Written By: Tavishi Dogra | Updated : August 20, 2022 8:42 PM IST
Elderly people should avoid heavy workouts and strictly exercise under the guidance of a fitness trainer.
World Senior Citizens Day 2022: As we age and adult moves to their elderly phase, it should be gracefully, happily and healthfully. However, not only non-communicable diseases are present in adulthood but also in the elderly, namely diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, osteoarthritis, obesity, cholesterol, etc., when more than two comorbidities are present in the same person simultaneously multimorbidity. Therefore, it is vital to implement specific, actionable lifestyle changes to prevent and reduce their impact on daily quality of life. Whether it's for diabetes or blood pressure or heart disease, or osteoarthritis, one crucial part is physical activity besides nutrition, sleep, and stress reduction. Dr Altamash Shaikh, Consultant Endocrinologist, Diabetologist and Metabolic Superspecialist, Masina Hospital, Byculla, Mumbai, says that the biopsychosocial (BPS) model can give us many answers and show specific ways to achieve it.
Physical activity is the most important pill one can ever use for such problems as non-communicable diseases. From a lifestyle perspective, physical activity may be active living, travel, sports, or recreation. To be motivated and implemented, one must choose an activity of choice, passion, and enjoyment. The muscle and bone strengthening activities will help the elderly to preserve and maintain independence in daily life. The most crucial benefit is preventing falls and smoother joint movements.
Weight reduction is another part which can prevent diabetes or heart disease, and also in osteoarthritis. At least five per cent of weight loss can give a metabolically healthier life and improves many aspects of morbidity. By reducing body fat, we are reducing the risk of heart disease both directly and indirectly.
Depending on the morbidity, changes in diet will help reduce the risk and complications of diabetes and heart disease. In a nutshell, sufficient calories and nutrition are required for a quality life. Avoid fad diets and crash diets, and self-diets. Protein increase would be expected in the elderly as per their disease and kidney profile. Any diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish or lean meat, whole grains, and healthy fats will keep the heart healthy. Though this is general information, diet can be individualized for the elderly.
Quitting smoking is essential for both diabetes and the heart. Stress reduction by music, dance, counselling, meditation, yoga, practising silence for a few minutes daily, etc., may help. Choose the method that one is suiting best for your needs. Overall, an endocrinologist is a doctor to deal with most of the non-communicable diseases of this century.
