5 tips to help you age well

Diet, exercise, social health, smoking and alcohol use all contribute to our overall health. It’s never too late to make critical changes that can have a profound effect on your health and well-being. Optimal aging is about long-term considerations and not quick fixes. Here are our top five tips, supported by research evidence, to support your healthy aging goals.

  1. Exercise more and sit less: Movement is medicine. We spend too much time being sedentary and this can increase our risk of many health complications including heart problems, type 2 diabetes, depression and even cancer. Evidence shows that regular exercise is a key component of optimal aging.

  2. Eat healthy: A nutritious, well-balanced diet is important to our health and well-being throughout our lifespan and helps us maintain strength, mobility and a good quality of life. Think about reducing your salt intake, incorporating more fish and/or fish oil supplements, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, and try cutting down on processed foods.

  3. Get social: Social connections play an important role in healthy aging. Loneliness and social isolation can be very detrimental to your health. Try joining a social group or a recreational walking club. And remember, regular visits with our elderly loved ones are very important.

  4. If you smoke, quit: The negative effects of smoking on healthy aging are well documented. It’s never too late to reap the benefits of quitting, some of which occur within the first few days!

  5. Limit your alcohol intake: Drinking too much can make health problems worse. And be aware of how your medications may react with alcohol. It’s important to consume alcohol in moderation.


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DISCLAIMER: These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).

Many of our Blog Posts were written before the COVID-19 pandemic and thus do not necessarily reflect the latest public health recommendations. While the content of new and old blogs identify activities that support optimal aging, it is important to defer to the most current public health recommendations. Some of the activities suggested within these blogs may need to be modified or avoided altogether to comply with changing public health recommendations. To view the latest updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada, please visit their website.