Community Blog: Tips For Healthy Aging, by Marie Nichols

[marienichols71]

Tips for Healthy Aging - Marie Nichols

Let’s face it, we’re all going to go through it eventually. It starts in many of us as that first “tricky” joint that we thought we may have injured, but it never quite seems to heal. Or maybe your first clue to getting older was that much-too-early gray hair. Or perhaps you simply don’t bounce back after a hard day’s activity like you used to. Aging happens. But you have the power to age healthily so you can enjoy your golden years to the fullest.

Good Nutrition

It’s hard to imagine when we’re in our 20’s or 30’s, but what we eat when we are young can impact us for the remainder of our lives. Our bodies and minds truly are built on what we eat. Good nutrition is important at every age, but as we get older, our appetites often decrease, making it even more important that our diets consist of healthy, wholesome foods. Good nutrition may help prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

Staying Active

As we age, joints can get achy and muscles less stretchy. Staying physically active can help our aging bodies stay more mobile into our senior years. Flexibility and balance exercises are particularly helpful for older adults. Weight-bearing exercises and activities help fight osteoporosis. Staying physically active in all life stages also helps keep off excess body weight. Maintaining a healthy weight into our senior years helps preserve our joints and our hearts; two parts of our bodies that must work extra hard when we are carrying too much bodyweight. Outdoor physical activity may also help seniors feel connected to their community which has mental health-boosting benefits too.

Staying Connected

It is important to stay connected to friends, family, and our communities as we age. Isolating ourselves can be detrimental to our mental health. Find ways to connect with people through volunteer opportunities, senior community centers, places of worship, and meeting up with friends and family members. It’s easy for seniors to feel “forgotten”, so be proactive about your life situation and set yourself up to stay connected. The online Fitbit community groups are another great way to stay connected with like-minded individuals.

Healthy aging involves eating a nutritious diet; staying moderately active with a focus on flexibility, balance, and moderate weight-bearing activities; and staying emotionally connected to others around us. Now is the time to set ourselves up for a lifetime of excellent health.

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Please note that content published here is written by Fitbit Community members and does not reflect any opinions or official positions of Fitbit. The Community Blog entries are published as submitted and are not edited for grammatical or other accuracy. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.

[Odyssey13]

Thank you for writing this @marienichols71 . My grandmother used to say she was the same as her tongue, but older than her teeth. Sometimes age is just a number and sometimes it's a way for us to remember to make of every precious day. 

[marienichols71]

@Odyssey13  what a fun saying your grandmother had! Thanks for reading!

[Marshanthony212]

Nice 

[SunsetRunner]

I need all the inspiration I can get!   Starting out on becoming healthy is a big challenge.  I found this article very informative & inspiring.   

[Joseph1985]

Oh, so nice! Thanks for the post!

[marienichols71]

@SunsetRunner and @Joseph1985 Thanks so much for your kind words and for reading the Community blog!

[Princefaz]

Hello beautiful soul ❤️

[Moneylogue]

This pretty much sums it up if we want to live longer and stronger. Now let's get started with this!

[clarkethomson]

I am so in love with this piece! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Have you ever thought about the relation between depression and nutrition? 
https://ezcareclinic.com/expert-view-about-depression-and-nutritional-deficiencies-relation/
Detoxification, intake of essential nutrients, and incorporation of food components from all the different food groups are important for the optimal function of our bodies. It is good to note that our brain needs these foods and nutrients to function properly. We were privileged to have some of the most fantastic and knowledgeable nutritionists,physicians and researchers share their opinions on the relationship between depression and diet.

[DavideFitbit]

Excellent post @marienichols71, thank you for sharing! 

I love the way this is structured, a balance between good nutrition, staying active and staying connected. I initially started to do some volunteer activities because it was required in my school program, but I learned to love it and plan to get more involved in the community from now on. 

This is very good summary of what we need to do to keep a nice balance between taking care of ourselves and others. 😁

[Auldjohn]

Thanks for the insightful reminders on proactive techniques responding to the challenges and changes in our bodies as we age. While I'm aware of these steps your blog was well written and adopted a positive attitude that motivates me further. 

Please add me to as a Fitbit acquaintance. I'm 77, with osteopenia, Spinal Stenosis from fractured lumber vertabrae with disc deterioration, recovering from elbow reconstruction, and returning to physical therapy and a more normal life post Covid-19 quarantine.

51 years with insulin-dependent Brittle Type 1 Diabetes has shown me we can survive and thrive through diligent self-managent, maintaining a positive outlook, and techniques such as you suggest.

I recently invested in the Fitbit Sense, upgrading from smartwatch clones. The Sense is a vast improvement.

Regards, "Auldjohn"

[DavideFitbit]

Thank you for sharing your experience with this topic, @Auldjohn! And welcome to the Community forums!