As the age of a person increases, be it male or female the Old Age Health Problems increase too.
Once you cross – let’s say – 35 or 40 you will feel yourself that you need more rest and you need more nutrition. Medicines can fix the problem temporarily but you need proper nutrition if you want to live a happy and a healthy life.
People all over the world are able to live a healthy, long and happy life because of the improved medical health care system.
Today we will cover the most common age-related diseases and the nutritional requirements for the elderly and old age health problems and solutions. We will also talk about how to avoid old age health problems? Before we get started what are the old age problems, the elderly suffer from:
- Arthritis
- Heart Diseases
- Hearing & EyeSight Loss
- Memory Loss
- Diabetes
- Teeth
Arthritis – Old age health problems and solutions
Arthritis is one of the most common difficulties faced by senior citizens. It affects almost half of the elderly. A few reasons for arthritis are old injuries or wearing heels for a long period of time. Experts say that arthritis in the knees can be caused because of walking on the legs. Funny isn’t It?
To avoid or control health problems caused by old age like arthritis you should exercise regularly & while doing exercise you have to stop if it hurts. To keep Arthritis in check, you need to maintain your weight. Workout 5 times a week but you have to stop when it hurts your joints.
Health problems faced by old age can be kept in check if you workout when you are young because it will keep your body healthy.
Your bones, muscles your tendons and even your brain will be healthy. This doesn’t mean that you can’t work out in old age.
It’s never too late.
I am recommending you to workout because maintaining your weight can also a help you to reduce the pain. It has been scientifically backed up that losing around 20kgs weight can reduce the risk of arthritis by half.
Nutrition for Arthritis
These physical problems of old age can be reduced with proper nutrition. Arthritis, in the worst condition, stops you from moving. In this situation, you need to take care of the nutritional needs for an elderly person who is not very active. There are certain foods you can eat such as Broccoli, Sprouts, Garlic & fatty fish. These foods for the elderly can help them reduce the pain and keep Arthritis in check.
Heart Diseases – Old age health problems and solutions
Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths of the elderly. In 2014 alone, around 4,80,000 thousand deaths were caused by heart failure. This disease is one of the major health problems associated with old age. The individuals who are 65 & above should really look out for symptoms of a heart attack.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two of the prime candidates for the cause heart problems. The normal thing to do to avoid a heart attack is to eat well, exercise regularly and get a good night’s sleep.
Nutrition for Heart Diseases
Nutritional requirements for the elderly can be controlled in old age with the proper food that helps the heart. Consume enough Omega-3 which is really good for your heart & your brain. Nutritional needs for the elderly meal planning should contain a lot of vegetables & fruits, opt for whole grain, choose low-fat protein like lean meat and fish.
These foods and other healthy eating are known to reduce coronary artery disease.
Perform some exercises which will pump your heart a little faster such as walking, jogging or little Zumba. Sweating through a little exercise and maintaining a healthy weight will help you to reduce congestive heart failure & consult your physician regularly to live a long, healthy & happy life.
Hearing & EyeSight Loss – Old age health problems and solutions
As an individual reaches a certain age, health problems associated with old age like hearing & eyesight loss start to happen. Macular degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts, and Blindness are some of the common eye-related problems. Hundreds of millions of people suffer from age-related eye problems.
Experts say that people who smoke cigarettes are at a higher risk of macular degeneration. Glaucoma is also a leading cause of vision loss & blindness. Include foods with high antioxidant content in your diet and consume vitamins for eye health. These steps can help you prevent eye problems. Consult your physician if you have Glaucoma.
Hearing aids can be used by elderly people aged over 65 but the Hearing loss cannot be cured. The number of hearing loss cases is high from the age group between 45 to 65 and is one of the health problems faced by old age. Listening to high-frequency sounds causes Hearing loss. Using earbuds with loud music can lead you to hear impairment. The simple remedy for deafness is to avoid using earphones and listening to music with low volume.
Memory Loss – Old age health problems and solutions
Alzheimer’s & Dementia are real health problems caused by old age Ladies & Gentlemen!!! These two diseases can really affect an individual’s life. Stress is commonly mistaken for Alzheimer’s & Dementia because people tend to forget things when they are stressed.
Multitasking can really let you think that you have Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Our brain is not programmed to handle too many tasks. You forget things after that and it is mistaken for either Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Exercise your body and your mind to keep these old age health problems in control. Mental exercise is as important as physical exercise. Play games like chess, do the crossword and have a debate with stimulating thoughts. Do things which require a lot of concentration. These exercises give tremendous satisfaction.
Nutrition for Memory Loss
Alzheimer’s or Dementia needs specific nutritional requirements for the elderly. Eat foods that are high in Omega-3 & fatty acids because these foods will keep the new brain cells in production. Eat foods like Salmon, Avocados, Nuts, Seeds, and Blueberries. If you have signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms then these foods will help you in fighting them.
Diabetes – Old age health problems and solutions
Diabetes can really be harmful to your health. This is one of the old age health problems which is quite common in older adults & slowly people under 30 are also starting to suffer from this disease. Excessive sugar in your diet & food with no fiber content is digested very quickly and it causes the insulin to spike and raises the blood sugar levels. Consistency in this type of diet can cause Diabetes.
There are two types of Diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetic Diet or Nutrition
How to avoid old age health problems related to Diabetes? Here’s how. You have to include all the nutrients in your diet like carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Fruits and vegetables can provide Carbohydrates. Natural sugar can be received from fruits which is very good for your health. Consume healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, butter, low-fat dairy products, and fish. By, eating this you can keep old age health problems like type 1 & 2 diabetes in control.
Teeth – Old age health problems and solutions
Losing your teeth is no longer an old-age health problem. Proper tooth care will help you keep your teeth for a longer period of time. Implants help old people to keep their teeth and in addition by bleaching your teeth, you can keep them white and younger than ever before.
Dentists will help you to keep your oral health perfectly fine and prevent you from tooth decay. Many old adults don’t use dentures anymore and they advise that brushing teeth twice a day & flossing for teeth whitening will help you keep your oral health perfectly good.
Bottomline
Old age health Problems and solutions are common at a certain age. Nutritional needs for an elderly person who is not very active should be the first priority. Nutritional requirements for an elderly person should be very specific because it can cause a serious problem if the elderly skips a meal. Health problems associated with old age cannot be avoided but they can be controlled. I’ve tried to answer the question of how to avoid old age health problems? as much as I can.
Healthy eating for the elderly can control old age health problems. Regular visits to your doctor/ physician will make you aware about the nutritional needs of the elderly and only a certified doctor o a physician can give you a balanced diet for the elderly nutritional needs of the aged. If you have any older adults in your family then you will understand the elderly nutrition & the importance of nutrition for senior citizens.
Ellizabeth Vaughan says
How to breathe properly.I find I feel that I shallow breathe a lot what should I do to breathe properly.Elizabeth
ayansh says
Hi Elizabeth, You can follow these below steps for proper breathing.
1. You can start Breathing consciously by placing your awareness on your breath.
2. You can start Breathing slowly by extending the inhale and exhale over time, it will have a continuous process.
3. Breathe deeply by placing your awareness on your lower belly.
Breathe mainly from your nose. Never force air in the exhale process, let is exhale.
Start following these process and let us know if you see any improvements.