After spending five decades living, you should understand you are now much closer to being an older adult. As you age more you are exposed to a lot of complications that come with aging. However, there are healthy habits to maintain to prevent these complications. Following are some healthy habits after 50 to develop as you age:
Improve Your Bone Health
Poor bone health can lead to a lot of conditions in both men and women. Some of them include Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and many other conditions. Women will mostly experience reduced bone density and more risk of fractures due to changes in the level of the hormone before and after menopause.
Improve your bone health by having more calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K in your diet. You can either get these nutrients in your diet or through supplements. In addition, to improve your bone health, focus on exercises that will make your skeletal system stronger.
Considering independent living in a retirement community will help you easily access health and fitness activities to improve your bone health.
Avoid Tobacco
After fifty years, you need to let go of some lifestyle. One of them is your intake of tobacco irrespective of the form. Quitting tobacco lowers your risk of exposure to heart-related diseases and stroke. You will experience some significant changes after a few years of quitting. Overall, your risk of lung cancer drops by fifty percent after 10 years of quitting.
Increased Energy Levels
A decline in energy levels is common among adults in their fifties. So you might notice you can no longer do things the way you used to. While this is normal in adults, it’s generally caused when an individual is deficient in vitamin B12.
Once you have been diagnosed with this deficiency, ensure you start taking daily supplements. A lower level of vitamin B12 in adults can result in heart weakening, a higher risk of osteoporosis, and reduced mobility. To avoid all these complications, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
You can include these sources of B12 in your diet, some of them include cereal, beef liver, sardines, yogurt, and mackerel.
Avoid Excess Sodium Intake
After the age of 50, the risk of high blood pressure is higher in older adults. You can lower this risk by reducing your intake of table salt. You can use seasonings like garlic powder, citrus and fresh herbs, dill, onion powder, paprika, and many more.
In addition, you can use alternatives that are either sodium-free or low in sodium. They will add flavor to your food and also help you keep your salt intake in check. Avoid packaged, prepared food and sauces as their sodium content is always high. You can effectively avoid sodium intake by making meals at home with fresh ingredients.
In addition, residential communities feature a dining option to help you live a healthy life. They will ensure your meals do not contain salt.
Adequate Sleep
As we grow older, we need to sleep more. While busy schedules might prevent us from having adequate sleep during our younger days. After 50, it’s essential you get enough sleep, at least 6 to 8 hours. Adequate sleep will allow your brain and body to heal and prepare you for the next day. When you are well-rested, making decisions will become easier.
