5 Surprising Health Challenges of Aging

Here are five surprising ways that age itself can pose health challenges.

Flu

• When you’re over 65, your immune system isn’t as strong as it used to be.
• Seniors make up the bulk of the people who die or are hospitalized for flu-related problems.
• Age raises the chances of serious flu complications like:
  1. Pneumonia
  2. Sepsis (bacterial infection in blood)
  3. Worsening of lung & heart disease
• A yearly flu shot is a must. If you’re older than 65, ask your doctor about the high-dose
  version, which offers more protection.

Weight Gain

• Getting older can be a triple whammy.
• You lose muscle as you age.
• That makes it harder to keep the pounds from creeping up.
• You also become less active.
• At the same time, your body burns fewer calories for the same physical activities as when
  you were younger.
• You probably know that being overweight or obese raises you chances for many conditions,
  like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes & stroke.
• But the extra pounds can pose an even bigger burden for older people.
• Everyday movements like walking & getting out of chairs get harder.
• Obesity & arthritis often go together.
• So whether your 50 or 80, ask your doctor about smart ways to fight the weight gain.
• Every bit helps.
  

Fragile Bones

• Many seniors fear falling.
• Advancing years can affect your balance & make you less steady & sure on your feet.
• Falls can be especially dangerous if you have osteoporosis, when your bones become
  less dense & more prone to breaks & fractures.
• Women 50 & older are twice more likely than their male peers to break a bone because
  of this 'brittle bone disease.'
  

You can keep your bones stronger if you:

• Eat lots of fruits, veggies & foods high in calcium.
• Ask your doctor if you need a vitamin D supplement because older bodies absorb less
  of it from the sun.
• Lift weights or do exercises that use your own body weight (walking, pushups, squats).
• Quit smoking & avoid too much alcohol ( no more than two drinks a day).

Cancer

• Did you know that age is the single biggest predictor of your chances of getting cancer?
• It jumps up after you hit 50.
• Half of all cancers happen in people over 65.
• For lung cancer, the median age is 70.
• Scientists don’t know exactly why older people are more susceptible to cancer.
• It could simply be that you’ve been exposed to cancer-causing agents for longer.
• Or maybe your body is less able to make repairs when cells go haywire.
• Still, getting older doesn’t mean you’re destined to get cancer.
• You can adopt healthy habits proven to help you lower the odds.
• Slim down.because Obesity is linked to 13 different types of cancer, including breast,
  colon, and pancreatic cancers.
• Cut down on red & processed meat.
• Regulary exercise helps to not only prevent some cancers, but keep them from coming
• back.

Depression

• It’s not an unavoidable part of getting older.
• In fact, about 1 in 20 Americans 60 & older has depression, the lowest rate of any age
  group.
• But many depressed seniors don’t get diagnosed.
• Older Americans themselves & their doctors may dismiss any symptoms as a natural
  reaction to illnesses & life’s setbacks.
  
• Many more older Americans may have something called subsyndromal depression. You
  may feel less pleasure or interest in activities & people as you did before, but you don’t
  have full-blown symptoms for major depression.
  
• You’re more likely to be depressed if you have long-term health issues like heart disease or arthritis that put limits on your life. People who need home health care are more likely to
  have the condition compared to other older adults.
• Medication & psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, can treat it.
  1. Loneliness can lead to depression so seek out way to connect with others.
  2. Talk to friends & family.
  3. Join a class or a group.
  4. Do volunteer work.
  5. Find whatever ways that you can enrich your body & spirit.
  

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How To Live Best After 50

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