The downside: with age comes health risks. The upside: many of these risks are easily preventable. With just a little bit of wisdom and a strong dose of diligence you too can become a healthier, happier, and better-balanced woman with these 6 steps.
- Practice your Balance & Flexibility
It sounds like a weird thing to “practice” but with the help of a yoga class or some daily stretching, the body begins to stretch neural pathways that can help with balance. The more these 
pathways are “practiced” the easier they become. Simple stretches can help with posture, gait, and balance, all patterns that can become weaker as we age and can sometimes lead to falls and/or injury.
- Focus on Stress Relief & Mood Boosters
This can be different for everyone, but do something that makes you happy that exercises your endorphins. Those tiny hormones in the brain can make all the difference in your day. For one person this may be exercise, reading, dancing, watching a TV show, cooking, eating, etc. the list can go on. Anxiety and depression seem to target women more than men and is most prevalent in years 40-59 so it is important to do the things that make you most happy and to seek help when you need it.
- Strengthen your Musculoskeletal System
We’re not asking you to become a bodybuilder, but some resistance training a couple of times a week has been proven to improve joint health and muscle endurance. Osteoporosis becomes more of a health risk to women as they age, and bone density can essentially begin to deteriorate, but these processes can be put off by being active and involving some weights into your regimen. Additionally, ask your doctor if a calcium supplement is right for you to help combat these circumstances.
- Immune Boost
Infections and sickness seem to come knocking on our doors more frequently as we get older. Naturally the white blood cell counts tend to decrease putting us at more risk for infections. This measure becomes a little harder to prevent but if you are getting the proper vitamins and nutrients in your diet, it becomes easier to fight off and prevent infections. If you fall a little short in this department don’t worry! A multivitamin supplement or vitamin C supplement can help you reach the recommended daily requirements.
- Sharpen your Brain
Dementia becomes another risk factor with age, but again there are some measures that can be taken to prevent or slow this process. Cognitive training is one way to do this. There are professional software programs available to train this, but something as simple as completing a puzzle or playing a challenging game on your electronic device can keep your brain neurons firing. Certain diets, containing high amounts of vitamin B12 and omega 3s have also shown benefits in preventing brain aging. If these are nutrients you lack in your diet, consult your physician to see if they are right for you.
- Combat Heart Disease
Many types of exercise can protect your heart. Being active, even just for a little bit of time each day can lower your risk. Exercise and healthy diet are linked to weight loss and lowered blood pressure, both of which can lead to heart disease. Lowering fat intake can help kick heart disease precursors as well.
Aging is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean we have to hate it. In the grand scheme of things, many great things come with age. These 6 steps are important for any woman at any stage of life so that she can become healthier, happier, and better balanced.
