Healthy Aging

Healthy aging does not just 'happen' and should not be left to chance. The earlier you start to adjust your lifestyle to maximize your mental and physical wellness, the greater the chance of a healthy and enjoyable old age.

As we age, there are numerous changes which may take place. Some occur gradually and are quite subtle, others could be as a result of an accident or illness. We may encounter changes in our mobility, changes in our reaction speed, changes in our appetite or sleep patterns, and difficulties with recall.

A detailed analysis of the positive effects of healthy behaviours on healthy aging after age 45 has shown an increasing effect with age, supporting the hypothesis that the impacts of healthy habits are cumulative through time. This result reinforces the public health message that healthy habits are profitable throughout the life cycle.

Some chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease have a clear negative relationship to healthy aging. Consequently, preventing those diseases before age 65 could improve the health of the elderly population.

Source: Statistics Canada, http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/82-618-MIE/82-618-MIE 2005004.htm Published 2006,09,19

This website is not designed to give advice on medical conditions. However there are a few general considerations, habits that will make a marked difference to the way we age.

Brain Fitness
Healthy Eating
Smoking Cessation
Physical activity
Injury prevention
Social connectedness

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Grandpa was celebrating his 100th birthday and everybody complimented him on how athletic and well-preserved he appeared. "Gentlemen, I will tell you the secret of my success," he cackled. "I have been in the open air day after day for some 75 years now." The celebrants were impressed and asked how he managed to keep up his rigorous fitness regime. "Well, you see my wife and I were married 75 years ago. On our wedding night, we made a solemn pledge. Whenever we had a fight, the one who was proved wrong would go outside and take a walk." **********************************************************************

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