Changes That Come With Aging

A few entries back we've talked about how accepting changes is one of the keys to aging gracefully. Now we're going to discuss more about those changes, particularly the ones related to your body systems. If the superficial (if not trivial) changes such as the wrinkles and the gray hairs trouble you, be prepare to get even more troubled.

Accept and embrace the changes in your physical and mental function. Your youth won't come back, but it doesn't mean that you can't be happy still.

Cardiovascular System

Your heart muscles will have to work harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body, lowering your tolerance to exercise. Your blood vessels become less elastic and fatty plaque may accumulate in the walls of your arteries, making them stiffer. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) and other cardiovascular problems.

Bones, joints and muscles

Your bones may become less dense, a condition called osteoporosis. This lead to increased risk for fracture. You may also contract osteoarthritis as a result of wear and tear to your joints. Your muscles lose strength and flexibility causing you troubles with movement and coordination.

Digestive and Urinary System

Low fiber diet, lack of exercise, not taking enough fluids, and medications may cause constipation in elderly people. Loss of bladder control is also common with aging. Frequent constipation, obesity, and chronic cough may contribute to incontinence.

Memory

The number of nerve cells in your brain will decrease with aging, causing some memory problems and concentration. It may take longer to recall familiar names or to remember new things.

Vision and HearingYour eyes produce less tears, causing a sense of dryness. The lenses lose their clarity and the retina becomes thinner. You may need correctional lenses to help with reading and you may become more sensitive to glare. Your ears may have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

Oral Health

Your mouth may feel drier because of less saliva production. With less saliva to clear out the bacteria, your teeth and gums become more vulnerable to decay and infection. Your teeth also darken in color and become more brittle.

Skin and HairYour skin becomes less elastic, more dry, and wrinkled. It is also more fragile, causing you to bruise more easily. Dark spots or age spots, especially on sun-exposed areas of your body, may occur. Hair loss and loss of color and luster is common.

Weight

Muscle mass decreases with age and they are replaced with fat. Because fat tissue burns fewer calories than muscle tissue, you may need to reduce the number of calories in your diet or increase your physical activity simply to maintain your current weight.

Are you feeling troubled yet?

Don't be. These changes are inevitable, but you can minimize their impact on your well-being by adopting healthy lifestyle long before these changes even begin to occur. Start now. It's never too late to change your lifestyle into a better one. 

Managing Diabetes

Diabetes management aims to keep your blood sugar in control through various measures, from diet and lifestyle changes to medications and insulin injection. When it comes to diabetes, blood sugar control is often the central theme. After all, keeping your blood sugar level within your target range can help you live a long and healthy life. But do you know what makes your blood sugar level rise and fall?

Dietary Habit

By now you're probably getting bored of me stating the obvious, but healthy eating is the most important part of any diabetes management plan. It's not just about the quality and quantity of the foods you eat, the meal schedule matters too.

Blood sugar level peaks around two hours after meal then begins to fall after that. If you keep to a regular schedule by eating at the same time every day and dividing your total daily calories into several small meals at regular times, you can control the fluctuation of your blood sugar level.

Stick to the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) eating plan because it's also the best diet for diabetes. It's well balanced, have the right mix of carbohydrate, fruits, vegetable, and lower fat. Always remember to coordinate your meals and your medication, especially if you're using insulin to avoid low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Physical Activity

Staying physically active improves your body's response to insulin.

Regular exercise is another important part of your diabetes management plan. Regular physical activity improves your body's response to insulin. This is especially important in people with type 2 diabetes. When you exercise, your muscles take up the excess glucose and turn them into energy.

Pick the type of exercise that is appropriate with your condition. If you have a heart problem or sores in your feet, consult your physician first. Pay attention to your blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise and recognize the signs of low blood sugar such as hunger, weakness, lightheadedness, anxiety, and fatigue. Bring an emergency snack or glucose pill with you when you're exercising. Drink plenty of water or isotonic fluids to prevent dehydration that can affect blood sugar levels.

Medication

Diabetes medications and insulin are used only when diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood sugar. If you have type 1 diabetes, then insulin must be included in your treatment plan. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may take either oral anti-diabetic medication (as a single drug or in combination) and/or insulin in combination.

pre-filled insulin pen to deliver insulin

Insulin works by increasing glucose uptake into your cells. There are many types of insulin which differ in how they act and how long they stay in your body. Oral anti-diabetic agents may either increase the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas, increase the sensitivity of your organs to insulin, or decrease the absorption of glucose from the gastrointestinal tract.

Anti-diabetic drugs, like other type of pharmacological agents, may interact with other medications such as anti-hypertensive agents and birth control pills. Always consult your doctor to find the right medications for you and minimize drug interactions and side effects.

Stress

Psychological stress increases the production of stress hormones in body. These hormones may prevent insulin from working properly and increase your blood sugar level. Learn to manage your stress by relaxation techniques, learning coping strategies, setting limits and prioritizing tasks.

Illness, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause may also put your body under extra stress. Anticipate to take extra measures to control your blood sugar during any of these conditions.