It is very important as you get older to maintain a healthy weight. Metabolism slows down as you get older and losing weight becomes even more of a difficult task, especially for women.

If you are overweight, then your risk for chronic medical problems rises, such as being treated for back pain, diabetes, cancer, and can have a negative impact on your daily life.

Diet

In order to maintain your best health, it is important to eat a healthy diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat products. It is also important to make sure you have a daily intake of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, including healthy omega-3 fats.

It is also important to limit your intake of processed, fast, and junk foods, and to reduce the amount of salt in your overall diet. Even though junk food may taste great, overall it has negative health consequences on your body. Fast food and processed foods have been proven to exacerbate chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Consuming too much sugar is also unhealthy and has been linked to different kinds of medical conditions, including mood swings and perhaps certain types of cancers.

 

Physical Exercise

It is essential that you find time to exercise regularly. It is widely believed and proven that regular exercise is vital to maintaining a healthy body, mind, and overall healthy lifestyle. Not only does exercising have the ability of making your body more tone and attractive, exercising can improve your mood, lower your risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer. Strength and cardio training a few times a week can help boost metabolism and lose weight. Some people report that during exercise is when they come up with their best ideas.

Mental Exercise

Just 30 minutes a day of mental exercise (such as Sudoku and crossword puzzles, reading interesting books) has been shown to increase focus, reduce stress and anxiety. Meditation is also a vital component to maintain healthy stress levels throughout your daily tasks.

Sleep

Always get enough sleep! Getting an adequate amount of sleep per night is critical for focus, concentration, job performance, stable appetite, and a wide range of other positive health benefits. But most people need around 6-8 hours of sleep each night to function at their best and sleep deprivation can cause a number of health problems. It is important to note that in order to get enough sleep every night, it is vital to set a routine. If you find it difficult to get to sleep or stay asleep, make sure you cut back on alcohol, which has a negative effect on your sleep patterns.

Preventing Other Health Problems

The following are a few steps that can help you live a long and healthy life, and also help reduce your risk of a serious illness.

  • Do not smoke
  • If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink in moderation (no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 per day for women).
  • Use over-the-counter / prescription drugs only as directed.
  • Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and keep them within a healthy range.
  • Wear sunscreen daily whenever in the sun to help prevent skin cancer and premature aging of skin.
  • Reduce stress as much as possible!