With each passing year, the aging population feels the strain that growing older brings. While some members of the elderly population will age gracefully, others will be riddled with pain, illness and a laundry list of medications. For those who do not want to spend their golden years hobbling around on mobility aids and popping pills, the time to take control of one's health is now. Here are some useful tips to help make this goal attainable.

Exercise and Human Growth Hormone

One of the body's best methods for staving off the ill effects of aging is its ability to produce HGH (human growth hormone). While HGH injections can be detrimental to one's health and well-being, it is far cheaper and safer to simply provoke the body to produce its own HGH through regular exercise . When a person achieves the intense muscle burn of a healthy workout, their body is fast at work creating the HGH factor that aids in maintaining youthful skin and strong muscles.

A Return to Saturated Fats

While low fat diets continue to cause more harm than good, many among the aging population are returning back to the use of saturated fats in their diet . As an energy source, saturated fats burn slower than sugar and hence produce steady energy throughout the day while reducing huge sugar spikes. In addition, saturated fats are important in hormone production, aiding in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and improving the general functionality of the immune system.

Nose Breathing

While many of the aging population breathes through their mouth, the science overwhelmingly demonstrates that nose breathing is far healthier for those desiring a longer, healthier life. According to breathing.com, the resistance imposed by nose breathing is around 50-percent greater than with mouth breathing. The comparative increase in pressure results in a 10 to 20-percent increase in oxygen absorption. Breathing through one's nose, rather than through the mouth, also helps the body to maintain a proper blood pH, lowers the risk of high blood pressure and decreases the risk of heart attacks.

Urinary Incontinence and ED

The aging population is at a greater risk of urinary incontinence and ED than any other segment of the population. This is a familiar situation that clinics like those at Advanced Urology Associates comes across frequently in their daily practice. According to erectiledysfunction.com, weakening of the pelvic floor muscles is a common cause of both urinary incontinence and ED, and it will typically become worse with age. Fortunately, since the 1940's, Kegel exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles has been a safe and natural solution to this common problem. By learning to tighten and hold the pelvic floor muscles with regular Kegel exercises, men and women can choose to take active measures to avoid the urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction faced by the aging population.

Drinking More Water

While many elderly people engage in the risky practice of taking a daily aspirin to thin their blood, there has long been a far more natural approach to lowering blood viscosity that is far safer. It turns out that the simple act of drinking more water each day helps to thin the blood without the risks of internal bleeding that results from the use of medications classified as NSAIDS. Water not only helps with managing blood viscosity and overall blood pressure, it also aids the body in proper hydration as well which is important to the health and vitality of the elderly population.

As doctors continue to prescribe an endless course of medications to their elderly patients, some forward thinking patients learn how to avoid this regiment for a more natural and normal aging process. With health in hand, these individuals continue to enjoy life well into old age. What makes the difference is that these patients began to take control of their health sooner than later. Their success with maintaining a healthy lifestyle stands as a testament to what true healthcare is all about.

Author's Bio: 

Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer from Sacramento, California. A mother of two, Hannah enjoys writing on blogs of all niches.