Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

The aging process is something that has the power to cause anxiety and concern in the minds of almost anyone. However, with the proper information, it is possible to grow older with confidence and hope. Take advantage of the advice contained in this article, and you can look forward to experiencing what may turn out to be the very best time in your life.

Challenge your mind often to keep it healthy. Old age is often intermingled with intelligence; you should enhance your intelligence as much as you are able to. You may want to consider taking a class at your community college or just work on a crossword puzzle each day. No matter what you do, it will allow your mind to work and help keep you feeling mentally sharp.

One of the best ways on how to prevent and slow the aging process is by being happy. This can be done by filling your life with http://www.courant.com/community/meriden/hc-ugc-article-hartford-healthcare-senior-services-program-p-2016-09-05-story.html and joy. A good habit is to practice stress relieving activities since stress contributes to speeding up the aging process. A happy person automatically has a happy body.

Take the time to get to know yourself. Many people do not really know what it is that they enjoy in life. If you take the time to try new things, you may find that you have been missing out on some really wonderful things that this life has to offer you.

Setting a regular and generous sleep schedule grows more important as you get older. It is said that each person needs an average of eight hours daily. Various illnesses such as depression have been shown to be exacerbated by inadequate sleep.




<img src="http://www.toddcarrinsurance.com/Portals/66/Life%20Insurance.jpg" />

Join senior groups, church groups local government groups or hobby clubs. Build a family unit, even if your blood relatives are not near you. It's important to have a network of people around you as you age. Your friends and family can cheer you up during hard times and be your sounding board or first warning signal during bad times. If your family is far away, look to your community.

Menopause is a fact of life for aging women. There are many different ways to help relieve the symptoms of menopause and what works for one woman may not work for another. The best thing that you can do is mentally prepare yourself and convince yourself that it is a natural transition that every woman experiences. This will get you in the right frame of mind to deal with menopause.

You must maintain a healthy body weight into your golden years. If you are overweight there are obvious health risks that you face but there are equally dangerous risks involved with being underweight. Talk with your doctor to learn what your ideal weight is and strive to reach that weight.

When aging, there is nothing more important than your personal health. If you feel good, consider what you have been doing and find ways to continue the momentum. If you feel mediocre, look for ways you can personally improve your health. If you feel sick, seek help and do so right away.

See a doctor every year. This is generally suggested for everyone, but as you age it becomes even more important to be under a doctor's care at least once a year. As the body gets older, there are things that will start to happen that you may not be used to, and having a doctor check your progress is a great idea.

Include more fiber in your diet by including more whole grains and vegetables as you become older. Your digestive system becomes more sensitive as you age, so http://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0lBblNFNChhRG1iLTY4WUg4UVE is important to make sure that the foods you eat are easily digested. Keeping your digestive system in good working order will prevent many health problems.

Melatonin can helps you do more than get a good night's rest when you are sleeping. This powerful and natural hormone does a great job as an antioxidant. The natural supply of melatonin diminishes as the body ages and adding a supplement to your diet can improve sleep as well as give your immune system a vital boost.

While an occasional drink every now and then is perfectly acceptable, in order to slow the aging process, alcohol is something that should be avoided. In excess, alcohol can cause cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, can weaken your immune system and affect your system of balance resulting in injuries. By limiting alcohol, you are helping your body fight the inevitable aging process.

Stay positive about life and growing older. Just because you are getting older does not mean that your life has to end and stop right there. A good thing to do is to stay active with social activities and keep friends and family in your life. You will be happy you did.

With aging, our bones tends to decrease in size and they lose density. This causes your bones to weaken which makes them more apt to fracture easily. Because of these two changes to the bone tissue, people tend to become shorter in stature as they age. To combat these changes in your bones, include plenty of vitamin D and calcium in your diet. You can build bone density by doing weight-bearing activities such as walking.

Find a support group if you're having trouble adjusting to age. Other people who are going through the same things you're going through may have different ways of doing things and different methods of coping. They can help you navigate the unfamiliar waters of aging as well as lend an ear or shoulder to lean on.

Stay flexible. Muscle and skeletal problems are linked to lack of flexibility, so make sure to do some stretching at least three days a week. Breathe normal throughout each stretch and hold it for 10-30 seconds. Stretching will help your body stay loose and supple so that it doesn't feel tight and stiff.

As was stated at the beginning of this article, aging is something that everyone must deal with. The secret to looking and feeling your absolute best, as you face Father Time, is understanding the best aging strategies. Apply the great advice from this article to help you age gracefully and maintain your youthful vigor.