Discover Healthy Aging

HealthWatch for September 2004
Share

Increasing, Americans are living longer. Today, the fastest growing sector of the population are people 85 years and older. Although Americans live longer, they can develop a chronic disease which causes frailness. To achieve healthy old age, building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is paramount.

Health Aging means paying attention to your physical, intellectual, and emotional well-being. Walking and stretching keeps your body agile, reading and learning keeps your mind sharp, and developing and nurturing relationships keeps your spirit alive. By tending to these aspects of life, a good attitude may develop which can make you look and feel younger.

Growing older cannot be prevented. Some of the effects of aging can be slowed and even prevented. Life style strongly determines how well we age. A healthy lifestyle includes:

Seven – eight hours of sleep at night
Weight control
Exercise (physical and mental)
Limited alcohol consumption
Not smoking
Eating breakfast

Sources: The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center; Mayo Clinic, Senior Health Center; NetWellness, Consumer Health Information

For more in-depth information on living a healthy lifestyle and increase the chances of healthy aging, visit:

American Academy of Family Physicians, Clinical Care & Research, Nutrition Screening Initiative
Administration on Aging
American Federation for Aging Research
HealthyAging
Healthy People 2010
MedlinePlus: Seniors’ Health Issues
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
National Council on Aging
National Institute on Aging
The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center, Aging Successfully
University Hospitals HealthSystem, Geriatric Assessment Program