Last Updated on July 22, 2019 by Diane Hoffmaster
This post featuring tips on how to age healthy is sponsored by St. Joseph® Low Dose Aspirin. All opinions are my own.
The older I get, the more injuries and health problems I seem to deal with. In fact, I recently learned that I have a congenital heart problem, so I’ve been thinking a lot about how to take my heart health seriously to age healthy and keep moving well into my golden years.
Although staying healthy as you age isn’t always easy, there are ways to take make your health a priority. From eating right, exercising, taking care of your mental health and learning about low dose aspirin and heart health – it’s so important to learn what we can do to age as healthy as possible!
Table of Contents
What affect does aging have on the heart?
My mom was recently hospitalized with heart problems and I learned a lot about how the heart is affected as we get older. As you age, your heart muscle cells age along with the rest of you, and your heart may not work quite the same as it used to.
You may need to make several changes to your lifestyle for improved heart health—like regular exercise. You could also add a low-dose aspirin regimen, but talk to your doctor about your heart heath and ask them which heart healthy lifestyle tips you should adopt and whether aspirin is right for you.
How Does Aspirin Work For Heart Health?
While heart problems can have many causes, they often result from plaque buildup in the arteries which can lead to the formation of blood clots and damage to the heart muscle. Aspirin works to help thin the blood and hopefully reduce the risk of such blood clots and the potential for a heart attack. Talk to your doctor about whether a low dose aspirin regimen is right for you, especially if you have already suffered from a heart attack in the past.
If your doctor DOES recommend low dose aspirin, St. Joseph® Low Dose Aspirin is available right off the shelf at all major retailers. There are coupons available on the website here so you can save some money on your next purchase! For additional information, visit www.stjosephaspirin.com.
Aspirin may also save your life when taken during a suspected heart attack so it is good to keep it on hand just in case. You may want to discuss this with your doctor.
In the event of a suspected heart attack, immediately call 9-1-1 and chew or crush and swallow aspirin as directed by a doctor.
How do you stay mentally healthy as you age?
When learning how to age healthy, consider your mind as well as your heart. But, how do you keep your brain healthy? Taking the following steps can help keep your mind sharp as you get older:
- Don't smoke or drink excessively. These activities both negatively affect the aging process.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise as you get older keeps blood flowing to the brain which is important for your mental health.
- Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat, 'good fats', fiber, and plenty of water.
- Stimulate your brain. That doesn't mean you need to go back to college. However, read a book, do a crossword puzzle, and maybe look into classes at your local parks and rec department.
- Socialize more. Having strong friendship groups is important for long term health.
Make sure you don't neglect brain health as you age!
Staying Physically Fit as We Age
Exercising as you get older is a great way to improve both mental and physical health. However, that doesn't mean you need to run a marathon or take up rock climbing. In fact, I definitely do not recommend doing those things unless you talk to a doctor first! What types of exercises are good?
- Yoga and Pilates. These are good exercises to try since they build muscle with almost no 'impact' to jar joints.
- Resistance Band Workouts. Invest in a set of resistance bands to improve the strength of your muscles.
- Walking. This is a great cardio exercise to keep active and healthy!
- Cycling. Riding a bicycle is also a good cardio workout that’s not high impact.
- Strength and Aerobic Classes. Make sure you start slow! Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Healthy Eating
Want to know how to age healthy? Be mindful of the food you eat. That old saying of 'You are what you eat.' is very, VERY true! So watch your calories, choose nutrient dense foods, and drink plenty of water. Sounds like good advice for everyone, right?
Basically, eating healthy is very simple. Eat loads of fruits and vegetables. Vary your protein choices and include more fish, beans and peas rather than fatty cuts of beef. Include at least three ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta every day. (whole grains... NOT processed white flour!) Aim for three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy (milk, yogurt or cheese) that are fortified with vitamin D. This will help keep your bones healthy as you age.
Essential Health Tips
In order to stay healthy as you age, you may need to make serious lifestyle changes. Be mindful about the foods you eat, get regular exercise, and ask your physician about low dose aspirin therapy and whether it is right for you.
More Tips for Healthy Aging
- Bedtime Beauty Tips to Help Fight Aging
- Hiking Tips for Women: What the books don’t tell you!
- How to Feel Young Again Even if You’re Getting Old!
As an almost 50 year old woman who recently learned she has a congenital heart problem, you can rest assured that I am taking my heart health seriously as I get older!
Have any other tips on how to stay healthy as you age?
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time. You can learn more about her HERE.
Dee Frank
Nice advice