After retirement, spending your time relaxing and enjoying life is in fact healthy. Indulging in one’s favorite hobbies is undoubtedly a sought-after activity as many people seek to remain healthy after they retire. Here are 10 ways to stay healthy after retirement.
Contributed by Linda R. Chavez
1. Eat Healthy Food
Nutrition is a key part in staying healthy after retirement. Accordingly, doctors recommend retirees to place it on top of their routine activities as they grow older. Eating healthily helps you feel better as it makes your immune system remain strong.
It’s worth noting that limiting the amounts of sugar, sodium, and cholesterol you eat is strongly recommended, especially after the age of retirement. You should also limit the amount of fats you eat, but the fats found in fish are still recommended.
Fruits and vegetables should make up the bulk of your diet along with lean meats such as turkey, chicken and fish. Simple carbohydrates such as potatoes, corn, white rice, white bread and pasta should be replaced with whole grain versions and smaller portions .
The good news is that doctors don’t recommend cutting out desserts entirely; they only recommend eating them wisely, especially for those who are fond of them.
2. Exercise to Stay Healthy in Retirement
Although exercise is important for all ages, it’s even more important in order to stay healthy after retirement. As you age, exercise helps you avoid any potential health issues and keep your body healthy as much as possible.
Many people enjoy exercise since it makes them feel better and boosts their moods. Therefore, if you don’t like exercises, you’re recommended to partner with a spouse, friend, neighbor or workout partner in order to stay motivated.
Based on a research study by CDC, if you’re over the age of 65 and healthy, you still need to get at least 2 hours of aerobic session every week. But, keep in mind that if it is first time to work out, consult your physician before you begin. Beginning gradually is recommended because any exercise is better than nothing at all.
In addition to physical training, brain exercises are of great importance as your brain needs exercise. Activities such as word puzzles and brain teasers are amazing because the strengthen your brain and reduce age related cognitive decline.
Creativity is another great way to training your brain. In fact, research studies have found that creativity can decrease the chance of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
A last way to stay mentally healthy is by education. Giving/attending lectures and/or giving/taking courses are all great ways to keep yourself mentally healthy.
3. See Your Physician Regularly
Stick to your annual appointments with your physician, and call them ahead of time in case you experience any health issues. Don’t wait until the last second because things can worsen if you do so. Doctors also recommend checking the cholesterol level on a regular basis and watching for any cancer signs.
In addition, get vaccines if needed, especially against influenza, pneumonia and Covid-19 (once it is available). In spite of the fact that after the age of 60 chances of getting ill increase, those vaccines are considered a great way to aid yourself with protection.
While most seniors have Medicare, check out Medicare Advantage plans for extra benefits and gap coverage. You can get more information at Medcare.gov.
Beside of health insurance, you should also consider life insurance as it will remove financial tension from your mind. For, senior life insurance you can contact Seniors Life Insurance Finders by clicking this link.
4. Travel to Stay Healthy After Retirement
The recipe for a healthy life after retirement is usually thought to be a healthy diet and workout. However, some people like to add things to that recipe; that is, they like traveling the world for tourism after they retire.
Not only do they travel for tourism purposes, but also to broaden their horizons and release stress. Traveling is great for our health that it contributes to a healthier, peaceful retirement.
Additionally, traveling encourages you to be active. You go to the airport, put your handbags in the hotel, wander through a new city, visit a museum, and/or swim in the sea. Such activities involve physical exercises that participate in lowering your risk of any heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure.
Along with encouraging activeness, traveling offers many social benefits, one of which is friendships. It gives you a chance to meet new people and family member whom you haven’t seen for ages.
It’s worth noting that group traveling with family members or/and friends helps build strong social ties that could in turn enhance your mental health.
Even though travel is currently limited with the Covid-19 virus, once the crisis passes, there should be some excellent deals to make your travel dollars stretch further.
5. Have a Pet
If you’ve had pets, you know how good they can be for your emotional wellbeing. They can also add a few years to your life. According to a study, caring for a pet at home can help you live longer, especially if you’re a new retiree.
Another study found that retirees who take care of pets feel satisfied and have their mental and physical health improved to a noticeable extent. So get a pet you enjoy to help stay healthy after retirement.
6. Engage in Meaningful Activities
With more time during the day, newly retired people may find some difficulties feeling a sense of purpose.
Before retirement, waking up early and going to work could satisfy that purpose. But, without that, it’s crucial for you as a retiree to find some ways through which you can make your life feel meaningful and full of energy.
Examples of purposeful activities can include participating with school pupils or spending time with your old friends or/and family members. According to research, fining a purpose in life can make you live longer.
7. Take Care of Your Mental Health
Health problems are not the only concern as you grow older, psychological issues can arise with aging as well. Retirement can be a great phase of life, but if you don’t find a supportive community to spend time with, you can end up feeling bored and lonely.
Make sure to spend this time with your friends and/or family members, participating in activities that can keep you away from routine and boredom.
It’s common that after people retire, they lose some of their social networks, especially their work peers. So, making personal relationships a priority and spending time with together is key for a happy retirement.
Experts claim that building up your social network boosts your general health and makes you happier as you age.
Planning for social activities with friends or/and family members can be beneficial for you. Social networking actually decreases any chances of physical disabilities and dementia.
All in all, connecting with others is a necessity to our overall health at all ages, especially after retirements; socializing is important.
8. Play Cards
Playing cards is also a good way to take care of your overall health after you retire. Invite your friends over in the afternoon and play cards.
To your surprise, it can boost your immune system; according to a study, it’s shown that, because card players need to use their memories during the game, the number of immune cells can increase accordingly. Cards game also protects them from Alzheimer’s disease for the same exact reason.
9. Avoid Consuming Alcohol
Alcohol can in fact impact many organs of the human body including the liver and brain. For youngsters, drinking moderately is fine, but as they get older, consuming large amounts of alcohol isn’t recommended at all.
If you’re a male, doctors recommend limiting yourself to 2 drinks a day, but if you’re a female, one drink is enough.
If you drink more than the recommended amounts, consider getting help cutting back. Talk to your doctor about treatment and support options for decreasing your alcohol use.
Similarly, talk to your doctor about treatment options if you still smoke.
10. Plant Your Garden
Adopting simple and natural ways to nurture your body and mental health after retirement is important. One of those ways is gardening. Gardening can boost your spirit as a form of exercise and increasing your joy from seeing beauty and the satisfaction of nurturing a living thing.
A study has found that gardening lowers retirees’ risk of dementia. It decreases stress and accordingly improves your overall health, which makes it a great way to stay healthy after retirement.