Preventative Care for Seniors

As you get older, you might not think you are able to have an active life-style due to aches and pains you feel.  However, there are preventative care steps you can take as you get older. Having a healthy diet, controlling your weight, being active and other lifestyle changes will help with your bodies natural aging process.  And as George Benard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”  

Healthy Diet and Weight Control

It’s important to include foods in your diet that will help promote taking care of your joints as you age.  Eating foods with omega-3 fatty acids like Salmon, tuna and trout twice a week are beneficial for your joints. It’s common that many people also don’t get enough calcium as well.  Other than including dairy in your diet, consuming foods like spinach, okra, collards, soy beans and kale will allow you to reach your calcium needs. Also be sure to include foods with Vitamin D, such as fatty fish, cheese, egg yolks, beef liver, some dairy products and soy milk.  Eating less fat and refined carbs will help with weight control along with including whole grains, vegetables and fruit. And lastly and most importantly, drink lots of water. Water not only helps with making you feel full and keeps you hydrated, but helps cushion your joints.

Stay Active

It’s important to keep your body in motion as much as you can tolerate.  Going for short walks a few times each day will help keep your joints healthy.  Another great way to stay active is water aerobics as you will be able to build strength with gentle resistance from the water.  Be sure that you stretch frequently each day as well, this will help with your flexibility and range of motion. As you include activity into your daily routine, also be sure that you give your body breaks. Don’t over do it.  Another way to protect your joints is having a proper posture while sitting, walking and bending while wearing proper shoes. For example, when you are sitting following the below will help improve your posture:

Keep your feet flat on the floor or rest them on a foot rest.Avoid crossing your ankles or kneesPlace your ankles in front of your kneesRelax your shouldersSit up straight and look forward without straining your neckSit against a chair or backrest that provides support, especially to your lower backAvoid sitting for long periods, take 10 minutes breaks every hour

If you are experiencing joint pain each day, you should also talk to a medical professional.  The longer that you wait, the more destructive the damage to your joints will become. There is medical preventative care available with Regenerative Therapy.  By including Stem Cell Therapy or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy in your preventative care routine, you may be able to avoid surgery and be able to live pain free.

You may be concerned that your stem cells won’t be effective due to your age, however research has shown that there is no correlation in the success of stem cell therapy and a person’s age.  Older patients do just as well with Stem Cell Therapy as younger patients do.   Simply put, there is no age cutoff for autologous (self-donor) stem cell therapy.  

In the Greater Seattle area, Seattle Regenerative Medicine Center offers FREE consultations for those who are struggling with chronic pain.   You can discuss your options and see if a Regenerative Therapy, like Stem Cell Therapy or PRP would be right for you. Please contact SRMC at 425-454-0406 to book your free consultation for PRP Therapy in Seattle.

By Dr. Lucy Hostetter