Fall Into Healthier Habits

Building Healthier Habits This Fall

As the temperatures continue to drop and the days begin to get shorter, we find ourselves getting ready for the holiday season full of friends, family, and thankfulness. What better than the fall season to show your body some gratitude and start looking after your overall health?

Staying Active

As you get older, it becomes more important for you to continue leading an active lifestyle to support various areas of your health. It is recommended that older adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Staying physically active as you get older can seem like a mountain of a task, but even incorporating simple exercises like walking into your routine can help you to reap the following health benefits.

Supports Your Heart Health

Getting regular physical activity not only helps you to maintain a healthy body weight, but it also strengthens your heart muscles and prevents various heart issues. Staying active has the following heart benefits:

• Lowers your blood pressure
• Lowers your cholesterol
• Prevents the development of diabetes
• Lowers stress levels
• Reduces inflammation

Eases and Prevents Joint Pain

Although you may be tempted to take it easy when suffering from arthritis, getting up and moving can actually help to ease your pain. As you get older, it is important to stay active to properly lubricate your joints and build up the muscles surrounding and supporting your joints.

Supports a Healthy Immune System

Although more research is needed to show how exercise helps tosupport your immune system, it is believed that getting regular physical activity helps to boost your immunity from certain illnesses. Staying active also helps you to feel healthier, more energetic, and makes you feel better about yourself physically.

Build a Healthier Diet

The foods you put into your body have a direct impact on the health of your body. There are plenty of foods that can help to support your health, while others should be limited.

Whole grains

Eating whole grains provides the body with a host of health benefits, including reducing the risk of developing chronic illnesses. Oats are also rich in the following vitamins and minerals:

• Complex carbohydrates
• Fiber
• Several B vitamins
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Selenium

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Not only are fruits a way to add some natural sweetness to the beginning of your day, but they also pack a nutritional punch. Fruits help to add vitamins and fiber to your diet without added calories.

Eating a variety of vegetables also helps to get essential vitamins and nutrients into your diet without any added calories, cholesterol, or fat. Some of these include:

• Potassium
• Vitamin a
• Vitamin C
• Folate

Foods to Avoid

While the foods mentioned above are great additions to your meals, some foods should be avoided. These foods include:

• Foods with added sugars
• Sugary beverages
• Alcohol
• Processed meats
• Fried foods
• Sugary breakfast cereals

Look After Your Eye Health

When we think of supporting our overall health, we rarely think of looking after our eyes. As we continue to age, the risks of developing eye disease increase—making it important to take preventative measures to reduce those risks.

Eye exams are vital when it comes to keeping on top of your eye health. You should have an eye exam annually, but if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms or other abnormalities, contact your ophthalmologist.

• Sudden or severe eye pain
• Heavy eye discharge
• Burning and itching
• Blurred, hazy, or doubled vision
• Seeing flashes of light
• Swollen, red eyes
• Changes in the color of the iris
• White areas in the pupil
• Sudden vision changes

Foods that Support Your Eye Health

Did you know that some foods can help improve eye health? Add foods to your diet that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamins C and E, such as:

• Green leafy vegetables (kale and spinach)
• Oily fish such as salmon or tuna
• Non-meat protein sources such as eggs, beans, and nuts
• Citrus fruits such as oranges

Prepare for Emergencies

With more extreme weather on the horizon, the likelihood of experiencing an emergency or disaster is steadily increasing. This makes it essential that you have a plan in place to ensure your safety—especially for older adults.

Create a Plan

The first step in preparing for any emergency is developing a plan. Remember the following points when coordinating with your friends and family:

• Choose a person-of-contact to be responsible for reaching out to everyone, whether that’s in-person or over the phone.
• Keep a written or printed copy of important contacts in the event that you lose power.
• Prepare an exit route and meeting spot for your loved ones if a disaster requires evacuation.

Build an Emergency Kit

When facing a disaster, it may be difficult for older people to get food, medicine, and other essential supplies to your health and well-being. Keep these items in a designated area, collecting overtime to make sure you’re prepared:

Medical supplies :

• Batteries and chargers.
• A jumper box.
• At least a 3-day supply of needed medications.
• First aid kit.
• A cooler and ice packs.
• Glasses or contacts.
• Contact solution.
• Hearing aids.
• Medical devices.

Important documentation:

• Any ID tags that have your name, allergies, and emergency contact information on them.
• A list of all current medications and dosages.
• A physical copy of your emergency contacts.
• Copies of your current insurance cards.
• Copies of your photo IDs.
• Copies of medical power of attorney documents,

Non-perishable food items:

• Several gallons of water
• Peanut butter
• Canned fish.
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Sports drinks
• Canned Juices
• Powdered or canned milk
• Salt, pepper, and sugar
• Hot and cold cereals
• Cereal or protein bars
• Canned or dry soups.
• Tea and coffee.