Health and Wellbeing

Diabetes is one of the most common health problems in the UK, affecting over 2.5 million people. And, as we age, the more likely we are to get it. But the good news is, by making some simple diet and lifestyle changes you can reduce your risk – without missing out on your favourite meals. Diabetes is caused when your body stops being able to produce insulin – a natural chemical that helps glucose move from your blood into your body cells, which then convert it into energy. There are two different types, with Type 2 being the most common, particularly among older people. Fortunately, unlike Type 1 diabetes, which cannot be prevented (and usually affects children or young adults), Type 2 diabetes is tied to conditions such as high blood pressure and obesity, which may be avoided by following a healthy lifestyle.

Suffering from depression and anxiety becomes even more common as we get older. It’s an illness often triggered by age-related risk factors such as having a debilitating medical condition, disability, loved ones dying, retirement and loneliness. And when things go wrong with your mental health, every aspect of your life is affected – with the usual symptoms being a lack of energy, low motivation, disrupted sleep and a poor appetite. Physical complaints such as arthritis pain or worsening headaches are also linked to depression.

If you like to stay active, keeping your joints healthy can be important. Although they won’t prevent more serious conditions such as arthritis, the following tips can help keep your joints in good condition – so you can carry on doing the things you love. From getting out of bed to holding a pen, our joints are essential for everything we do. But when we age, our joints can become stiff and painful – whether from wear and tear of bones and cartilage, or different types of arthritis. The good thing is, there are some simple things you can do to keep your joints strong and flexible in later life.

Whether because of natural changes in our health or side effects of medication, many of us find it more difficult to get to sleep as we age. But there are some simple things you can do to drift off more easily – including enjoying a relaxing meal. To get to sleep, our bodies rely on a hormone called melatonin, which controls our sleeping and waking cycles. For example, during daylight hours, our body clock cuts down how much melatonin we produce to help us feel awake. Production of melatonin increases into the evening as we prepare to rest, and reaches its highest levels at night to keep us asleep until morning.

Just as with the rest of the body, a balanced diet can help our eyes stay strong and healthy in later life. Here, we look at the vitamins and essential nutrients that can help combat macular degeneration. The macula is the central part of the retina, which is responsible for the type of sight we need for detailed tasks such as reading and recognising faces. In Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the cells in the macula gradually stop working, damaging central vision.

In later life, it’s not uncommon to have a smaller appetite than when you were younger. But it’s still important to make sure you eat enough to stay strong and healthy. This week, we share our five top tips for maintaining a healthy appetite. From less sensitive taste buds to badly fitting dentures and medication side effects, there’s a whole range of things that can affect our appetite as we get older. Most of us know how difficult it can be to eat when you don’t feel hungry. But with our simple tips, you can make sure you get the nutrients you need to stay healthy – and find your way back to truly enjoying meals again.

It’s Carers Week, and we’re sharing our top tips for making sure you and the person you care for enjoy a balanced diet. Being a carer for a loved one comes with a whole host of challenges – particularly when it comes to mealtimes. Whether because of illness, disability or becoming less active, many people can find it difficult to eat or find that their dietary needs or appetite have changed. Here a few ways to make mealtimes easier, and help the person you care for get the nutrients they need:

We’re all used to hearing about how exercise and a balanced diet help keep our hearts healthy. But a healthy lifestyle is also essential for looking after your brain. Here we explore some tips that could reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s in later life. Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, causing a range of symptoms such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating and becoming confused and disorientated. Although no main cause has been found, people who keep their blood pressure, cholesterol and weight in check are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s as they get older.

Along with a balanced diet, regular exercise is really important for staying happy and healthy as we age. Here we look at some popular ways to stay fit – ranging from outdoor hobbies to group classes. Getting older can sometimes make it difficult to exercise regularly. But staying active can have so many benefits. From simple things like getting out of your chair more easily, to staying steady on your feet and avoiding falls. This doesn’t mean we all need to take up jogging round the park. There are plenty of gentle forms of exercise that make a real difference to your health – and provide great reasons for leaving the house and meeting new people.

Following a nutritious, balanced diet is important for everyone. But for older people with dementia, eating the right foods – and avoiding the wrong ones – can make a real difference to their overall health and happiness. To stay healthy and fight off illnesses, the brain and the body need to get all the right nutrients. D