We can’t believe the year is already a twelfth complete! Hopefully your New Year’s Resolutions are still intact and you’re still on your way to healthy 2016. If not, here are 7 steps to good senior health to keep yourself happy and healthy for the whole year.
- Be active
-Aim to get at least 30 minutes per day but a great end goal is 60.
-Always exercise at your own level.
- Eat well
-Incorporate at least 1 produce item into every meal. You’ll notice the difference!
- Use medication safely
-Never stop or start meds without asking your doctor.
-If it’s helpful, set a timer to remind yourself which times to take them.
- Participate in activities you enjoy
-It’s good for your mental health and happiness to do social activities regularly
-Card games? Bird watching? Group walks? Solo walks?
- Get your recommended vaccines!
-Time for a flu shot? Diphtheria vaccine? Ask your doctor.
- Sleep well
-If you’re having sleep trouble, avoid caffeine or foods that might irritate your stomach, especially in the afternoon and evening. Love spicy foods but they don’t sit well? Try eating the spicy stuff in the morning to give yourself time to digest it by bedtime.
- Arts!
-Creativity is so important for our expression, as an outlet and as a stress-reliever.
-Knitting? Coloring? Painting? Molding clay? It doesn’t have to be “for something” other than to be for FUN and for yourself.
by Michelle Kicherer of www.BananaPitch.com