The 63-year-old Uncle Peng kept running between the hospital and his home because of various minor problems, and the whole person was visibly emaciated. However, every time he got a physical examination report from the hospital, he was worried.

Uncle Peng never understood why he, who was rarely sick before, suddenly became sick after retiring?

However, Uncle Peng's situation is not unique. According to the survey results, the elderly group accounts for only 14% of the total population, but accounts for as much as 30% of the number of people admitted and discharged from hospitals, which is enough to show that the elderly are indeed more likely to get sick. Why do people get sick when they get old?

1. The twilight of bodily functions: all kinds of diseases come when people get old?

As the saying goes, "time makes people old", some people rarely get sick and catch a cold when they are young, but after a certain age, their physical fitness will be reduced, and various chronic diseases will come one after another, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, etc.

According to statistics, there are currently more than 180 million elderly people in mainland China suffering from chronic diseases, including more than 15 million Alzheimer's patients aged 60 and above, the average age of onset of cerebrovascular disease is 66.4 years old, and the prevalence rate of osteoporosis is as high as 32.0% for people over 65 years old. It can be seen that many diseases are closely related to age.

So, why do people get more and more sick as they get older?

First of all, it may be related to the decline of physical function. Human organs also have a "lifespan", and with age, organs also gradually "age" - the ability of the kidneys to filter is reduced, the peristalsis of the digestive tract is weakened, and the contractility of the heart is reduced.

Secondly, it may also be related to autoimmunity. Immune system defense protection runs through a person's life, and the health of the elderly is closely related to the immune system.

With age, the organs deteriorate, and the immune function will be difficult to maintain a balanced state, and if it is affected by the surrounding environment or bad habits, it is easy to cause various diseases related to immune dysfunction.

In addition, poor diet and lifestyle habits are also important causes of geriatric diseases. Some studies have found that the incidence of cancer in middle-aged and elderly people over 40 years old continues to rise, which is not only related to the decline of immunity, but also related to the unhealthy lifestyle of some people such as smoking and drinking.

Second, after the age of 60, if the body has these problems, it is just old

As we get older, some uncomfortable symptoms will also appear as our body functions gradually move towards "downhill". However, some "diseases" are just manifestations of "oldness", and do not need to be over-treated, and there is no need to put too much pressure on yourself.

1. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is very common in the elderly group, and the symptom is mainly related to an unreasonable diet. If you want to prevent and alleviate osteoporosis, you can consume some calcium-rich foods every day, such as fish and shrimp, milk, seaweed, eggs, etc. At the same time, daily supplementation of vitamin D is conducive to promoting calcium absorption.

2. Indigestion

Older people often have symptoms of dyspepsia, which manifest as decreased appetite, pain in the upper abdomen, burning sensation, and sometimes nausea, belching, etc.

This is related to the deterioration of masticatory function and insufficient secretion of digestive glands in the elderly. If you have indigestion, you can first try to adjust your lifestyle: eat small, frequent meals, eat regularly, and avoid fatty and cold hard foods, high-fat and high-salt foods. Prokinetics and digestive enzymes can also be taken under the guidance of a doctor if necessary.

3. Presbycusis

Presbycusis is mainly related to the decline of the auditory system and is a normal physiological phenomenon. Most patients have bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, which progressively worsens. There is no definitive treatment for this condition.

4. Carotid plaque

Many elderly people find that their physical examination report has carotid plaque suggestive, and they are worried that it will cause a stroke. In fact, carotid atherosclerosis is not uncommon, and it is related to metabolic disorders and weakened blood vessel function caused by increasing age.

If the carotid plaque is stable and there are no symptoms of ischemic stroke, a healthy lifestyle is usually sufficient. If you have diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, etc., you need to adjust your diet and use medications to control it.

3. Supplement these 4 nutrients to stay away from diseases

As we get older, we have to face a gradual decline in our physical functions. If you want to stay away from diseases, you can actually prevent them in advance by supplementing these nutrients in time.

1. Calcium

Bone health is closely related to calcium, and the elderly need to supplement enough calcium if they want to prevent osteoporosis. In addition to eating foods high in calcium, we should also pay attention to controlling salt intake, and try to drink less carbonated drinks, coffee, strong tea and other foods that promote calcium loss.

2. Vitamins

There are many types of vitamins, and when the body is deficient in a certain vitamin, it is easy to get some diseases. For example, a lack of vitamin C can easily lead to a decrease in immunity, and a lack of vitamin D can lead to a calcium deficiency. Therefore, if you want to stay healthy, you need to eat enough vitamin-rich foods.

3. Protein

Human life activities are inseparable from the participation of protein, high-quality protein promotes the synthesis of human cells, once the lack of protein, it will cause a decrease in immunity, as well as hair loss, nail loss, body edema, etc., so it is very important to supplement protein. High-quality protein can be supplemented daily through some meat, eggs, dairy products, etc.

4. Omega-3 fatty acids

Studies have confirmed that Omega-3 fatty acids are very beneficial to health, which can help prevent cognitive impairment in the elderly, delay aging, enhance memory, and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids are mainly derived from oils and fats, such as salmon and tuna, which are fatty fish in the deep sea, and vegetable oils, such as olive oil, camellia oil, flaxseed oil, etc.

The elderly should learn to accept the changes in their bodies, actively prevent diseases, and pay attention to supplementing body nutrition, so that they can spend their old life more steadily and improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Resources:

[1] "When people get old, all kinds of diseases come? Reminder: 3 kinds of nutrition to keep up". Family Doctor Online. 2023-11-27

[2] "Doctor's Reminder: These 6 Diseases Are "Geriatric Diseases" and Do Not Need to Be Overtreated! Dr. Zeng Health Science Popularization. 2022-12-11

[3] "Do all kinds of diseases come when people get old?To be honest, 3 kinds of nutrients should keep up and help strengthen physical fitness". 2022-03-01

Reproduction without the author's permission is prohibited