How To Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle Regardless Of Your Age

A healthy lifestyle is key to leading a fruitful and happy life. And it needn’t be as daunting as vowing to run 50 miles every week and eat nothing but fruit and vegetables. A healthy lifestyle regardless of age can be achieved with small habits that keep you on track.

Staying strong and healthy will also see you through periods of stress and uncertainty. During such times it’s easy to pick up bad habits and dispose of healthy routines, but by staying faithful to healthy habits, you will be in a better position to take on whatever life throws at you.

Eat regular meals

It is a common misconception that in order to be healthy we should eat less. It is the quality of food that we eat, and snacking can often be one of the biggest problems.

In fact, eating regular meals reduces the temptation to snack on unhealthy goods and, if they are well-balanced meals such as in a Mediterranean diet, help you concentrate and be productive. Irregular eating can also negatively impact other areas of your body, like the gut, and leave you feeling sluggish.

Create a routine for yourself and eat at set times during the day. This will ensure that you eat well and take a break in between working hours. however, that does not necessarily mean you need to focus on traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner mealtimes. Many people have discovered the benefits of intermittent fasting which means you eat your meals during an eight-hour window.

Drink plenty of water

Did you know that your stomach can’t differentiate between hunger and thirst? Sometimes when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually thirsty!

Drinking enough water is key to an agile mind, stress management and weight control. Most health professionals advise everyone to drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day. The importance of staying hydrated should never be underestimated.

If you don’t like water, stay hydrated with herbal, non-caffeinated teas or the many healthy, flavoured soda water drinks that are now available that do not contain sugar, artificial sweeteners or additives.

Whatever you do, don’t replace water with caffeinated substitutes as they actually dehydrate the body.

Get moving

Staying active can mean different things to different people depending on age, weight, physical mobility and personal preferences. Some people love the gym – others hate it!

But whatever your age, exercise is crucial for a healthy mind and body. In fact, it could be argued that exercise is even more important as you get older to maintain strength and flexibility, including specific balance exercises that prevent the falls that become so prevalent as people age.

Exercising outdoors when possible is also a great option. Being in nature is excellent for our mental wellbeing and helps ensure we are getting enough vitamin D.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle regardless of age should always include some form of exercise.

When needed, take medication safely and consistently

Some people’s daily routines might include medication. In such cases, ensure that you take everything that you have been prescribed in the right doses and at the right time. If you’re anxious about forgetting to take your medication, invest in helpful items like a pill box or an online pharmacy that can tailor your prescriptions into daily pouches.

Alternatively, set alarms and reminders on your phone that will ping whenever you need to take your medication.

If you have a lot of different medications, it is also worth having an appointment with the clinical pharmacist at your GP’s surgery as they can regularly assess medications and ensure you are not taking more than you need or that there are no contra-indication with the mixture of different pills.