Keeping an Eye on your Health as you Grow Older

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As you get older, naturally your body slowly deteriorates. This is nothing to fear and is completely normal, however, it is good to keep a check on aspects of your health to be prepared for anything to go wrong. Most people notice that around their 40s, their bodies change slightly as they start to prepare for older age. Here are a couple of things you can keep your eye on throughout this ageing process.

Considering The State Of Your Eyesight

Your eyes are usually at their peak in your teenage years and your vision may begin to deteriorate after this point. Many people start to wear glasses as they reach an older age, whether this is for full-time use or just part-time, for example, in the instance of reading glasses. Your eyes are undoubtedly a hugely important organ, which is why it is really important to have regular eye checks so problems like glaucoma are detected early. Ophthalmology services can help if you suffer from impaired vision. The Circle Health Group offers ophthalmology services in more than 50 hospitals. If you are worried about your eye health, it is best to consult an expert.  

There are a number of things that may happen to your eyes, the most common of which is changes in your eyesight capabilities. For example, you may become more short-sighted, which is the ability to see things close up but not far away, or more long-sighted, which is the opposite of this. Both may come with their own inconveniences, but luckily since they are so common, there are many accessible treatments for each.

Other eye-related issues such as a cataract or glaucoma can be potentially more serious and require surgery, which is why you should keep the professionals updated on the state of your vision and general eye health.

Looking Out For Hearing Problems

Hearing problems are another thing associated with growing older. This is pretty normal, but if you do notice any drastic changes in your hearing then this would be a good point to consult a professional. For example, is your hearing loss sudden or gradual? Does your hearing ability drastically affect your everyday life? These are both questions that can determine how severe this issue is and how you should react to these changes.

Many people falsely believe their hearing to be deteriorating, but it can be a result of wax build-up in your ear canals. It is important to try and differentiate between the different causes, with wax build-up being a common issue that is easy to solve. This can generally be treated at home, by putting a bit of oil in your ears, (olive oil works well!), which will help the breakdown of any wax. If you believe your wax issues require more treatment than this, visit a doctor who might recommend having the wax removed, which is done with a small suction device.

Watching Your Weight

Watching your weight is particularly important as you get older, with it being likely that due to more general inactivity, your metabolism slows down. This is why it is important to pick up some sort of active hobby, which will reduce uncontrolled weight gain. You should aim to exercise little yet often to stimulate your muscles and keep your joints all working well. This way, you will notice the ageing process far less and you won’t feel as though you are slowing down, even if this may be the case.

Exercise is equally as important as how you eat, so making sure your diet is healthy is essential. Cholesterol build-up is often prevalent in older people, so you should try and avoid unhealthy or fast foods where you can. Having a lot of fibre in your diet can be a great solution for this, which will keep you feeling energised and provide you with the correct vitamins and nutrients needed.

 Checking For Diabetes

Related to the issue of weight, being checked for diabetes is something that is recommended every three years for those over the age of 65. Even if you consider yourself to be healthy, you don’t have anything to lose by going for such checks. There are many things you can do health-wise to reduce the likelihood of diabetes, but regular health checks are the best way to spot problems early. Aside from this, keeping a healthy lifestyle is necessary, with prevention being extremely valuable!

Getting older has its downsides, but it is inevitable, so we should try and appreciate rather than resent this process. You know yourself and your body far better than anybody else, so it is largely your responsibility to keep checking for any changes. The earlier these are spotted, the better, so make sure you stay aware!