As people age, their various bodily functions gradually decline. If not taken care of in a timely manner, they will be plagued by various diseases. Therefore, the secret to longevity becomes particularly important for the elderly. Here are eight longevity tips for the elderly:
Longevity Tips
1. Smooth Bowel Movements
(1) Have a bowel movement every morning. From a medical perspective, regular bowel movements help eliminate waste from the body.
(2) Consume fresh vegetables, fruits, and foods high in fiber to promote smooth bowel movements.
(3) Avoid taking laxatives without proper guidance.
2. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight poses significant risks of age-related diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, gout, gallstones, and pancreatitis.
Additionally, excess weight in the elderly can increase the burden on the spine and joints, leading to back pain, arthritis, and joint deformities.
3. Regular Hair Combing
Many elderly people experience thinning hair or even baldness, so they may stop combing their hair altogether.
Firstly, combing the hair is a good way to protect it.
Repeatedly combing the hair can stimulate the scalp nerves and capillaries, improve blood circulation, accelerate metabolism, reduce hair loss, and promote new hair growth.
4. Adequate Hydration
Water plays a vital role in maintaining normal bodily functions and preventing diseases, just like other essential nutrients such as protein.
Inadequate water intake can lead to poor muscle and nerve function, decreased liver and kidney function, and an accumulation of toxins in the body, becoming a breeding ground for diseases.
5. Psychological Factors
Long-term exposure to negative emotions such as sadness, loneliness, anger, and pessimism can lead to decreased appetite, poor sleep, weakened immune function, and exacerbation of age-related diseases, especially cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, which are most common in the elderly.
6. Combination of Exercise and Rest
After retirement, the elderly should engage in outdoor activities every day.
However, the amount of exercise should be moderate and not too strenuous. Walking, jogging, practicing tai chi, and doing qigong are all good choices.
Simultaneously, it is also important to have time for rest and relaxation, especially after fatigue, to ensure proper rest.
Housework can be considered as the best form of exercise and rest, combining mental and physical activities. It can be adapted to different situations for the elderly.
7. Good Hygiene for the Lower Body
As people age, many men experience a decline in sexual activity and may unintentionally forget about this aspect of personal care.
In this regard, doctors remind elderly men that good hygiene for the lower body also serves as self-protection and should be taken seriously.
The male reproductive organs, especially the sebaceous glands in the foreskin, secrete a large amount of sebum. If not cleaned regularly, the secretions can accumulate under the foreskin, forming smegma, which can lead to balanitis. In more serious cases, it can even cause urinary tract infections or penile cancer.
8. Regular Tooth Brushing
Many elderly people believe that without teeth, brushing is unnecessary.
However, brushing teeth is not only for maintaining oral hygiene and preventing tooth decay but also for the overall health of the mouth and adjacent organs.
Brushing teeth can also prevent elderly pneumonia. The secret lies in the stimulation of the gums and alveolar ridge during tooth brushing, which excites the central nervous system, enhances swallowing and cough reflexes, and prevents aspiration pneumonia caused by foreign objects in the oral cavity entering the respiratory tract.
