{"id":8162,"date":"2024-03-04T14:30:56","date_gmt":"2024-03-04T19:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/6c3d125d92.nxcli.io\/baltimore\/healthy-tips-for-older-women\/"},"modified":"2024-03-04T14:30:56","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T19:30:56","slug":"healthy-tips-for-older-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/healthy-tips-for-older-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Tips for Older Women"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>With Mother\u2019s Day next month, it\u2019s time to start thinking about women, particularly about women\u2019s health. Today, aging successfully is in focus more than ever, and it\u2019s become apparent that there are some health risks that are more common in women than men.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Breast cancer, for example, mainly impacts women, and heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Though men are more likely to abuse alcohol, women who do usually experience more health issues. And more women than men suffer from osteoarthritis and stroke each year.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>On top of that, older women face the other risks usually associated with aging, such as Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia, arthritis, injuries caused from falls, decreased mobility, depression, hip fractures, incontinence, and vision problems. For many women, aging is a frightening prospect, but it doesn\u2019t have to be. Today, women still live longer than men, and are living even longer lifespans. To that end, it\u2019s important to stay active and educated about taking care of your body and your mind.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Here are some tips to keep in mind to live and age successfully.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Exercise regularly. Though the official recommendation is 30 minutes of heart-pumping cardio at least twice a week, finding a few minutes to get up and move each day can be extremely beneficial to your quality of life. You\u2019ll improve your mobility, increase your flexibility and eventually have more energy. If you\u2019re bound to a wheelchair or can\u2019t walk around like you used to, there are many chair exercise classes or programs to accommodate your needs. Every little bit helps.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Eat consciously. This may seem like a no-brainer, but obesity is rapidly on the rise in America, and much of that comes from eating over-processed food in unhealthy portions. While there are many \u201cfad diets,\u201d there are also many scientifically proven eating plans with healthy aging in mind. The Mediterranean diet, for example, focuses on plant-based foods, whole grains, legumes and nuts, and research suggests it can slow cognitive decline in older adults.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Get plenty of sleep and rest. Though not a problem for some people, many find it difficult to relax and experience productive, uninterrupted sleep. A good night\u2019s sleep is especially important to older adults because it improves memory and concentration, allows the body to repair cell damage and refreshes the body\u2019s immune system. Not having sufficient energy during the day can also lead to listlessness and isolation.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Find or continue a hobby. Speaking of isolation, try to stay involved and active as much as possible. There is a reason many retirees are going back to work or finding active careers in volunteering. It feels good to do things, socialize and stay busy. It not only keeps you active physically \u2014 it\u2019s fulfilling and essential to your mental health.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Drink in moderation. Though your drinking habits may have stayed the same, the body\u2019s ability to process alcohol changes over the years. Drinking alcohol also decreases balance, which can lead to falls and injuries. Drinking too much for a long period of time can lead to liver damage, some types of cancer and brain damage, and it usually worsens conditions like osteoporosis, high blood pressure and diabetes. Also, alcohol doesn\u2019t mix well with medicine, so always check with your doctor if you\u2019re taking any regularly.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Take medications safely. This may also seem like common sense, but drug therapy noncompliance is a hugely common problem, especially in older adults. Make sure you have an organized system for managing your medications, and check with your primary care physician if you have questions. Always disclose all the medications you take to make sure you\u2019re not taking poor drug combinations, which can be very dangerous.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Manage your stress levels. This one may surprise you. Women are more deeply affected by the emotional and physical effects of stress than men, and their reaction to stress is connected to their body chemistry. The \u201canti-stress\u201d hormone oxytocin is more common in women than men, but women need more of it to maintain their emotional wellbeing.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>High levels of stress can lead to stomach and digestion issues, weight gain, trouble sleeping, emotional problems, rash and a lowered immune response. In severe causes, it can even increase risk for heart disease and cancer. Multitasking may be necessary in a busy lifestyle, but find a few minutes each day to reflect, relax and decompress. Exercising, participating in fun activities and connecting with friends are also naturally destressing, so just make sure you make time for you. Easier said than done, I know.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>This information is provided by CarePatrol of Baltimore, a senior housing placement agency that serves the Baltimore city and county areas. If you or your loved one need to find a new home, consider talking to a CarePatrol housing placement specialist. They will sit down with you, assess your needs and financial situation, and offer the best options they can find. They are also available for tours and guidance during your final search. You can contact a specialist at (410) 844-0800, CarePatrolBaltimore@CarePatrol.com or www.carepatrolbaltimore.com. You can also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com\/CarePatrolBaltimore.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With Mother\u2019s Day next month, it\u2019s time to start thinking about women, particularly about women\u2019s health. Today, aging successfully is in focus more than ever, and it\u2019s become apparent that there are some health risks that are more common in women than men. Breast cancer, for example, mainly impacts women, and heart disease is the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":8163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-owner-voices","category-resources-information"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8162\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carepatrol.com\/baltimore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}