Azheimer's disease. Frailty. Loss of hearing, or vision. They are among the things we worry about most when it comes to aging, and they are conditions that mean the difference between being a vital older person and one who is struggling at every turn.
U.S. News and World Report has a wonderful, detailed presentation of the 12 risks of aging that we all face, and things you can do now to help avoid them. Diet and exercise are key, of course, but there are other actions we can take as well.
Here are the 12 conditions that the article discusses:
Peripheral Artery Disease
Brain Decline
Sexual Issues
Osteoporosis
Urinary Incontinence
Muscle Loss and Frailty
Osteoarthritis
Hearing Loss
Colon Cancer
A Loss of Vision
Wrinkles
Varicose Veins
For each one, the magazine links to a page that explains what goes on in the body and tells how to mitigate it. Sort of an order-off-the-menu selection of things we'd all like to avoid! Here's a link to the entire piece:
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/baby-boomer-health/2009/01/28/12-health-risks-of-aging-that-baby-boomers-can-avoid.html