Just because the numbers go up doesn’t mean your health has to go down. Health and wellness are as important in the senior years as it is in the teen years.

Growing older doesn’t equate to just being alive. Seniors can still live long, healthy lives. A great start is by learning the keys to success–senior wellness tips.

Health and well-being are to the two main combatants to aging.

To get started, here are 5 essential senior wellness tips.

1. Kicking the Stick Is Priority on the List of Senior Wellness Tips

9 out of every 100 seniors, age 65 and over, smoke in the United States. Seemingly all health professionals suggest you quit smoking because it’s the number one cause of many health-related illnesses in seniors–stroke, heart failure, and cancer.

People over the age of 65 are more likely to quit smoking, increasing their chances of improved health and decreased mortality.

Lung function improves. Longevity of life increases. And, abstaining from smoking prevents dementia and reduces the risk of major causes of death.

Quitting smoking is a step in the direction of quality elder health and living.

2. Mental Wellness

Life changes affect everyone. For senior members, these changes can be detrimental.

Downsizing from a home to a living facility, retirement, the loss of a spouse, and an empty nest could all lead to depression. RowntreeGardens.org can assist with these changes.

Of the 34 million Americans who suffer from depression, two million of them are seniors 65 and older.

Treat depression.

Speak to a psychologist or a mental health professional equipped with mental health tips to help beat depression and get you back on track to a healthy lifestyle.

3. Exercise

Yes, exercise is still the number one way to reverse aging. Physical and mental wellness is affected by how much activity the body gets.

A regular fitness regimen helps seniors combat stress, maintain a healthy weight, and strengthens their bodies to withstand common illness.

Try These Senior Fitness Ideas

• Pool Aerobics – Pool aerobics are less stressful on the joints and offer enough cardio to keep the heart fit. Plus, it’s a fun group exercise for seniors.
• Walking – 30 to 45 minutes of walking three to four times a week helps with cardiovascular health and overall physical fitness.
• Calisthenics – Good old-fashioned squats, sit-ups, lunges, leg lifts, and calf raises are still simple ways to help seniors keep their bodies fit.

Healthy old people who exercise, live longer. So, keep active.

4. A Healthy Diet

There is a misconception that metabolism changes with age. Becoming a senior doesn’t mean you’re more prone to gain weight.

Exercise combined with a healthy diet helps people maintain a healthy weight right into their senior years.

A diet balanced with healthy fats and carbs–fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins–helps regulate metabolism, which is the body’s way of turning food into energy.

5. Preventative Care

Healthy seniors take control of their own health. Schedule regular appointments to see your primary physician.

Maintain dental and vision health by getting your teeth and gums cleaned and scheduling yearly eye exams.

Follow these Senior Wellness Tips

Good health tips are only good when they’re followed. Try some of these tips to live a healthier life in your senior years.

Check out our health and fitness section for more information on healthy living.