Aging is inevitable, and it starts as soon as you are born. However, it is up to you to make aging a beautiful and meaningful process. The trick is to age well, and that is NOT difficult. You are just a set of well-reasoned rules and quality habits away from living a healthy and whole life. This article sums up how ‘pushing 80 body’ can become more enjoyable.
What to expect about your health in your 80’s?
Leaving the bad feeling behind, explore some good things about aging! Here is what to expect about your health in 80’s:
Less buff, More fat
When you reach your 80s, you start to lose muscle tone. Why? Because the muscle mass in both, men and women, starts to decline as early as one reaches the age of 30. By that age, the fat content is as twice that of their youth, on average. Now, of course, there is a solution to that. You must eat healthily, and exercise regularly to stay in shape.
Doctors suggest opting for the Mediterranean diet as it is more of a lifestyle than a strict eat-nothing diet plan. Love eating a T-bone steak? Do not stop yourself! However, try to avoid fast and processed foods. Add seafood, nuts, and lean meats to your diet instead.
Less-sensitive teeth
There is both good news and bad news for you.
The good news is that although you might have fewer teeth, they become less sensitive. The reason lies in the fact that over time more dentin is built up between the central nerve and outer enamel of your teeth. Dentin is a hard inner tissue that supports the structure of your enamel. Being soft in texture, dentin helps to absorb pressure from eating, diminishing sensitivity.
On the other hand, the bad news is that your gums recede over time, causing the exposure of roots in a different way. However, there are different things you can do to remedy this including the addition or substitution oral hygiene products Visit your dentist to ask about any recommendations they may have for toothpaste or other at-home oral care products you can add to your daily oral cleaning routine.
Less sweating
When you reach your 80s, you sweat less! Especially if you are a woman. As the female body changes at 80 are linked to menopause, sweat glands under the arms shrink and become less sensitive. It results in less perspiration production in your body.
Fewer colds and infections
Catching fewer colds and infection is a payoff for all the years of coughing, sneezing, and runny noses. As you reach the age of 80, you must have been exposed to a number of hosts of viruses that help in building your immune system over time.
Say goodbye to migraines
If you are a woman, interested in knowing female body changes at 80, know that you will have fewer migraines. If hot flashes are a con of menopause, no migraine is a pro. Research states that almost 67% of women migraine sufferers get full-time relief after menopause. It is caused by the hormone changes in your body.
How to look good in your 80s?
We easily know that aging gives us wrinkles and gray hair. But fewer of us know how aging affects your physical and mental health. If you too wonder how to look good in your 80s, given below is a roundup of some recommended practices.
Eat how Greeks eat
Most researchers suggest going for a Mediterranean-like diet that involves an infusion of Greek and Italian dishes. Based on a study by Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it is requested that you choose a plant-based diet that has fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains.
You can also eat fatty fish such as Sardines or Salmon. As these are rich in Omega-3, they have the potential to reduce the risk of a stroke or heart disease.
Another staple for the diet is choosing extra virgin olive oil over any other oil for cooking. It will help in minimizing the chance of heart attacks, cardiovascular death, and stroke, even in people with a higher risk.
Keep moving to get your heart rate going
Studies reveal that physical inactivity and obesity are two of the main problems when it comes to a shortened lifespan or diseases. In order to fight back, exercise. It not only helps to improve your physical function but reduces the risk of mental health issues like depression. Additionally, you become less vulnerable to cancer and diabetes.
According to the American Cancer Society, two to five hours of moderate physical activity or one to two hours of vigorous physical activity per week can help reduce health problems. Moderate physical activity might include walking, or gardening whereas vigorous physical activity includes running or aerobics.
How about the idea of gravitating towards squashing? It will help you to keep your heart and respiratory rates up. If not, a 30-minute walk per day will do for you. Exercising can help to add years to your life.
Give up on smoking, please
We all know the drawbacks of smoking or vaping. Simply stated, it has deadly consequences. It can be a reason behind a number of health-related diseases including heart attacks, cancer, emphysema, and lung diseases.
Are you one of those who think light smoking does not harm? Sorry to break the bubble but even light smoking (a cigarette per day) can increase the risk of dying early significantly.
On the contrary, if you decide to quit smoking you can quickly observe the consequences. According to the CDC, within a year of quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack drops sharply.
When pushing 80, here is a tip: do not let others fool you into thinking that vaping is any healthier than smoking. Although not much has been said about the long-term effects of vaping, e-cigarettes damage the arteries in the same way that regular or traditional cigarettes do.
Regular checkups
I am a big fan of the idea that preventive care helps in unveiling health issues earlier. It makes the treatment a lot easier. Therefore, you have to schedule wellness examinations as often as recommended by your healthcare provider.
If you do not have much information or you are scared of the tests, here is a list of some common screenings done after you reach 80:
- Cholesterol
- Skin cancer
- Blood pressure
- Breast cancer or cervical cancer (if female)
Your doctor might be interested in taking some other tests based on your family history.
These visits to your doctor also help in keeping a check on your lifestyle. They also help to identify common signs of aging at 80 that might include behavioral health problems like anxiety, depression, or stress.
When pushing 80 body, some of the above can be difficult for you to start. However, do not underestimate the power of eating well and exercising. Know that, it is never too late to work on your lifestyle and habits.
