cleanliness of water for granted. All sorts of dangerous contaminants end up in water simply as a matter of course. Water is one of the most powerful solvents in the world, meaning that it slowly dissolves things that it comes into contact with. This means that anything from sediment to PFAS can be lurking in your water, even in water that has been municipally treated. City water treatment plants do not attempt complete sterilization and filtration of all offending substances within water–that is not a realistic goal. Instead, municipalities attempt to bring water within a safe and tolerable range, established by governmental agencies, and occasionally updated as new and emerging contaminants appear. Even if you are on city-treated water, however, there are likely things in your water that you don’t want to be drinking, and the dangers are even greater for young children and the elderly. For this reason, home water filtration is a great way to protect yourself against waterborne contaminants.
Physical Activity
There is a magic to movement, and by keeping our bodies on the go at least occasionally, we can do a lot to maintain the vigor and quality of life we hope for, even as we start pushing into our golden years. Regular strength training can be especially beneficial for older folks, as it helps to build up muscle mass and bone density. The heart is always an important part of the body to exercise too, so low-impact walking, jogging, swimming, or some other cardiovascular activity is recommended.
Mental Health and Well-being
In the information-dense, yet increasingly confusing modern world, mental health is often the more obvious victim of progress than our physical health. With new and emerging technologies, political problems, world conflicts, economic stresses, and cultural battles going on around us, maintaining a healthy mental balance is no easy thing. Take time away from inflammatory news, websites, or social media, and spend time in nature, with loved ones, plants, and animals. Getting into touch with the natural world is a great way to even out some of the technological inundation we all experience today.
Home Environment
As you age, there is no shame in setting up various things to help you throughout your day. Handrails for getting in and out of the shower, for instance, or anti-skid mats in parts of the house that may see splashing water are simple ways to safeguard against potential falls or other mishaps. There’s no point in being proud about this, and risking potential injury–physical deterioration awaits us all at some point: such is the world we live in. Surrounding yourself with safety-conscious choices, as well as tending to the general upkeep of your living space with houseplants, regular air and water filter changes, and so on, can help everyone in the house feeling their best.
Regular Health Check-ups
A visit to the doctor is not really anyone’s favorite thing, but as your body ages, those trips almost inevitably start to increase. Regular checkups with a physician who knows you and your medical history can help you to catch any dangers before they become far advanced, and routine heart exams, colonoscopies, and other such preventative treatments can save lives.
Conclusion
Growing up has its ups and downs, but there is a lot you can do to increase the joy of your final years with smart choices and some preventative maintenance to your body, habits, and living space as you age. Eat good food, drink filtered water, move your body, and try to focus on the things that bring you peace and joy–it’s about the most any of us can hope to do.