Aging is inevitable. Keeping ourselves, our horses and our pets healthy as we age should be a priority. Thinking preventatively, and not reactively can save us time, money and pain. So what are the best ways to do so?
Regular check ups at the vet or doctor are paramount. Keeping on top of your health, as well as your dogs’ and horses’ health means maintaining a relationship with a professional. Annual, or semi-annual visits can maintain that relationship, and the doctor should be able to tell when something has changed in your or your pet’s health.
Keeping at a healthy weight is important. Extra stress on joints from excess weight can lead them to wear down faster. Excess weight can also have an impact on the heart, lead to high blood pressure and disease. In dogs, obesity can shorten their lifespan by nearly 2 years. Maintaining a healthy weight helps keep those issues at bay.
Keeping an active lifestyle can decrease the risk of stroke, heart disease and help you maintain that healthy weight. Daily exercise has also shown to be beneficial to cognitive and mental health. Getting 30 minutes of activity a day is recommended. Keeping active also helps maintain healthy joints. Inactivity can lead to bone loss, or weakened bones.
Another recommendation is to eat healthy. However, there is a lot of discourse surrounding this as to what “eating healthy” actually means. Listening to a registered dietician over a social media influencer’s promotion of the latest fad diet is the best way to go for yourself. For your pets and horses, ensuring that they are on an age and lifestyle appropriate feed formula is important. Ensuring your dogs aren’t eating table scraps, no matter how much they beg, is also important to their health. A lot of people food is not safe for our furry friends.
Supplements are another preventative measure that you can take for yourself, or give your pets or horses. From your heart to your joints, supplements can help keep your body healthy. Many are beneficial, but keep an eye out for those that can be detrimental, like St. John’s Wort which can minimize the effects of other medications like birth control. You should ask your doctor what supplements would benefit you. Of course, we recommend LubriSyn, which is bio-identical to HA found naturally in the body and won’t interact with any other medications.
Taking preventative measures to ensure your body stays healthy as you age is easier than you might think. Taking a few extra steps daily can help ensure a long and healthy life for you, your pets and your horses.
