Are you growing better as you grow older? Are you aging the best you can? Here are 6 easy ideas you can use to “change the way you age” and be healthier and happier – starting right now!
We’re all getting older, and that’s not just ok – it’s great! As we age, we still want to stay healthy and active. How can we maintain our cognitive functions and keep physically fit for our “golden” years?
The good news is that there are hundreds of things that can be done to help you age in the best way possible. Some are harder than others (ahem, committing to daily exercise!). Fortunately, there are lots of small changes we can all make to help ensure that we age well.
Here are six easy – but impactful – things you can do right now that will help you age healthier and happier.
6 Easy Ideas to Change the Way You Age
1. Wear Good Quality Sunglasses
The skin around your eyes is the most delicate and thin skin on your body.
It’s also the place where wrinkles tend to appear first. And let’s face it, wrinkles are associated with age! (Also with smiles – but right now I’m talking about minimizing that dreaded sun damage).
Sunglasses protect this sensitive eye area from sun damage. They also reduce squinting. This means you will have fewer eye wrinkles as well as fewer forehead wrinkles.
More importantly, though, sunglasses protect your eyes from damaging rays. Beyond wrinkles, sunlight can damage the eyes and cause:
- cataracts
- macular degeneration
- pinguecula and pterygia
- corneal sunburn
While each of these is treatable, it’s best to protect yourself from the sun and prevent the damage before it can start.
Choose polarized lenses and the largest frames you feel comfortable in (more coverage).
2. Keep Your Diet Colorful
We know there are some foods (like sugar) out there that speed up the aging process.
Luckily, there are also plenty of foods out there that can do the opposite.
Foods like kale, broccoli, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, and plums are all rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can promote healthy aging. Some of these nutrients include alpha lipoic acid, carotenoids (including vitamin A, ß-carotene, lycopene, astaxanthin, and retinol), CoQ10, glutathione, polyphenols, and vitamins C, D, and E.
A quick way to know if you are eating enough of these healthy foods?
Be sure to make every plate you eat as colorful as possible – as long as those colors are natural! Go for at least three colors of food at each meal and more if you can. It’s easy to do with fruits and vegetables!
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3. Consider a Fish Oil Supplement
Fish oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies show this can help everything from your joints, eyesight, and hair growth to making your skin look supple and improving your heart and immune functions.
Fish oil capsules are perhaps the easiest way to get a mega-dose of omega-3s. They’ve come a long way in the past few years, and very rarely have that fishy smell and taste.
NOTE: Consult your medical professional before adding any supplements to your diet.
If you prefer to get fish oil only from food sources, increase your intake of seeds, nuts, sardines, or salmon.
4. Make Exercise a Priority
It’s no secret that as you age your metabolism slows down, your muscle tissue deteriorates, and your body stores more fat.
Consistent physical activity will slow or even reverse these processes.
This activity can be as simple as taking a daily walk in your neighborhood.
Getting at least thirty minutes of activity a day is an excellent goal, but start where you are and build your way to a level that works for you.
Ready to try something new? Strength training, swimming, biking, Pilates, and Barre are wonderful workouts for mature adults.
And don’t forget yoga for balance and flexibility!
6. Make Time For Your Friends
It’s common to feel overwhelmed by our busy schedules. The first thing we tend to sacrifice is our social life, which is unfortunate.
Having a fulfilling social life can help you age better in many ways.
Although we as individuals need different levels of interaction, ongoing isolation is never healthy. So whether it’s frequent evenings out, an occasional lunch with just a friend or two, or a monthly book club, strive to have the social contact that meets your needs.
The biggest thing making time for friends will accomplish is lowering your stress level.
Studies have shown that high levels of stress can damage your skin cells, lower your immune system, make you more susceptible to illness, and disrupt quality sleep.
As a bonus, making time for your friends also means that you will be more active both physically and mentally.
6. Change Your Opinion Of “Old Age”
There is no formal definition of what “old” means.
The word can have many different meanings depending on the context. Don’t degrade yourself by talking about your “senior moments” or the things you can no longer do. When you put limits on yourself, it becomes the truth.
Instead, focus on all the things you can do and remember, age is just a number. Having a positive attitude and a good mental outlook is half the battle.
“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”
Read More:
- 10 Tips for Healthy Living After Fifty
- 4 Steps to Banish Mental Fog Caused by Aging
- Get Motivated to Get Healthy in 4 Easy Steps
- How to Have More Energy Every Day – Even When You’re “Old”
- Crazy Good Reasons To Walk Every Day If You’re A Midlife Woman
Final Thoughts on Change the Way You Age (6 Easy Ideas!)
You really can change the way you age.
Make yourself a priority and begin implementing even just one of these suggestions for now. As you see the positive impact of that one, you’ll be inspired to do more.
- Wear Good Quality Sunglasses
- Keep Your Diet Colorful
- Consider a Fish Oil Supplement
- Make Exercise a Priority
- Make Time For Your Friends
- Change Your Opinion Of “Old Age”
Tell me in the comments how you feel about aging and limitations!