Tips for staying healty this fall

Aging happens naturally, but aging well takes careful planning. Take steps to ensure that your fall season is safe with these tips from the Center for Disease Control.

It's time to turn the clock back, which makes for shorter days. And as the days get shorter and cooler and the leaves change color, 'fall' into these 11 healthy habits that help prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

People who developed good healthy habits when they were younger will become healthy seniors. But don't regret the past unhealthy decisions, start now to make up for the mistakes.

Good health habits make a difference even to seniors who are prone to illness or have not made their health a priority in the past.

• Quit Smoking — Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW free support. If you quit cold turkey, about 90% of people who try do it without outside support — no aids, therapy, or medicine.

However, only about 5% to 7% are able to quit on their own.

• Eat healthy — feast on more fruit and vegetables. As one ages, the digestive system slows down. So it's important to eat high-fiber foods and whole grains.

• Get moving and stay active — Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week, plus muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week.

Exercise alleviates depression and improves energy and memory. An exercise program approved by a physician, long walks or short

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Carol Marak Aging Matters MARAK

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strolls can keep seniors healthier longer.

• Stay hydrated — Substitute water for sugary or alcoholic drinks to reduce calories and stay safe.

• Keep your teeth healthy by brushing twice daily and cleaning with floss. See your dentist every 6 months for cleanings and check-ups.

• Get free a physical and check-ups when you sign up for Medicare. After that first year, you receive free annual wellness visits. Visit your doctor regularly for preventive services like cancer and diabetes screenings.

• Sleep at least 7 hours each night.

• Talk with your doctor about your family health history.

• Older adults who wear eyeglasses should have the prescription checked every year for changes and the eyes screened for health issues.

• Stay socially active with family and friends. Join a seniors club or a church group that takes regular outings or holds get-togethers.

• Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds. It’s still the simplest way to prevent the spread of germs.

• Stay mentally healthy — do crossword puzzles, read and write and try new hobbies to stimulate the mind and engage with the world.

Even during the current global pandemic, staying engaged and active is important — maybe even more so. Activities like these ward off a decline in mental health.

Carol Marak is an aging advocate, syndicated columnist, and editor at Seniorcare. com.

She earned the Fundamentals of Gerontology Certificate from UC Davis, School of Gerontology. Get on the waitlist for her Facebook subscription group and learn how to plan for aging well. Send an email to carol@ seniorcare. com and say you're interested in the group. Aging Matters is a weekly column tackling everyday challenges that our growing elderly population and their loved ones face. It is also published in a variety of syndication partners including newspapers all over the country.