![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/103\/2017\/09\/FL99.jpg\")
While aging, of course, is a natural part of life, it brings many challenges, both physically and mentally. Sometimes there are surprises and uncertainties.\u00a0 There can also changes in our bodies and minds we just don\u2019t want to face. But most important, as we age, it becomes even more critical to take control of our own health.<\/p>\n
And what better time to start, as September is “Healthy Aging\u00ae Month,” an annual observance aimed at focusing national attention on the positive aspects of growing older.\u00a0 This is a great chance to encourage us to take personal responsibility for our health \u2013 physically, socially and mentally.<\/p>\n
So, what are the keys to healthy aging? Here are six:<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0 Keep moving. 2.\u00a0 Eat nutritious foods. 3.\u00a0 Get enough Zzzzzzz. 4.\u00a0 Prevent and protect. 5.\u00a0 Challenge your brain. 6.\u00a0 Stay social. FirstLight Home Care \u2013 South Sound<\/a>\u00a0in Olympia can help with healthy aging.\u00a0 Learn more about our services<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" While aging, of course, is a natural part of life, it brings many challenges, both physically and mentally. Sometimes there are surprises and uncertainties.\u00a0 There can also changes in our bodies and minds we just don\u2019t want to face. But most important, as we age, it becomes even more critical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":151,"featured_media":1418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/151"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1417\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstlighthomecare.com\/home-healthcare-olympia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong>Living an active lifestyle, getting regular exercise, will keep you fit and help you maintain a healthy weight. You might even find that you sleep better. Regular exercise also helps prevent or provide relief from common chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, depression and arthritis. When you choose to move, make sure it\u2019s something you enjoy so it doesn\u2019t end up feeling like a chore.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Eating a healthy, balanced diet can not only make you feel great, it can help fight certain diseases. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables and clean proteins. Ditch the junk food and avoid sweet, salty or highly-processed foods. Try some of these delicious,\u00a0<\/span>healthy fall recipes<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>Tasting the Seasons<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>cookbook.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Did you know that humans can go longer without food than without sleep? Make sure you get the sleep your body needs \u2013 that\u2019s usually seven to nine hours per night for older adults. Lack of sleep can also cause irritability, increased fall risk and memory issues.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Keep up with regular well visits with your doctor, dentist and optometrist. Make sure to take all medications as directed by your physician. And make sure you know which immunizations you need to stay protected. In addition to a seasonal flu vaccine, which all adults need every year, there are many other\u00a0<\/span>important vaccines for seniors<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Some cognitive decline, such as in memory and thinking skills, is a normal part of aging. Studies have shown that a lifestyle that includes cognitive stimulation through active learning slows this cognitive decline. Do something good and stimulating for your brain like assembling a puzzle, learning a foreign language or learning to play a musical instrument.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Stay connected to friends and family by being social. Schedule a regular time to have lunch, go for a walk or meet for coffee. Join a book club, paint pottery or volunteer with your favorite organization. Stay social and keep it fun!<\/p>\n