Put ‘Healthy Aging’ on Your Life’s To-Do List

Most of the time, when you hear a phrase like “60 is the new 50,” it’s a reference to our longer life expectancy and not the fact that we still may have a decade to work before retirement.

But as September and Healthy Aging Month remind us, life expectancy and aging gracefully aren’t a given ‒ they typically require a mix of effort, good genes, and luck. If we want to enjoy the 60s, 70s, 80s, and wherever our life’s journey ultimately takes us, we need to lean in on the area we can impact ‒ effort ‒ and adopt habits that lead to a high quality of life and a longer life.

That means your daily routine should include exercise, eating healthy food, and getting enough sleep. It means constantly finding avenues for mental stimulation and social engagement.

Exercise is essential to healthy aging because it helps maintain mobility, strength, and balance ‒ attributes important to reducing the risk of falls and chronic diseases as we age. A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins supports overall health and can prevent or help manage hypertension and diabetes. Mental stimulation ‒ through activities such as reading, puzzles, or learning new skills ‒ helps keep the mind sharp. And, strong social connections provide emotional support and combat feelings of isolation, important to our mental health at any age.

One additional factor critical to health aging is maintaining a schedule of regular checkups with your primary care provider. The not-so-fun fact about getting older is that much like a machine, as your body ages, it tends to break down more frequently. Regular visits with your primary care provider can keep your body fine-tuned and catch issues before they become serious.

If you currently do not have a primary care provider, you can find one here. Call the corresponding provider’s number or click the “book appointment” button to schedule an appointment.

This September and every month, add healthy aging to your “bucket list.” You will appreciate life more as you get older, and you will also likely have a much longer list to enjoy.