The Hourglass of Time: 6 Health Conditions That Tend to Develop as We Get Older

Time is something we can never get back, no matter how hard we try. That’s why taking care of our bodies is essential, especially as we get older. But there are just some conditions that are inevitable no matter how hard we try. Here are six conditions that tend to develop as we age.

1. Arthritis

The condition known as arthritis is the breakdown of the tissues inside the joints. This is why it is difficult to move around and why it hurts so much. The most common symptoms are pain, inflammation, weakness in the joint, and difficulty moving around.

The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (where the cartilage between joints breaks down) and rheumatoid arthritis (where the body’s immune system attacks the tissues in the joints and causes inflammation).

2. Impairment of the Senses

Vision and hearing are usually the first senses to go. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be cared for: prescriptions glasses can help with vision and there are hearing aids designed to create a soothing environment. There are always new technologies being developed to assess the first signs of vision and hearing loss.

3. Coronary Heart Disease

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in elderly people. Coronary heart disease is a result of the heart’s blood supply being blocked or interrupted by fatty substances in the valves and arteries.

Certain lifestyle choices can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and obesity. Getting exercise, eating healthier and quitting smoking are all steps one can take to reduce one’s risk for this disease.

4. Dementia

This is a progressive disorder that first appears like simple forgetfulness as we get older. However, dementia itself is more than just forgetting. There are problems in maintaining a conversation and finding the right words to use, forgetting where you are or what date it is, or having difficulty with judging distance.

5. Asthma

Asthma can occur when the body becomes quite sensitive to certain allergens in the air and the airways become inflamed. They can become too narrow to the point that it become very difficult to breathe.

The most common symptoms of asthma include coughing, a tight sensation in the chest, and wheezing.

It’s important that you have some means of contacting someone if you start to experience regular asthma attacks so that you can receive medical attention immediately.

6. Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that becomes easier for older people to develop because of the changes that their bodies go through. It’s a lifelong condition that is caused by the pancreas losing the ability to produce insulin, which is used to process sugar.

Type 2 diabetes is also a growing problem, as it becomes more and more difficult for older people to eat healthier and stay active as their metabolisms start to deteriorate.