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What Happens in the Human Body After 70: 6 Changes
21.07.2024 02:40
As we age, our body gradually ages. Some people in their 70s have entered the stage of old age, and their bodies begin to experience changes and health problems.
Many people are worried about developing serious illnesses.
Instead of worrying, you need to have a clear mind so that when faced with some common problems caused by physical aging, you can actively regulate and control the risks, which will better contribute to your health and longevity.
Normal changes in the body of elderly friends mainly indicate the following 6 aspects.
Decrease in mental abilities
As you age, your brain will also age. Physiologically, certain parts of your brain will shrink and the signal transmission between different areas will become slower, meaning it will become harder to remember.
It is also more difficult to recall a stranger's name or story, and it is also more difficult to concentrate.
When some elderly friends experience problems such as memory loss and decreased thinking ability, they always worry that they will gradually develop Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.
In fact, this situation is a manifestation of normal brain aging. Alzheimer's disease can cause more serious problems with memory and leading a normal life.
The best way to prevent mental decline is to regularly “exercise” your brain and thinking. Use your brain and try to think to stay active.
This is an important aspect of reducing mental degeneration. In your daily life, pay attention to nutrients such as B vitamins (vitamins B12, B9, etc.) and substances such as DHA and EPA.
Weakened heart
As you age, your heart will inevitably age. This ageing may manifest itself in a decrease in blood flow to your heart during exercise.
From a physiological point of view, it may happen that the inner wall of the heart becomes thicker, the heart valve becomes harder, and blood circulation becomes uneven.
Relevant studies have shown that premature ventricular contractions occur in people over 75 years of age.
The incidence rate at this age reaches 69%, and the most common problems are hardening of the arteries and plaque buildup.
These problems are common in older people over 70. These changes do carry some cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risks, but there is no need to worry too much.
If you are not influenced by unfavorable factors such as smoking and obesity, then your risk of heart health problems will be much lower.
Stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption, control your weight, maintain a healthy diet, actively strengthen your body with physical exercise, maintain a peaceful and optimistic attitude and sleep well.
These healthy lifestyle principles help slow down the aging of the heart and blood vessels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Slowing down of metabolism
As people get older, their metabolic capabilities gradually decline.
In older friends over 70 years of age, the rate of muscle loss may increase, but the likelihood of lipid accumulation will be higher.
One of the most striking manifestations is that many older people will rarely experience hunger and thirst as they did in their youth, and the amount of food will be less.
It should be noted that the ability to absorb nutrients and the decrease in the body's metabolic capacity must be actively regulated so that this does not become a problem.
You should focus on reducing your calorie intake and avoid some high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar diets.
Vegetables and fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and protein-rich poultry, fish, etc. are all ingredients that should be eaten in moderation.
Older adults over 70 years of age are deficient in vitamin D, so it is important to actively take supplements.
Deterioration of bones and muscles
Among people over 70 years of age, about a quarter of the population suffers from osteoporosis, and the proportion of women with osteoporosis is higher than the proportion of men.
Osteoporosis is a common problem in older people caused by an imbalance in bone metabolism and a decrease in bone strength caused by accelerated bone loss.
Problems caused mainly include bone pain and easy fractures.
In addition to decreased bone strength, older people will gradually experience a decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength, and tendons will become harder, affecting flexibility and balance in the body.
As you gradually age, pay attention to developing a good habit of exercising as soon as possible.
Along with aerobic exercise, make sure to include regular strength training, especially weight-bearing exercises.
This is a good way to help reduce bone density. Paying more attention to supplementing with high-quality protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K and other nutrients is also an important aspect of preventing osteoporosis and muscle loss.
The problem of sleep disturbance
Sleep problems are increasingly common among older friends over 70 years of age.
Such sleep problems may manifest as increased wake time, difficulty falling asleep, and decreased time for deep sleep.
Women tend to have more sleep problems. This sleep problem can also manifest itself as falling asleep earlier but waking up earlier, and usually having difficulty falling back to sleep after waking up.
This change in sleep pattern is also a common problem for older friends over 70, so don't worry too much.
Develop good sleeping habits, ensure a quiet environment in the bedroom, do not watch TV or mobile phones before bed, do not drink strong tea and strong coffee, etc.
Before going to bed, keep your mind calm, actively regulate concomitant diseases and avoid pain that affects sleep, etc.
These are important aspects to improve sleep in older adults. If you can get 7-8 hours of good sleep every night, that's very good.
For elderly friends with serious insomnia problem, it is recommended to seek medical help in time.
Decreased immunity
After 70 years, the human body's defenses against diseases and germs will gradually decrease.
For viruses, older adults over 70 are high-risk groups. Not only are they susceptible to infection, but they also have a significantly increased risk of severe disease and related complications after infection.
These risks are closely related to changes in the immune system caused by aging.
The good news is that older people over 70 are gradually less likely to have a severe allergic reaction and are less likely to develop autoimmune diseases again.
As for the problem of decreased immunity in elderly friends, healthy and good living habits such as a healthy diet that provides nutrient intake and vigorous aerobic exercise are all good ways to protect the immunity of the elderly.
At the same time, elderly people are recommended to get vaccinated against influenza, pneumonia, shingles vaccine, etc., which will also help reduce the risk of concomitant diseases.
In general, with age, the aging of the human body is inevitable, but “rejection of old age” should not affect mental health, should not result in irritation, anxiety or constant suspicion.
The phenomenon of aging leads to serious problems with diseases. Such worries, anxiety and bad emotions are risk factors that seriously affect health.
Monitoring and paying attention to one's health, as well as actively reducing the associated health risks, will allow a person to live a normal and healthy life even after 70 years of age.
