Various diseases that begin to threaten in old age & bull; hello healthy

Old age is an age that is susceptible to disease. This is because the immune system (immune system) in humans gets weaker with age. The immune system is very important to help protect your body from foreign or harmful substances, for example bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, and blood or tissue from other people.

Changes that occur in the body with age

When you are in old age, your immune system does not work properly. The following are some of the changes in the immune system that occur with age:

• The immune system becomes slower to respond and this increases the risk of various diseases. Even if you have a vaccine to protect your body, the vaccine will not protect you forever.
• Autoimmune disorders will develop. This is a disease caused by an error in the immune system that attacks healthy body tissues.
• The body will recover more slowly. This is caused by the lack of immune cells in the body that can perform healing.
• The immune system's ability to detect and restore defective cells decreases. This will lead to an increased risk of cancer.

Diseases that often attack in old age

Of the various decreases in the ability of the immune system to carry out its functions in old age, the elderly will experience several conditions or diseases as follows:

1. Arthritis (inflammation of the joints)

Arthritis affects nearly half of the elderly group. Apart from that, this disease is also a major cause of disability. “Old injuries from playing football during school and from wearing high heels will haunt us into old age. And arthritis in the knee is one of them, ”says Sharon Brangman, MD, AGSF. The way to prevent this is to do regular exercise and stop exercising when you feel sick.

2. Mental disorders

According to the World Health Organization (WHO). more than 15% of adults over the age of 60 suffer from a mental disorder. A common mental disorder among the elderly is depression. Unfortunately, this mental disorder often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Since depression can be bad for you, it is best to lead a healthy lifestyle, such as improved living conditions and social support from family, friends, or other support groups that can help treat depression.

3. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect nearly 44 million adults over the age of 50 and most of them are women. Aging causes bones to shrink, as well as loss of strength and flexibility in muscles. Therefore, the elderly are prone to loss of balance, bruises and fractures. To prevent osteoporosis, you can do the following:

• Quit smoking
• Get enough calcium
• Limiting foods that contain acid
• Avoid soda
• Take vitamin D (can be obtained from supplements or sunlight)
• Doing weight lifting

4. Cancer

The risk of getting some types of cancer increases with age. "As women get older, the risk of cervical cancer decreases, but the risk of uterine cancer increases," said Brangman. And the most surprising thing is that lung cancer accounts for more deaths in old age than breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer combined, that's why Brangman advises you to quit smoking.

5. Cognitive disorders

Cognitive health is focused on a person's ability to think, learn, and remember. The most common cognitive problem experienced by the elderly is dementia (impaired loss of cognitive functions). About 45.7 million people worldwide have dementia, and it is expected to increase threefold by 2050. The most popular form of dementia is Alzheimer's disorder.

6. Hearing and vision problems

Diseases in old age that are associated with the eyes are macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. High frequency hearing loss is common in old age, and it is exacerbated by a lifestyle that includes exposure to loud noise (for example, working in an airport or factory).

7. Malnutrition

The causes of malnutrition can come from other health problems, such as dementia (people with dementia sometimes forget to eat), depression, alcoholism, restricted diet, reduced social contact, and limited income. Making small changes to the diet, such as increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, and reducing the consumption of saturated fat and salt can help with nutritional problems in the elderly.

8. Oral health problems

Oral health is the most important issue in old age, and it is often overlooked. The CDC's Division of Oral Health found that 25% of seniors over the age of 65 no longer have their natural teeth. Oral problems associated with seniors include dry mouth, gum disease, and oral cancer. This condition can be prevented or managed by having regular dental examinations and dental work. However, sometimes this cannot be done due to the absence of dental health insurance after retirement and economic hardship in old age.