Like it or not, the best time Pasadena residents should begin to learn the habits of good nutrition is when they’re young and don’t have to worry as much about what to eat, not when they’re older, requiring 24-hour care and a sometimes limited diet.

According to the staff at Accredited Home Care, some people try to learn these habits much later in life, when it’s sometimes more difficult for them to “stick.” (The ‘old dog learning new tricks’ philosophy.)

But even more significant is that it may be difficult to undo a lifetime of poor nutrition, poor exercise, bad habits and overall poor health by waiting until the 60s or 70s before trying to turn over new nutritional leaves – if they even live that long.

It certainly can be done, and isn’t going to hurt to decide to take steps to eliminate bad habits anytime, such as quitting smoking or reducing one’s intake of unhealthy ingredients. But positive health habits can be more effective if they are something someone works on throughout their entire life – especially if someone wants to reach an older age without falling victim to obesity, heart disease, diabetes or similar serious health conditions that are often connected to poor diet or poor lifestyle.

For instance, eating well and exercising regularly in one’s 20s and 30s may pay off in big ways as someone ages. True, it’s a time when many people’s metabolisms are high so they can afford to eat poorly since they can burn it off fast.

This way, when their metabolism slows as they age, they will be able to adjust their diet and adjust their exercise routine for maximum results, rather than starting from scratch not knowing what to eat or how much to exercise.

Think Nationally, Locally

This year and this month are perfect opportunities to start thinking about one’s health future.

National Public Health Week takes place April 2-8 this year. It’s an annual celebration and initiative organized by the American Public Health Association.

The event’s ultimate goal is to “create the healthiest nation in one generation” and encourages people all over the country to focus on preventative measures to improve their own health, collaborate with public health departments and businesses at local, state and national levels, and advocate for healthy and fair health and wellness policies.

The general National Public Health Week site includes all sorts of suggestions for easy ways people can take action and get involved at a local or national level, including:

• Taking part in an official Twitter chat during National Public Health Week
• Sponsoring various health-focused activities as a business or individual
• Pledging to be part of the “1 Billion Steps Challenge,” a national project where everyone combines all their walking in 2018 to collectively reach 1 billion steps by Health Week.
• Joining ‘Generation Health,’ an organization of all ages that want to focus on improving income, education, race and access to health care, which are all factors that can influence someone’s lifespan and overall lifetime health conditions.
• Finally, National Public Health Week can be an occasion to recognize the role of public health and public health professionals, and encourage people to learn more about resources in their communities that can help their overall health and wellness efforts throughout their lives and create positive results by 2030. They also can be empowered to put on events themselves or find other like-minded people to help get the word out.

Senior Needs

Though the focus of National Public Health Week does seem to have a strong focus on the future and being part of public events, there are still plenty of things people of all ages can do to improve their own health, even if it’s in a private setting or you consider yourself out of shape.

Regular stretching is one thing that anyone can do.

It can be fairly low-impact and may require just a few minutes of effort each day. But the benefits can be significant, starting with improving flexibility and balance. This can reduce stress on joints and ease pain in muscles, along with improving circulation.

Better balance and flexibility can also reduce the risk of falls or other injuries as well. It can also make it easier to perform even basic tasks like walking, bending, cleaning or driving.

Basic stretching can be an excellent starting point. As you do more of it, you’ll find it becomes easier to reach a little higher, bend a little lower or hold a pose a little longer. You’ll also find yourself feeling more relaxed as some aches ease slightly.

Home Healthcare Can Help

Along with other benefits, home health care can encourage clients in the Pasadena area to perform tasks like basic stretching on a regular basis. They also may offer other supervised services to help boost people’s physical health, including physical therapy or massage.

Because every client is different, each person will have different amounts of flexibility or endurance. But the home health care representative will work to find the optimal amount of exercise to help their lives, and may also offer some dietary advice for clients, but even some general suggestions for any family members looking to build smart health habits for the future.

For more information on home health care options, visit at Accredited Home Care.