5 tips for healthy living for the elderly who are still actively working

Having a healthy body is the dream of all people of all ages. Especially for the elderly who are still actively working, of course they still want to be in shape even though they have a lot of activities. Body health is influenced by several factors such as diet, exercise, and daily living habits. Then what about a healthy lifestyle for the elderly so that they can continue to work actively?

Tips for healthy living for the elderly who are still productive

1. Get enough sleep

In order to maintain the health and fitness of the elderly in between work, you need to get an adequate night's rest. At least enough sleep a night is 7 to 8 hours a day.

If you have trouble sleeping, avoid drinking caffeine (for example from coffee and tea) in the afternoon or evening. You can also try taking a warm bath before bed to relax your body. If these methods do not work, consult a doctor.

2. Healthy diet

Choose nutritious foods to meet nutritional needs and avoid disease. Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits, food sources of protein, vitamin B12, folic acid, zinc and calcium. Replace your saturated fat intake with healthy types of fats, such as unsaturated fats from avocados, olive oil, canola oil, and nuts.

Also reduce bad eating habits, such as reducing consumption of sweet foods, energy dense foods, and soft drinks. These foods and drinks will only increase your calorie intake without providing many of the essential nutrients your body needs. You should also avoid other bad habits, such as smoking and drinking alcohol.

3. Drink plenty of water

As you get older, it becomes easier not to feel thirsty, so older people are more likely to become dehydrated. Therefore, it is very important to increase your water consumption to keep your body fluids in balance.

Drinking water is also important so that oxygen intake in the blood, which then flows to the brain, is maintained. That way, your brain's concentration and cognitive function will be maintained during your activities.

4. Sports

Make no mistake, exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for older people who are still productive. Exercise can increase the immune system, improve metabolic processes that occur in the body, and prevent the occurrence of various non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, obesity, and various other possible diseases commonly owned by the elderly.

Exercising for elderly people can also help to maintain fitness, make muscles, joints and tendons strong and reduce the risk of injury.

Sports suitable for the elderly are yoga, early morning walks, and cycling. If you haven't done the exercise in a long time and want to start doing it again then do it slowly and gradually. You can gradually build muscle endurance, muscle strength, balance, and then body flexibility.

However, if you do have certain health conditions such as rheumatism or osteoarthritis, you should consult your doctor about what sports are recommended and safe.

5. Maintain weight

Body weight is very much influenced by diet and physical activity, for that you need to pay attention to these two things. Elderly do not have to lose weight, but should focus more on preventing weight gain. This is done to improve the quality of life of the elderly so that they can become healthy elderly people.