T<\/span>here have been no greater changes in the world for older adults than what we have seen over the past several months.<\/p>\n What has not changed? It is nows more important than ever to follow a healthy lifestyle, remain positive, be passionate about life, and to look forward to better days ahead.<\/p>\n Each generation is proving that many older adults are vibrant, passionate, and not the image of old age at all. From the Greatest Generation (those now over 93), the Silent Generation (those between 75 and 92), and Baby Boomers (56 to 74) to Gen-Xers (40 to 55), there are pioneers of aging determined to remain vital and healthy.<\/p>\n To maintain your vibrancy, why not make the fall season the time to take stock of your lifestyle and set some healthy goals. Grab onto that old \u201cback-to-school\u201d feeling, and make this fall season a fresh start.<\/p>\n For months now, we have lived under the uncertain cloud and threat of COVID-19 that has been said to be particularly targeting older adults and especially those with underlying conditions.<\/p>\n The facts are, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC), people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.<\/p>\n What are these conditions?<\/p>\n \u2022 Cancer\n\u2022 Chronic kidney disease\n\u2022 COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)\n\u2022 Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant\n\u2022 Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher)\n\u2022 Serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies\n\u2022 Sickle cell disease\n\u2022 Type 2 diabetes mellitus<\/p>\n Many of these conditions are affected by lifestyle choices.<\/p>\n To help you get started or keep going, here are tips from the editors of Healthy Aging\u00ae:<\/p>\n If you are forced to stay home more than you used to, it\u2019s easy to throw your more structured diet plan out the window. You know what you are supposed to eat, but often it\u2019s hard to stick to a plan. But how do you avoid gaining weight?<\/p>\n Consider the DASH diet, (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) created in the 1990s as a result of research by the National Institute of Health for a diet to reduce hypertension.<\/p>\n DASH promotes the consumption of vegetables and fruits, lean meat and dairy products, and the inclusion of micronutrients in the menu. It also advocates the reduction of sodium in the diet to about 1500 mg\/day. DASH emphasizes on consumption of minimally processed and fresh food.<\/p>\n Another good choice is the Mediterranean Diet, said to reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. High priority foods to eat on this diet include vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, seafood, and olive oil. Little red meat is advised and sugary foods, processed meats, and highly processed foods are excluded.<\/p>\n Although tempting to stockpile processed and pre-prepared foods, try to keep fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat on the grocery list.<\/p>\n Try a food delivery service as an alternative to going into the store yourself. GrubHub<\/a> and DoorDash<\/a> deliver food from restaurants to your door.<\/p>\n Meal delivery services are available from such groups as Home Chef<\/a>, Hello Fresh<\/a>, and Every Plate<\/a>. You choose meal plans and the food is delivered.<\/p>\n Grocery delivery services rely on in-store shoppers who put together your order for pickup generally in the parking lot of the supermarket. Some deliver to your door. Examples are Amazon Fresh<\/a>, Instacart<\/a> and Walmart Grocery<\/a>.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t make it just like the \u201cFreshman 15.\u201d The existence of Covid-19 doesn\u2019t have to include 19 extra pounds for you. Do something about it! Make it a goal to exercise at least 45 minutes a day. Walk, run, cycle \u2013 Get outdoors.<\/p>\n Some people use the \u201cwalk 10,000 steps a day\u201d guideline to get them going. An easy way to calculate your steps is to download a fitness tracker app on your smartphone. Check out apps from Apple<\/a> or Android users.<\/p>\n Or, you can invest in an activity tracker, a wearable that keeps track of how far you go and calories burned. Examples are models from Garmin<\/a>, Apple<\/a>, and Fitbit<\/a>. Some measure heart rate and the quality of your sleep. Some models have GPS, play music, and are a phone all rolled into one.<\/p>\n Get back to your gym if you feel comfortable. If your gym is closed or you would feel less stressed working out from home, go online for classes or programs to get your heart rate up and build muscle mass. Many are free, some have subscriptions.<\/p>\n Check your local Y for free classes or go to the national YMCA website<\/a>. Choose from yoga, Pilates, weightlifting, tai chi, and a variety of active older adult classes.<\/p>\n Virtual online running races. There are many websites offering virtual runs. You sign up and are given a course that you can do on your own time. Some of these sites even offer medals.<\/p>\n Run Across America: Fall 5k<\/a> on Saturday, October 3, 2020, is one example. After registration, you\u2019ll get a text with a unique code and instructions to download the new Run Across America app that we use for the event. From there you can create a team and challenge friends to join you virtually.<\/p>\n When it\u2019s time for the event, you lace up your shoes and activate the race tracker in the app. It\u2019ll let you know as you make progress toward 5 kilometers on whatever route you choose in your neighborhood. After you\u2019re done running, you can see how you performed versus others on the leaderboard. Plus, just like a regular race, you can get a t-shirt and medal to commemorate your achievement.<\/p>\n Zwift<\/a> is an online program that blends the fun of video games with the intensity of serious training.<\/p>\n Zwift offers a community for runners and cyclists. For runners, you can find hundreds of events from fun group runs to more intense races with real prizes on the line. By paring with other apps like Strava and Garmin Connect, you can run laps with friends and others from around the world. For cyclists, Zwift is a chance to ride virtual roads, participate in structured workouts or jump in with social group rides. A free trial is offered for 7 days. Membership is $14.99 a month.<\/p>\n During these often stressful times, it is important and sometimes hard to keep spirits up. Of course, it is easy to say, \u201cthink positively,\u201d but it\u2019s not always easy to do.<\/p>\n Having a good support system and engaging with trustworthy people are key elements to successfully talking about your own mental health.<\/p>\n One resource is MentalHealth.gov which provides one-stop access to U.S. government mental health and mental health problems information. Content for this website is provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MedlinePlus and National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and more.<\/p>\nDispelling the Myths of Older Ages by Generation<\/h3>\n
What Can You Do to Remain Healthy?<\/h3>\n
Getting Going During A Different Climate<\/h3>\n
10 Tips for Staying Healthy This Fall and Beyond<\/h3>\n
Diet and Nutrition<\/h3>\n
1. Check Your Diet<\/h3>\n
Physical Fitness<\/h3>\n
2. Get fit. Stay fit.<\/h3>\n
3. Track Your Activity to Help You Meet Your Goal<\/h3>\n
4. Go Online for Fitness<\/h3>\n
5. Look for Free Classes<\/h3>\n
6. Virtual Running Races<\/h3>\n
7. Virtual Cycling<\/h3>\n
Mental Wellness<\/h3>\n