There’s no denying that as we get older, our bodies change in ways that we can never imagine. While we may feel like our younger days were only yesterday, you’ll quickly find that your body does not feel the same way and you’re going to encounter physical and health issues that you never thought you’d have. However, by being prepared for them, you can easily stop them from becoming burdens on your life.
With this in mind, today we’re going to explore five of the most key, common, and even surprising health challenges you may face as you get older and your body changes. This is all to help you get prepared, get ahead, and to help you fully look after yourself.
1. Increased Risk of Flu
As you get older, your immune system will naturally start to weaken. This is just an inevitable part of old age, or at least in many cases; it won’t be as strong as it used to be. This will happen throughout your entire life past the age of 25, but the consequences of it won’t be as strong until you’re over the age of 65.
One of the primary problems you’ll face with this is the problem of contracting the flu. Flu, in the worst-case scenario, can be fatal, and it’s important to make sure you’re looking after yourself and taking the appropriate protective measures, such as getting annual flu jabs and self-isolating when conditions are bad.
2. Gaining Weight
Since the majority of people will start to become less mobile as they get older, and you start to contract to weaken muscles and weaken bones (more on that below), a common problem you’ll start facing is an increase in weight. While a little weight gain is not a problem, consistent weight gain can lead to many problems, such as becoming overweight, obesity, increased blood pressure, and sorts.
3. Common Senses Decline
All your senses; hearing, vision, smells and more, will all start to decline with older age, so it’s important to make sure you’re being mindful of your senses and how well they’re working. This means going to the doctor’s and the opticians, and seeing whether you need glasses or affordable digital hearing aids to make your life better. The earlier you can address these issues, the less impact they’ll negatively impact your life.
4. Weaken Bones
As we’ve discussed above, many parts of your body will get weaker in time, your bones included, but since they\re not visible, this may not be something you’re thinking about. With weaker bones, you’re much more inclined to hurt yourself while picking things up, or you may fall down and injury yourself this way. To counter this, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, do the appropriate exercises for your physique, and try to avoid smoking and alcohol.
5. Increase Cancer Risk
You may not know this, but age is the biggest indicator of the risk of cancer. When you reach 50, the risk increases dramatically. Around 50% of people living with cancer are over 65, and the average age for lung cancer is 70. You need to make sure you’re carrying out checks and staying up to date with doctor’s trips to ensure you take the appropriate steps to protect yourself.
Summary
As you can see, there are plenty of things you’ll want to keep an eye on in terms of your health as you get older. Be mindful and aware of what’s going on, and you’ll be sure to give yourself the best and healthiest possible life!
