There are steps you can take to stay healthy as you age. Here are three things to pay attention to.
- Changes in nutritional needs: As you approach 60, your body becomes less able to absorb certain vitamins, minerals and macronutrients, writes nutrition reporter Anahad O’Connor. This means you need to eat more foods rich in calcium, vitamin D and five other key nutrients. To boost your intake of calcium, for example, O’Connor recommends dairy foods such as yogurt, milk and cheese, canned salmon and sardines with bones, and certain plant foods such as kale and collard greens.
- An increased risk of falling: Your risk of falling rises earlier in life than you may expect — well before your 60s. Fitness reporter Gretchen Reynolds spoke with Nathalie van der Velde, a researcher who studies falls prevention, and found that falling may lead to a downward “domino effect” on health. But there are simple things you can do every day to reduce your risk. That includes standing on one foot while you brush your teeth and practicing getting up from the floor.
- Early symptoms of dementia: I recently spoke with brain researchers about early dementia symptoms, and they said certain changes can occur in your brain and body years before a diagnosis. Some of these changes, including depression, loss of your sense of smell, and sleep problems, may be worth speaking with your doctor about. There are also several things you can do to reduce your dementia risk.
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