3 Keys to Unlock the Path to Healthy Aging
This is an article by Marie Villeza. I offer it with the author’s permission for informational purposes. The author and I have no financial involvement.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE HER OWN AND DO NOT REPRESENT MY VIEW OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
By Marie Villeza, Guest Columnist
Just because you are in (or beyond) your 60s doesn’t mean your health is written in stone. Making healthy choices and changes today — both minor and major ones — can drastically boost both your mental and physical health. In some cases, especially for those who are borderline for certain illnesses like type 2 diabetes and COPD, you might even be able to reverse course.
Seniors have worked too hard and given so much of themselves over the years. They shouldn’t have to spend their hard-earned retirement worrying about mental and physical health concerns. Fortunately, you have the power to take control of your health and enjoy your golden years. Here are three areas where you might be able to take the reins:
Health Insurance
If you want to be in the driver’s seat of your health and wellness, then understanding your health insurance plan and options is crucial. Healthcare for seniors is complex, and there are a lot of misconceptions floating around out there about Medicare and its coverage. When taking control of your healthcare, but sure to look into:
- Preventive care: Talk to your insurance plan about coverage for care that has the goal of preventing illness and injury. Preventive care can support you in making choices to lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and more.
- Medicare Advantage Plans: Get the most out of your Medicare coverage by swapping your Original Medicare plan for one that covers vision, dental, wellness and prescription drugs. Medicare Advantage plans like Humana’s even offer Silver Sneakers, giving you the opportunity to take senior-specific fitness classes for little or no extra costs.
- Long-Term Care: Assess your risk for needing long-term care and speak to your family and a financial advisor on ways to set aside a financial safety net in case you need additional funds for medical expenses.
Diet and Exercise
In the United States almost 40 percent of those 65 and older have been diagnosed as obese. Obesity is a life-threatening concern for everyone, but especially seniors. It leads to high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and even depression. When looking for ways to reduce your chances of facing an obesity diagnosis, consider:
- Avoiding a sugar-fueled diet: High fructose corn syrup can lead to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and weight gain.
- Balancing your diet: Focus on meals rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.
- Hitting the gym: Go with a friend who will help hold you accountable to your physical fitness goals.
- Adding in low-impact cardio: Go walking, jogging or biking in your neighborhood or at a park. Walking improves circulation, stops bone loss, helps balance and improves sleep quality.
Mental Stimulation
For many retired people, the mind is less stimulated without the daily problem-solving skills required by jobs and careers. Like other muscles in your body, the brain needs to be flexed in order to stay spry. Keep up the mental fortitude with:
- Meditation: Sitting in silence for even just 10 minutes a day has been shown to improve memory, boost mood and lower blood pressure. Meditation helps you let go of worries and regrets so they don’t hold you back from enjoying your golden years.
- New Hobbies: Learning a new skill keeps the mind sharp and crisp, while also — depending on the hobby — improving hand-eye coordination, reducing inflammation from arthritis, and keeping you social.
- Volunteering: Give back to your community to keep using those critical thinking skills, while also adding an important sense of purpose and meaning to your life.
When you make lifestyle choices that emphasize physical and mental health, you can uncover ways to control your overall well-being at any age. Healthy aging helps you achieve your wants and needs — excitement and adventure, relaxation and peace, or maybe all of the above.
Marie Villeza’s mission is to empower seniors against ageism by providing information they need to keep control of their own lives. For more information, please visit ElderImpact.com. Click here to learn about helping a senior addict parent from a distance.
This is a noxious example of content marketing in a deceptive health related advertisement. An “Internet Influencer” not only markets herself, and her products, but slips an in content advertisement for a huge insurance company. No on here thought to include that they were PAID for this advertisement. These kinds of informational sites are really profitable, they market to a targeted group of people. Here they are seeking out older individuals, with money and health concerns in order to sell Humana Insurance to those that can afford it.
Humana has had a run of very bad press lately, as they continue with their corrupt practices. Humana and the other insurers spend millions on bribing congress, misleading or paying off the few regulators the US has left, and maintaining their profitability, by deceiving he American public. A well placed advertisement like this is money well spent. The US used to have laws against this kind of deceptive health marketing, but these industries did away with them, leaving millions of Americans in limbo and at the mercy of these corrupt and greedy corporations.
The Content Marketer, Marie Villeza , and DR Webster were both paid to post this deceptive advertising for one of the largest insurance companies in the US. They cleverly disguise this as “advice” in order to deceive the readers.
There is nothing wrong with making a few bucks on a site like this, but the funding and other interests should simply be disclosed.