Ten Easy Habits For Healthy Aging in 2018

If your new year’s resolution is to get healthy, here are some quick and easy ways to boost your health in 2018.

Whew. It’s been quite a year, hasn’t it?

A lot of things have bothered us this year, and it’s been tough! You might like this article if you want some help managing those woes but while things like money issues, work-life balance, health and healthcare, sex in the workplace (or out of it), aging parents, children, siblings, and other significant others have always been a concern for us in this so-called midlife, this year, pardon the pun…

trumps all others.

That’s why it’s especially important to pay attention to our health, now more than ever. Because with all this stress, health often is neglected and/or suffers.

While it’s true that our bodies change as we age, growing older and dealing with issues doesn’t have to mean giving in.

Admittedly, there is “stuff” that can happen as you age…but with a little effort, we can all be proactive and stay on top of – or avoid – these changes.

Because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that we want to remain healthy, vital and fit.

1. If you’re active, stay active. That might mean tweaking or turning down the dial on your exercise habits so you don’t get injured. And if you’re not already doing it, it’s never too late to start – and benefit – from exercise. Here’s how to reset your exercise mojo.
2. Concentrate on healthy eating. Incorporate fresh, whole, fiber-rich and less processed foods into your everyday diet as often as possible. Eat lots of fruits and veggies and keep your kitchen stocked with healthy options. Remember to watch your portions, and learn the cues that lead to overeating.
3. Get enough sleep. For most people, that means between seven and nine hours of good quality sleep each night. If you’re not getting it, examine the reasons why. Exhausted? Here are five easy ways to boost your energy.
4. Practice optimism. Research finds that optimists are healthier and live longer than pessimists. They have better coping skills, more friends and handle stress better. Identify your negative self-talk: Replace the “I can’t do that…I’m not good enough…” with positive affirmations instead.
5. Laugh more. It decreases stress hormones, and increases immune cell activity so your body can fight off disease. And face it, we don’t do enough of it, and when we laugh, doesn’t it feel so, so good?
6. Protect yourself from the sun. Skin cancer, wrinkles, premature aging and cataracts. Enough said. Use your sunscreen wisely.
7. Stay up to date on your screening tests and medical exams. They can detect disease before you have symptoms. Screenings should include breast and cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and osteoporosis.
8. Don’t smoke! This one is obvious. And if you already smoke, quit – it can lower your blood pressure and heart rate almost immediately. Post quitting, you might want to do a full body detox and maybe take up the use of dietary supplements such as liposmal glutathione capsules that can get rid of free radicals, help with detoxification, and provide cardiovascular support. Within two weeks of quitting, your lung function will improve, too.
9. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight not only increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, but also puts excess strain on your joints. What’s getting in the way of your weight loss?
10. Sit less. Exercise won’t undo the ill effects of sitting (sorry!). Sitting for extended periods of time raises your risk of weight gain, varicose veins, heart disease, diabetes, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Stand up and stretch every half hour; reach down to touch your toes; use a standing desk for some of the time.

Perhaps the most important tip of all is this: Don’t expect to change your habits all at once. Make a few simple changes each day; they’ll add up over time and soon enough will become lifelong habits.

Happy and healthy new year to each and every one of you…I appreciate you being here!