Healthy life

Are we ready to embrace a healthy longevity?  By Dr Vijaya Gowri Bandaru, dermatologist, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru shares her tips on anti-agening…

Women self-care as one ages is necessary for a happy and healthy life, especially after 70. Following these

simple tips on anti-ageing care can help women to age well and happily.

How do women age gracefully? Ageing gracefully is beyond keeping one’s skin wrinkle-free and smooth or trying ways to hide the gray locks. It is more about keeping oneself healthy and happy with a focus on physical and mental fitness and empowering oneself to meet all age-related challenges. These hacks may promise women a healthy longevity.

● Take care of the skin: It is essential to be kind to the skin as one ages. Reason, a healthy skin can efficiently protect the body from external elements, regulate body temperature and provide sensation. For healthy skin, use sunscreen and wear protective clothing while stepping outdoors, use gentle, home- made natural skin care products, stay hydrated and get annual skin cancer screenings done.

● Remain active: It is extremely important to remain physically active and exercise has immense benefits.

Regular exercise not only reduces risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases and cancer but also helps one to retain mobility for a longer period of time. It reduces stress, improves sleep and amps up skin, bone and mental health. Aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, dancing and cycling and muscle strengthening activities of moderate to greater intensity are great anti-ageing exercises that promise for healthy longevity.

● Choose a healthy diet: Ageing gracefully significantly depends on the diet that one opts for. Fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein like fish and beans, three ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, rice, etc every day, three servings of low-fat or fat-free and Vitamin D rich dairy such as milk, yogurt or cheese and healthy fats should be consumed. Solid fats for cooking, processed foods, refined sugar and unhealthy fats must be avoided. Become watchful of your salt intake to keep blood pressure in check.

● Be kind to your mind: It is essential to realise that one’s mental health plays a vital role in healthy and graceful ageing. In order to curb stress, blood pressure, loneliness, depression and frequent mood swings, make sure to get socially engaged, spend time with friends and love one, focus on passion, learn something new, explore a new avenue, accept your age and embrace positivity.

● Give up smoking and alcohol consumption: Smoking and alcohol may increase the risk of premature ageing and may not help you to age well. Quit smoking and limit your alcohol intake for women, one drink per day will help you avoid health-related risks.

● Get adequate sleep: Good, sound sleep is significant for healthy ageing, keeps one’s mental and physical health fit and amps up the skin health. Seven to eight hours of sleep is good enough as it aids in lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, reduces stress and depression, lowers the risk of obesity, reduces inflammation and improves focus and concentration.

● Take care of your oral health: Unhealthy oral health is often found to be associated with heart disease, stroke, bacterial pneumonia, ailing liver, nutritional deficiency, diabetes and even cancer. Take appropriate oral care, see a dentist regularly, brush twice a day, floss once and use a mouth rinse.