As you grow older, you go through many changes either positive or negative or positive. You can enjoy it however, if you are aware of what is going on with your body and take initiative in maintaining your health. With increase in your age, many things can happen to your body. Your bones, skin and probably even your brain, might start to behave differently. You ought not to allow these changes to catch you by surprise.
Some of the common changes may be in your bones. They can become thinner and much more brittle as you grow in age. This is especially true in women and results in a condition defined by fragile bones referred to as Osteoporosis. Decrease in the mass of your bones can result in risk of falling which may bring about breaking of bones. You should have a talk with your doctor about what to do to prevent this condition.
Your heart will also be affected. Even with a healthy diet and consistent exercise keeping your heart healthy, it might become slightly enlarged. This may result in your heart rate becoming lower and thickening of the walls of your heart.
Age affects your brain and nervous system. Your reflexes and senses can be affected. You may also develop dementia as it is a common for you to experience slight forgetfulness as you grow older. Your brain cells and nerves may end up being damaged by formation of tangles and plaques which are the abnormalities that lead to dementia.
Another part of your body age affects is your digestive system. With advancement in age, your digestive gut starts to become more firm and rigid making it contract less often. This can lead to problems such as stomach pains, feelings of nausea and constipation. Only a better diet can help with this.
You might find that your vision or hearing capabilities have become less sharp than how they were originally. You may also find that your sense of taste is escaping you and flavors do not seem as distinct to you as they were before. Your touch and smell senses might also become weak. Your body starts to take a longer time to react the surroundings.
The teeth are also affected adversely. The tough enamel which protects your teeth from decay starts to wear away over the years. This leaves you susceptible to cavities and tooth decay. Gum disease has been known to be a great concern for senior citizens. You may also be affected by dry mouth, which is a common side effect of many of the medications that are given to seniors.
Your skin is a part of your body that is greatly affected by old age. Your skin lose its elasticity and may as a result sag and wrinkle. However, if you protected yourself from smoking and sun damage while you were younger your skin is much more likely to look better even with old age. Protect your skin as early as now to prevent any further damage or skin cancer in the future.
Your sex life changes too. After menopause, when menstruation, ceases many women go through various physical changes. These include loss of vaginal lubrication. Men might go through erectile dysfunction. Luckily, these two problems can be easily treated.
Most of these problems are nothing but a part of aging. They do not however have to slow you down. Moreover, there are a lot of things that you can do to protect your body and make sure it is as healthy as possible. Some of these things are;
Maintaining your physical health. It is very important that you maintain your health and energy. You get better through the experience that you gain with advancement in your years. You should also practice healthy habits throughout your life time. It is however, never too late to start taking care of your body even with your advanced age.
You can choose to remain physically active throughout your lifetime by means consistent exercises. These helps to maintain the strength of your body in the long run. You can also resolve to eat diets that are healthy and well balanced. Let go junk food at all costs. Taking care of your body is imperative, but tending to your emotional health is also very important. If you are willing to enjoy your long life enjoy each day of your life.