The Basics
Getting older doesn’t have to mean losing your health. To stay healthy as you age:
- Choose healthy foods
- Keep your body and mind active
- Get regular checkups
- Take steps to prevent accidents
Remember, it’s never too late to make healthy changes in your life.
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These steps can help you live a longer, healthier life.
Eat healthy.
As you get older, you may not be able to eat all the foods you used to eat. But eating healthy meals is still important, no matter how old you are.
Here are some tips:
- Choose lots of vegetables and fruits in different colors.
- Make sure most of your grains (like rice and pasta) are whole grains.
- Drink low-fat or fat-free milk.
- Choose lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, and nuts.
- Stay away from trans and saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugar.
Check out the answers to these frequently asked questions about eating well as you get older.
If you smoke, quit.
When you quit, your risk of heart disease will start to go down right away. Call 1‑800-784-8669 for free support and to set up your quit plan.
Get regular checkups.
Your doctor or nurse can help you stay healthy as you get older.
Put smoke alarms on every floor of your home.
Use long-life smoke alarms if possible. These alarms use lithium batteries and last longer than regular smoke alarms. They also have a “hush button” so you can stop the alarm quickly if there’s a false alarm.
If you use regular smoke alarms, replace the batteries every year. (Tip: Change smoke alarm batteries when you change your clock back from Daylight Savings Time in the fall.) Follow these other tips on smoke alarms:
- Test your smoke alarms once a month by pushing the test button.
- Put smoke alarms in each bedroom and on the ceiling outside bedroom doors. If people sleep in other rooms of the house, put smoke alarms inside and outside of these rooms, too.
- Don’t forget to put a smoke alarm in the basement.
- Replace your smoke alarm if it doesn’t work when tested or if it’s more than 10 years old.
- Dust or vacuum smoke alarms when you change the batteries.
Get more tips on smoke alarms.
Watch for changes that may affect your driving.
Getting older doesn’t make you a bad driver. But changes that come with aging can make it harder for you to drive safely. You may have trouble seeing at night or find it harder to react quickly to avoid an accident.
Take these steps to stay safe:
- Get your vision and hearing checked.
- Always wear your seat belt.
- Drive on streets you know.
Get tips on how to stay safe behind the wheel.