Healthy Aging
Physical and Physiological changes with Aging Adults
From the beginning of our birth, our body endures many changes. As we reach young adolescence however, the body experiences a series of senescence, or bodily changes abnormal, which the body functions start to decline. The body makes these changes, which most people will notice the difference. The musculoskeletal system is the first area that most diseases and illnesses start. For this reason, once a person turns 35 years of age regardless of their activities, athletic nature, the changes start. Still, one can reduce such disease by avoiding injuries to the muscles and joints. You can do this by avoiding accidents when possible, abuse, excessive alcohol, drugs, tobacco and so on. You can increase your health by exercising, eating healthy, socializing with positive people, and avoiding environmental toxins.
Visiting your doctor is essential to prevent disease as well. When you visit your doctor, he takes the time to study your physical status based on the family history you gave to him. The doctor will consider family history, including hereditary diseases. Your doctor will take family history into consideration as he or she studies diagnostics, cures, prevention, and treatment to help you avoid disease. As noted earlier, our body starts to decline by age 35, and our sensory organs will also start to take a rain check. At this time, the eyes are affected since they cannot remain focused on objects up close. In medical terms, this condition is known as presbyopia. This is why you see many people in the world over the age 40 wearing glasses, contact lens, bifocals and so on. Still, you see the younger generation with these same needs, which is a clear sign that aging progression is starting earlier for some. This is a note signaling hereditary makeup, or lifestyle based on environment, etc.
Many people as they grow older lose a degree of hearing. In some instances, people go deaf after 40. This condition is called presbycusis, which is a sign of aging. Since this condition is common for those aging, it is natural to dislike things you once liked. For instance, if you enjoyed concerts when you were younger, and now find that you do not enjoy concerts at all, it is possibly because your hearing has changed, which means that the high-pitch of hearing is affected, which slowly wore down the lower hearing tone. When hearing is impaired, it often seems like those talking are inarticulate. The hearing is tarnished, and the person will hear speech differently. For instance, the use of K may sound distorted, which affects comprehension. In other words, a person older may here the CH in a word, such as Chute Up, and think that someone is telling them to shut-up. The CH is distorted. You can help those with hearing difficulties by learning sign and body languages to help them relate to you. These people can also benefit from hearing aids, or Assistive Listening Devices. The devices act as hearing aids, since it allows a person to block out noise in the background while focusing on the speaker.
We see natural healthy aging in this picture, yet in some instances aging signs are unnatural. For instance, if you incur lung cancer based on your history of smoking, or being around second-hand smoke, then the cause is unnatural. As a person grows older his or her weight changes as well and more so for those with family history of obesity. The body fat starts to change up to 30% by the time a person reaches 40. The changes affect the body tremendously, since this is the start of wrinkles and other natural aging signs.
Weight Declining levels of physical activity and a slowing metabolism may contribute to weight gain. Your body may not be able to burn off as many calories as it once could, and those extra calories will end up being stored as fat. While you can't prevent aging, you can prepare yourself for the various effects of aging, both outside and inside the body.
Ears Excessive noise throughout your lifetime can cause hearing loss as you age. Many older adults have difficulty hearing higher pitched voices and sounds, trouble hearing in busy places and more frequently accumulating earwax.
Hair Skin and Nails As you age, your skin becomes more dry and brittle, which can lead to more wrinkles. The fat layer under the skin thins, which results in less sweating. This may seem like a good thing, but it makes you more susceptible to heat stroke and heat exhaustion in the summer. Hair and nails grow slower and become brittle. Hair will thin and turn gray.
Eyes There are quite a number of vision changes that occur as we age. We may need help seeing objects that are closer as our lens stiffens. We may have a more difficult time seeing in low-light conditions, and colors may be perceived differently. Our eyes may be less capable of producing tears and our lenses may become cloudier.
Kidneys and Urinary Tract Kidneys may become less efficient in removing waste from the bloodstream because your kidneys get smaller as they lose cells as you age. Chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure can cause even more damage to kidneys. Urinary incontinence may occur due to a variety of health conditions. Changes in hormone levels in women and having an enlarged prostate in men are contributing factors that lead to urinary incontinence. Brain and Nervous System As we age, we naturally lose cells. This is even true in the brain. Memory loss occurs because of the number of brain cells decreases. The brain can compensate for this loss by increasing the number of connections between cells to preserve brain function. Reflexes may slow down, distraction is more likely and coordination is affected.
Bones Muscles and Joints As we age, our bones shrink in size and density. Some people actually become shorter! Others are more prone to fractures because of bone loss. Muscles, tendons, and joints may lose strength and flexibility. Exercise is a great way to slow or prevent the problems with bones, muscles and joints. Maintaining strength and flexibility will help keep you strong. In addition, a healthy diet including calcium can help your bones strong. Be sure to talk to your doctor about what types of diet and exercise are right for you.
Digestive System Swallowing and digestive reflexes slow down as we age. Swallowing may become harder as the esophagus contracts less forcefully. The flow of secretions that help digest food in the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine may also be reduced. The reduced flow may result in digestive issues that weren’t present when you were younger. Heart Your heart pumps all day and night, whether you are awake or asleep. It will pump more than 2.5 billion beats during your lifetime! As you age, blood vessels lose their elasticity, fatty deposits build up against artery walls and the heart has to work harder to circulated the blood through your body. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Taking care of your body with the right types of fuel will help you keep your heart healthy and strong. You can take care of your heart by exercising and eating heart-healthy foods.
Activities Promoting Fitness In Older Adults
Lack of activities can prevent you from living healthy. When you do not enjoy activities, you may feel fatigue or find it difficult to sleep at night. When you awake in the morning, you may feel tired until you finally fall asleep. As we age, our body change and we have to make changes to accommodate our lives. Having a good night sleep makes the mind think more clearly. A good night sleep also boosts your energy while controlling your weight. You can also make decisions with less stress. Sleeping well at night makes our immune system stronger to keep us healthier. Researchers have proved that a good nights sleep is necessary for our health. Researchers have found that lack of sleep reduces the growth hormones in our bodies, since it changes muscles to fat. Sleep overall is most important, yet it stands behind activities. To improve your health, try walking each day. please read more...
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