The effects of aging on the cardiovascular system can be dangerous or even fatal. As blood vessels become narrow and rigid from the loss of elasticity and valves become thick, the workload of the heart increases. The higher workload causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. These changes also decrease blood flow, causing improper healing, edema, and ineffective transmission of medications. Every one of us age as each second passes. The best thing you can do is to learn how to maintain the quality of life that is worth living. This article can help you to maintain your quality of life and to age gracefully.
Developing good coping skills can improve the aging process. Finding the silver lining around the clouds in your life has been associated with a longer life. If you are not naturally an optimist, it’s never too late to change. By focusing on the positive in your life, you can be positive you will age better.
Join senior groups, church groups local government groups or hobby clubs. Build a family unit, even if your blood relatives are not near you. It’s important to have a network of people around you as you age. Your friends and family can cheer you up during hard times and be your sounding board or first warning signal during bad times. If your family is far away, look to your community.
The amount of exercise you need increases with your age. As you age, your body needs more activities to help it remain flexible and strong. Do 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity, four to five days per week. Include some exercises that emphasize strength a couple of times each week. Having a routine like this will keep your body healthy, and make you less susceptible to problems associated with age.
For even healthier aging, eat more fish and less red meat. Red meat can muck up your arteries by sticking to the linings. Seafood has the exact opposite effect. Seafood not only does not stick as much to the arteries, it even helps prevent other things from sticking as well! As an additional supplement, consider taking omega-3 oil, the same oil found in seafood, every day.
Take a computer course or have someone teach you the basics of the internet. It can take you places that you may never see in your life. It is like a vacation or a journey that you can take from the comfort of your own home. There are so many things that you will learn while on the internet.
Stay active during the aging process. Staying active helps your body, mind, and soul. It will help you to age gracefully. Many studies also show that remaining active can have a positive effect on your mental capacity, and may help to keep diseases like Alzheimer’s at bay. Try to include activity as part of your daily routine.
Our hectic times tend to push us into pointless, repetitive activity. Resist this. Take control of this precious time given you in old age. Read a deeply meaningful book. Reach out to someone in need, someone you wouldn’t have met during your working life, and give each other the gift of appreciation and understanding.
Try to remember that aging is a part of life, not a disease or illness! Bodies do become more vulnerable to common infectious diseases during aging, so taking care of yourself and getting adequate exercise will help you feel youthful. Keeping active is very important to keep your body strong and your mind sharp.
As we age, we like to reminisce. While being reminiscent, do not let your mind take guilt trips. Instead, take a trip to a favorite vacation spot or the mall. Have a trip on a cruise ship to exotic ports. Travel to a foreign country you have always wanted to visit. Guilt trips take you nowhere. Remember, you cannot undo what has already been done, so guilt trips are useless.
As individuals age, their lifestyle choices become more apparent. Smokers, overweight people, sedentary individuals and those who lead extremely stressful lives, are more likely to have a weakened cardiovascular system. Postural hypotension poses an increased risk of falling as the elderly cannot stand up without dizziness. Modifying risky behaviors can decrease or slow the changes to the heart to a certain degree but some effects are the normal result of the aging process.
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