Top tips to keep healthy for positive aging from our luxury retirement village
At Burnham Waters, the luxury retirement village in Essex, we share our top tips for positive ageing!
We are all increasingly aware of the need for positive ageing. Keeping fit and healthy, keeping your mind active and reducing your stress levels can all support a healthy and happy retirement.
Looking after your health and making sure you have regular check-ups can really help to identify any issues early, making it much easier to treat - getting you back up to full fitness, much more quickly!
From taking vitamins and having your eyesight and your hearing tested regularly, to looking after your teeth, there are lots of simple steps you can take to support positive aging.
At Burnham Waters, the new luxury retirement village in Burnham on Crouch, we have a few suggestions for helping to keep you fit an healthy, well into your retirement.
Read more about the leisure facilities at Burnham Waters here.
1. Look after your teeth
While we often drill it into our children that they need to take good care of their teeth, this applies to all ages!
You should not only brush your teeth twice a day, but you should also floss daily. Flossing can really help to prevent gum disease by removing pieces of food and plaque, which can get trapped between your teeth.
The NHS advises that you should have regular check-ups with your dentist. It’s easy to do but try not to put off going for a check-up. Detecting problems early can mean they're easier to treat.
If problems are not treated, they may lead to damage that's harder, or even impossible, to repair.
2. Book yourself an NHS health check
The NHS Health Check programme aims to help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and certain types of dementia.
Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74, who has not already been diagnosed with one of the above conditions (or have certain risk factors), is invited once every five years to have a check-up to assess their risk of these age-related illnesses. You will also be given support and advice to help you reduce or manage that risk.
If you’re in this category but haven’t had a check in the last five years, you can request a Health Check via your GP.
Find out more about NHS Health Checks here.
It’s also important to keep up with your seasonal immunisations – such as the flu jab, and the Covid jab, available through the NHS. These jabs are free once you reach 65, or if you have a health condition that puts you at risk of more serious problems if you caught the flu.
3. Take your vitamins
The NHS advises that most people should get all the nutrients you need by having a varied and balanced diet, although some people may need to take extra supplements.
However, lots of people have a vitamin D deficiency and they don’t even know it.
From around late March or early April until the end of September, most people can get all the vitamin D they need through sunlight on their skin and from eating a balanced diet.
However, during the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet because the sun is not strong enough for your body to make vitamin D.
Because it's difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, you might want to consider taking a daily supplement during the autumn and winter.
If you want to boost your vitamin D, without taking a supplement, then try to get outside in the sunshine for at least 15-20 minutes a day for a vitamin D boost. It can also be found in food such as eggs and oily fish. If you are unsure about whether to take a supplement, talk to your doctor to get their advice.
At Burnham Waters, our luxury retirement community with bungalows, we will be including an onsite doctor’s surgery, along with a host of other amenities, to provide our residents with the convenience of having everything, right on the doorstep!
Find out more about the host of amenities that will be on offer at Burnham Waters here.
4. Get your hearing and your eyesight checked regularly
As we get older it’s important to get our hearing and our eyesight checked regularly.
Hearing loss is common in older people and if it is not detected, it can be incredibly isolating. If you find that you have the TV on very loud or you are having trouble keeping up with conversations, then book an appointment to see your doctor. There have been some huge advancements in hearing aids and if you do need a hearing aid, some are even available on the NHS.
According to Age UK, having problems with your vision doesn't just make day-to-day life more difficult – it can also put you at risk of falls, driving accidents, and incorrect use of medications. The best way to make sure your eyes are healthy is to have regular eye checks. Many eye diseases can be treated successfully if they're detected early.
You should have an eye test every two years or as often as your optician recommends. If you notice any changes in your vision, get your eyes checked as soon as possible.
Lots of opticians provide free NHS eye tests if you're eligible and if you're unable to leave the house, you may also be able to get a free mobile eye test, where the optician comes to your home.
Read more about eye health on the Age UK website.
About Burnham Waters
Burnham Waters is a vibrant new luxury retirement village for the over 55s, situated in Burnham on Crouch, Essex.
It offers the perfect blend of luxurious bungalow living, combined with the comfort and serenity of a rural village community. With the added benefits of on-site amenities and facilities for residents, everything you need is easily accessible and readily available.
Choose from a selection of one, two and three-bedroom new build retirement bungalows at our luxury retirement village - with the first homes now ready to move in to.
Explore the Burnham Waters website to find out more.
