Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : January 6, 2019 11:42 AM IST
Image credits by: An active lifestyle in the younger days will keep you healthy even when you grow grey.
Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty, said famous French fashion designer Coco Chanel. The same applies to your health.
EXERCISE AND AGEING: WHAT STUDIES SAY
Staying in fine fettle in your 50s or 60s or 70s for that matter, depends, to a large extent, on how you take care of your health during your younger days. Now, science also backs this notion. According to a 2018 research conducted at the University of Birmingham and King's College London, a lifetime of regular exercise slows down the process of age-related degeneration. The findings revealed that study participants who exercised regularly didn't experience loss of muscle mass and strength with age. Participants who didn't exercise, but cycled regularly, also benefitted. Their body fat and cholesterol levels didn't increase as they aged and even their testosterone levels remained high. Interestingly, the immune system of the cyclists also remained strong in their old age. It has been observed in this study that the thymuses (glands that produce immune cells) of the old cyclists were producing as many T cells (immune cells) as those of young persons.
The geriatric benefits of staying active has been proved by yet another recent study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. The study found that dancing reduced the risk of developing disability in walking, eating, bathing and dressing among others, in older women by 73 per cent.
YOUR TOP 5 GERIATRIC CHALLENGES
Well, there is no denying that working out regularly and eating right while you are young will go a long way in slowing down the ageing process and cutting down the risk of geriatric health challenges. But at the same time, one cannot defy nature. So, you cannot altogether escape the risk of some health and medical conditions as you age, thanks to the changes that your body undergoes after you get a few decades under your belt. Here is a low-down on five conditions and ailments that become more common when you grow old. But don't worry, you can have better control over them in the later years, if you start following our expert-backed suggestions from now on. Religiously.
Fragile bones
For strong bones, you need to include foods that are rich in calcium. Shutterstock
As you grow old you become more vulnerable to bone disorders like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. While osteoarthritis is characterised by degeneration of joints triggering pain and swelling of your joints, osteoporosis occurs due to the loss of bone mass resulting in brittle bones. Both the conditions affect women more than men and obesity increases their risk by quite a few notches.
Combat Plan "For strong bones, you need to include foods that are rich in calcium," says Dr. P.K. Dave, senior orthopaedic expert with Rockland Hospital, Delhi. "Dairy products, soy milk and broccoli are good options among others. You also need to get the levels of your vitamin D assessed from time to time," he adds. Dr. Dave also suggests practising spinal exercises regularly. "Extension exercise, flexion exercise, lateral bending and Tala Asana are some of the workouts that will increase your bone mineral density," he says.
Neurological disorders
If you want to keep dementia at bay, engage in activities that challenge your brain. Shutterstock
Dementia and Parkinsonism are nerve-related ailments that hit us mostly when we grow old. Dementia depletes your brain functioning and may lead to memory loss, mood swings, poor communication and judgement.
Parkinsonism, on the other hand, is a spectrum disorder constituting of physical symptoms like tremours, slow motor movement, tendency to fall, and the likes. Within the ambit of Parkinsonism, there are other conditions like Parkinson's Disease and Vascular Parkinson's among others. "Stroke-related Parkinsonism is one among the various types of this spectrum disorder. It occurs when there is a clot in the brain areas responsible for the secretion of dopamine," says Dr. Rajashekar Reddi, Director of Neurology, Max Institute of Neurosciences, Delhi.
Combat Plan "If you want to keep dementia at bay, engage in activities that challenge your brain. Playing cards, chess, crosswords, scrabble and Sudoku can be significantly effective in keeping your mind sharp when you age," says Dr. Reddi. Measures for reducing the risk of stroke will be effective in case of stroke-related Parkinsonism. "If you quit smoking, exercise regularly and take control of the potential risk factors like diabetes, BP and high cholesterol, your chance of getting this condition also decreases," he suggests.
Cataract
Wearing sun glasses with ultra violet coating is good for eye health. Shutterstock
This eye-related condition, characterised by blurry and reduced vision, is an ageing phenomenon and not a disease. "Changes occur in the lenses of your eyes with ageing. The proteins inside the eye lenses become denatured and opaque causing cataract. Ninety eight per cent of people develop some degree of cataract by the age of 90," says Dr. Sanjay Dhawan, Delhi-based senior eye surgeon.
Combat PlanAvoiding exposure to UV rays is known to be effective in cutting down the chance of cataract development. "Wearing sun glasses with ultra violet coating will help," says Dr. Dhawan. Quit smoking. "Smoking triggers free radical oxygen injury aggravating the risk of cataract formation. Also, uncontrolled diabetes or other metabolic disorders can lead to the development of this condition. Therefore, controlling these can help," says Dr. Dhawan. Green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits which contain anti-oxidants may help to delay cataract formation. "Vitamins A, D and E are very good for your eye health. But make sure that you don't go overboard on them. Excess of these vitamins can be toxic" he adds.
Hearing loss
Do not use headphones and earphones for long to prevent hearing loss at a later stage. Shutterstock
The functionality of your ears decrease with the advancing years as the tiny hairs within them that process sound degenerate. Ageing could lead to simple changes in your hearing capacity: Sound comprehension, inability to follow a conversation in a noisy surrounding, amplification of certain sounds, so on and so forth.
Combat Plan "Prolonged use of headphones and earphones should be avoided," says Dr. Aru Handa, Associate Director, ENT, Medanta The Medicity. "Do not take painkillers for headache and other sorts of pain without doctor's prescription. They can affect hearing," she adds. People with diabetes or hypertension should be extra cautious as they are mostly prone to hearing loss due to vitamin B12 deficiency.
Cancer
Make sure that you are not obese. Obesity is associated with breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers among others. Shutterstock
Your chances of getting cancer get magnified as you hit 50. It has been found that half of all cancers affect people over 65. However, scientists haven't been able to pinpoint the exact link between age and increased incidences of cancer, one of the most probable reasons could be your depleted immunity.
Combat Plan However, you don't have to resign to cancer as you age. Adopt a healthy lifestyleto bring down the risks. The most crucial step is to ensure that you are not obese. Obesity has been associated with breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers among others. You need to work out regularly and avoid processed food.
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