The average American will live into their late 70s. While medical experts expect life spans to increase in the coming years — possibly to more than 100 years of age — they’re increasingly worried about our health spans. Health span is the period of our lives we live without debilitating diseases and mobility issues Unfortunately, it’s not something we focus on when we’re planning our golden years.

You should always be vigilant about protecting your immune system. But between October and May, it’s imperative. 

First, it’s flu season, which can lead to pneumonia and hospitalizations. We’re also still dealing with COVID. Although experts have yet to identify a “COVID season,” cases are expected to rise during the colder months as people spend more time indoors. COVID can cause life-threatening complications. 

Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of music legend Elvis Presley, recently passed from a sudden cardiac arrest. She was 54. 

During an NFL football game in early January, Damar Hamlin collapsed after a hit. Reports suggested he too had cardiac arrest. He survived due to immediate, on-field medical treatment.

Arthritis is a condition involving inflammation of the joints that can cause debilitating pain. There are many types of arthritis; however, two of the most common include rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

Let’s face facts – as we age, most of us become increasingly less active. For some people, it’s a lack of energy, while for others, old injuries and wear and tear on our bodies causes pain. Many older adults are sedentary, spending nine to 13 hours a day sitting, according to research. If you are sedentary and would like to get moving again, here are eight tips that can help. 

Eat a healthy diet

It may seem surprising to start with food, but proper nutrition is essential for mobility. Your body needs a healthy balanced diet to fuel movement. Here are a few examples:

Nutrition is a complex science, but it plays a significant role in our health, so it’s important to understand at least the basics.

Which free diet tools can help me lose weight and eat healthier?

Fortunately, there are many diet tools available to help, including free ones from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provide guidance on what to eat and drink to help us:

You’ve probably heard (and used) expression, “But first, coffee.” If you’re preventing heart disease, you might want to rephrase: But first, tea! 

Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It’s high in flavonoids, plant-based compounds found in a wide range of foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, tea, chocolate and wine. Flavonoids are a significant source of antioxidants, which protect cells against free radicals, helping to stave off chronic conditions like heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. 

Maintaining healthy cognitive function is a vital component to living a healthy life.10% of Americans older than 65 have dementia and another 22 percent have mild cognitive impairment – the earliest stage of memory loss, according to a study published in JAMA Neurology.