Healthy Aging Month: 3 Things That Can Speed ​​Up Your Aging

COLUMBUS, Ohio — September is Healthy Aging Month, a time when doctors want people to remember that our minds and bodies change as we age. As we approach the last week of September, doctors point to three things that can make you age faster.

The first mistake some people make is excessive physical activity.

Doctors say people should remember the phrase “low and slow” when it comes to exercise.

For example, using a resistance band chair exercise can be easier on the body than lifting weights.

Dr. Stephen Mills of SeniorSelect Center in Columbus, said that a great “cure” for age-related ailments could be as simple as exercise.

“If you need a drug called exercise, that drug prevents heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, emotional health, and all those things, along with a drug called exercise. It can be prescribed indoors, it can be prescribed outdoors . It’s a great drug and we need to use it more,” said Dr. Mills.

Dr. Mills said that while exercise is very important, doing the wrong exercises can lead to faster decline. He said a low impact and slower movements are key.

Loneliness is another factor that can make you age faster.

Primary care physicians say seniors often experience pain, fatigue and depression because of loneliness.

Dr. Mills said those were the three main symptoms that really showed up during the pandemic.

“So I don’t think they understand why they’re in pain. But if you take that fear, get them out of that isolation into a social facility or a senior center, get them more active, more physical and socially active, it seems that their pain is reduced,” Dr. Mills said.

Dr. Mills said some studies of loneliness show that prolonged isolation can also lead to accelerated memory aging.

Drinking too much milk is the third mistake that makes you age faster.

“The problem with dairy is that whole milk is high in saturated fat. Saturated fat causes inflammation in the body. So too much can cause inflammation,” Dr. Mills said.

Mills said the key to healthy aging for seniors is to find foods or dairy products that are low in saturated fat.

“Chicken, vegetables. The best diet that has been studied is the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil, nuts, seeds, more vegetables and more lean meats,” said Dr. Mills.

Almond, soy and coconut milk are good alternatives to dairy products.

Oral hygiene is an important part of health care Doctors said that people often forget to check when they go for a medical examination. And when older people take multiple prescriptions, it can lead to dry mouth and a host of health problems.

“When you take water pills, when you take depression pills, they cause dry mouth. Bad dry mouth is bad for your teeth and gums, and it increases your risk of other internal oral health problems. can lead to disease, other infections,” Dr. Mills said.

Dr. Mills said tooth decay can reduce food intake because people don’t want to eat, which can also lead to poorer health.

This is what happens to anyone who is constantly texting or looking down at their iPads, iPhones, laptops, whatever.

Doctors say that the constant bending of the neck is a real problem – especially with age.

“The head weighs eight to twelve pounds. And as an older person, you lose muscle mass. And your head is tilted down, which creates postural problems,” said Dr. Steven Mills of SeniorSelect Columbus. “And if you have posture problems, you can have bad balance problems. And if you have trouble with your balance, you fall. And we all know that falls are a big problem for the elderly. So that’s one of my highlights.”

Dr Stephen Mills says there are exercises we can all do now – and as we age – to combat this ‘text neck’ syndrome.