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There are a lot of concerns that people have as they deal with the byproducts of aging. One of the top concerns is how to remain independent even when disability and health issues develop. Fortunately, there is a lot that you can do to extend your independence.

Exercise Your Body
The first step that you can take to extend your independence is to focus on your fitness. To maintain your health and to prevent systemic diseases commonly associated with aging you need to exercise regularly. Research has shown that for older adults to optimize the benefits from their exercise routine they need to engage in vigorous exercise at least three times a week and at least 20 minutes per session. If you are not in top physical condition right now, then start out with low-impact exercises and work your way up to more challenging routines.

Exercise Your Mind
In addition to exercising your body, you also need to exercise your mind if you want to extend your independence. You have a lot of options when it comes to exercising your mind. Simple mind exercises like completing word jumbles, crossword puzzles and other newspaper games are great for keep your mind nimble. If you are interested in more challenging mind exercises consider learning a new language or taking a class at your local adult learning center, community college or university. Keeping your mind active will lower your risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Pay Attention to Your Diet
Your ability to remain independent relies heavily on your overall health. One of the best ways to keep your body in good health is to eat a well balanced diet that is high in dietary fiber, low in sugar, low in fat and low in salt. Eating whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and limiting the amount of processed foods will help you keep your body healthy and provide you with more years of independence.

Remain Social
The final step in extending your independence is to remain social. Remaining social will keep your mind and body active, and it will also help to keep you emotionally stable. You can remain social by volunteering, keeping a part-time job and by joining clubs and organizations.

Extending Your Independence
Independence is not something that is a given. In fact, if you don't take steps to preserve your independence now you will most likely need some sort of assistance later in your life. Fortunately, you can extend your independence by making small lifestyle changes like adding physical exercise to your routine, playing thinking games, eating healthier and remaining social.

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