In the prime of youth, one should enjoy life after years of hard work. However, sometimes things don't go as planned, and illnesses often accompany old age. So how can we ensure that the elderly live a healthy and fulfilling life? It is important to learn some health preservation methods. Here are three things the elderly should avoid to stay healthy. Remember these points and share them with your loved ones!
Health Preservation Methods for the Elderly
1. Sleep
Have a good night's sleep and ensure an adequate amount of rest. The elderly should establish a regular routine and schedule, ensuring at least 8 hours of sleep each day.
2. Stimulate
Keep the brain active. Engage in activities that challenge the mind, such as reading, painting, playing chess, and cultivating various interests and hobbies. Research has shown that a 65-year-old who regularly exercises their brain is no less mentally capable than a 35-year-old who does not.
3. Change
Switch to different types of exercises. After long periods of monotonous work, reading, or writing, it is important to engage in activities of a different nature. This allows the brain to relax without excessive fatigue, maintaining optimal cognitive function.
4. Move
Exercise your fingers, as the saying goes, "nimble fingers, sharp mind." Regularly moving and alternating the movement of your fingers and rotating a fitness ball can stimulate both hemispheres of the brain, promoting brain health, intellectual development, and delaying brain aging.
5. Participate
Engage in social and physical activities. Make friends with younger people to be influenced by their youthful energy. Maintain a happy mood and avoid a solitary lifestyle.
6. Listen
Listen to beautiful and melodious music. Pleasant melodies can regulate the function of the central nervous system, bringing a sense of joy and relaxation.
7. Adjust
Adjust your diet. Include a variety of foods in your meals, combining both coarse and fine grains, meat and vegetables. Consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as dates, milk, soy milk, egg yolks, mulberries, mustard greens, sesame, walnut kernels, lilies, pig brain, pig heart, black fungus, and most fruits and vegetables. Limit consumption of animal fats and sugary foods.
Three Things the Elderly Should Avoid
1. Avoid prolonged sitting
Many elderly people often feel physically tired due to declining physical fitness. As a result, they tend to maintain a sitting posture for long periods of time, such as watching television for extended periods. While sitting can effectively alleviate fatigue and provide comfort, sitting for too long can cause muscle atrophy and even shrinkage.
2. Avoid prolonged standing
Life is all about movement, and many elderly people firmly believe in this. They engage in activities such as square dancing and exercise routines. Some even practice standing exercises for extended periods, tapping their backs with their hands, believing that it can improve fitness. However, elderly people should combine various forms of exercise and avoid excessive duration. Prolonged standing can disrupt blood circulation, depriving certain parts of the body of needed exercise. This can lead to imbalances in blood circulation, resulting in stagnation of Qi (energy) and blood deficiency, which can negatively impact health.
3. Avoid prolonged eye strain
Many elderly people do not enjoy outdoor activities and may not have hobbies related to photography or other activities that require prolonged use of their eyes. As a result, they may spend long hours watching television or reading newspapers, often for an entire afternoon or evening. However, it is important to avoid prolonged eye strain. Extended periods of eye use can cause symptoms such as dizziness, blurry vision, and even fainting, posing a serious threat to the safety and well-being of elderly individuals.
