10 Essential Health Tips For Expat Seniors

10 Essential Health Tips For Seniors

From baby boomers to senior boomers: 10 tips to keep you healthy and fit..In the last census baby boomers, those 65+, accounted for 13% of the population. This age group grew at a faster rate than the population under age 45, and it’s clear that the US is an aging population.

Happily, aging is the goal of every Expat but it will certainly be much different as an expat in the Philippines  than it was for our parents and grandparents.
Today, there are more people living longer than at any other time in history. In fact, boomers from all progressive countries will hit record numbers by 2030. We need to become activists in promoting healthful behaviors for ourselves  and try our best to remain active and healthy the rest of our lives, even in a 3^rd world country.

How to do it?

 Doctors recommend these 10 easy health tips for seniors to live longer and thrive as seniors:

Quit smoking

Take this critical step to improve your health and combat aging. Smoking kills by causing cancer, strokes and heart failure. Smoking leads to erectile dysfunction in men due to atherosclerosis and to excessive wrinkling by attacking skin elasticity. Many resources are available to help you quit.

Keep active

 Do something to keep fit each day-something you enjoy that maintains strength, balance and flexibility and promotes cardiovascular health. Physical activity helps you stay at a healthy weight, prevent or control illness, sleep better, reduce stress,  avoid falls and look and feel better, too.

Eat well

 Combined with physical activity, eating nutritious foods in the right amounts can help keep you healthy. Many illnesses, such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, can be prevented or controlled with dietary changes and exercise. Calcium and vitamin D supplements can help maintain strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.

Maintain a healthy weight

 Extra weight increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Use the Kaiser Permanente BMI (body mass index) calculator to find out what you should weigh for your height. Get to your healthy weight and stay there by eating right and keeping active. Replace sugary drinks with water…water is calorie free!

Prevent falls

 We become vulnerable to falls as we age. Prevent falls and injury by removing loose carpet or throw rugs. Keep paths clear of electrical cords and clutter, and use night-lights in hallways and bathrooms. Did you know that people who walk barefoot fall more frequently? Wear shoes with good support to reduce the risk of falling.

Stay up-to-date on immunizations and other health screenings

 By age 50, women should begin mammography screening for breast cancer. Men can be checked for prostate cancer. Many preventive screenings are available even in the Philippines.

Prevent skin cancer. As we age, our skin grows thinner; it becomes drier and less elastic. Wrinkles appear, and cuts and bruises take longer to heal. Be sure to protect your skin from the sun. Too much sun and ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer. The sun is much stronger in the tropics.

Get regular dental, vision and hearing checkups

 Your teeth and gums will last a lifetime if you care for them properly…that means daily brushing and flossing and getting regular dental checkups. By age 50, most people notice changes to their vision, including a gradual decline in the ability to see small print or focus on close objects. Common eye problems that can impair vision include cataracts and glaucoma. Hearing loss occurs commonly with aging, often due to exposure to loud noise.

Manage stress. 

Try exercise or relaxation techniques…perhaps meditation or yoga…as a means of coping. Make time for friends and social contacts and fun. Successful coping can affect our health and how we feel. Learn the role of positive thinking.

Fan the flame. When it comes to sexual intimacy and aging, age is no reason to limit your sexual enjoyment. Learn about physical changes that come with aging and get suggestions to help you adjust to them, if necessary.