The Heart and Healthy Aging

Tip for Healthy Aging: Keeping Your Heart Young

Aging physically is not an enjoyable process. Our bodies can begin to break down and become more vulnerable to a variety of diseases. We face such problems as increasing cholesterol buildup, weakening joints, atrophying muscles, and heart disease as we get older. Yet, even with all of these age-related problems we can develop, few of us take the time to make the lifestyle changes necessary to delay the onset of these problems. Just taking the time to exercise regularly and live a relatively healthy lifestyle during our younger years could help our hearts stay young and healthy well into later years.

In fact, in a time when we know so much more about the science of staying healthy, more people than ever are aging younger because of poor lifestyle choices. You can age yourself prematurely if you do not take responsibility for your own health. It would seem a simple matter of maturity for you to transition from a child who has to be guided by a parent to an adult who can make the right decisions. Yet during adulthood, when the body naturally declines if not cared for, you may not feel inclined to take time out of your day to care for your body.

It can be said that aging starts the moment we're born. This is true in a way. You can think of it as a countdown from life inception to life cessation. The good news is that if you take responsibility for yourself there are ways you can add time to your body's countdown.

The human conception of aging has changed greatly with modern science. In various eras, people have been considered old when they were what we now call middle age. In recent times, 65 was thought to be old. Now, many people live healthy well into their 80s or 90s. While a lot of this aging is clearly based on the extremes of physical hardship and being physically sedentary, many people also suffer early heart problems simply because of long-term emotional distress.

Conforming Your Emotions to Healthy Heart Principles

If you've ever had a heart attack, you know just how helpless and hopeless it can make you feel. But these emotions can contribute to heart problems themselves. It is time for you to take control of your body and your emotions. You can choose not to let stress and anxiety control you. Learn to focus each day on the blessings you are receiving rather than on the things you can't control or the things that could go wrong again. You can choose what you do and how you respond to things.

If you are having a hard time emotionally with anything, take some time to associate regularly with friends and family members who make you feel good. Getting social support is important, especially as you get older. Don't spend all of your time soaking up support. You also need to provide support to others in need. Helping others is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. Listen to what people have to say, but you should also be able to freely express your feelings to them.

If you've suffered from some traumatic experiences in your life, you may need to go so far as support groups to get the help you need. There is not only no shame in joining support groups, but you will find they are a great place to meet friends who understand each process you go through during the course of a day. You can enjoy helping others and establish strong bonds based on understanding.

Exercise Can Keep Your Heart Young

Exercise is a great emotional therapy and a great physical therapy. Your heart is a muscle that needs to be exercised. Walking daily can keep your heart healthy longer. But the exercise also helps our bodies and minds deal with daily stress. If you have stress, anxiety, depression, or thoughts of despair on a regular basis, regular exercise may be the best thing you can do to help yourself.