Introduction
The human body changes naturally as a person grows old. People must understand the lifestyle choices that are related to the changes and the best preventive measures to overcome the natural changes. Middle adulthood is defined as being between the ages of forty to sixty-five, during which physical changes due to aging are evident (McCormick & Vasilaki, 2018). The most notable changes at this age are skin losing elasticity and the skeleton becoming more brittle. Understanding the changes and taking the necessary preventive measures may help middle adults lead a quality life despite the vulnerabilities at their disposal.
Skin Changes
As a person enters middle adulthood, the skin loses fat, becomes thin, and does not heal quickly whenever it is bruised. The skin encloses nerve receptors that enable a person to feel pain, touch, and pressure. The aging effect in middle adult age causes the sebaceous glands to stop the production of oil, which makes the skin dry. Further, the dermis produces less sweat, and in the end, the skin cannot cool, which facilitates the aging impact. Consequently, the skin becomes less sensitive to touch, pain, and feelings, exposing the person to more dangers as it cannot feel environmental changes (Shin et al., 2019). The skin of young people can heal itself after being bruised because the healing cells are produced less, and healing is reduced by four times. As people grow old, they are prone to other diseases such as diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, and obesity, all affecting their skin.
Skeleton Changes
The middle-adulthood stage is characterized by skeletal changes as the spine shorten. Consequently, the person’s height reduces, and the joints break down since the fluid designated to maintain the joints is broken down. Further, the cartilage breakdown between the bones causes osteoarthritis, which is painful and leads to pain, inflammation, and loosening of the muscle tissues. The bones lose minerals and calcium. Bone wastage in middle adulthood is caused by less activity (McCormick & Vasilaki, 2018). The bones become too stiff and may break easily when one jumps from short distances. A person in middle adulthood cannot walk as quickly as their younger counterparts since the skeleton has weakened due to aging. In women, bone wastage and weakening are caused by the hormones at menopause, leading to the removal of bone tissues.
Age-Appropriate Preventive Measures
Although changes resulting from aging are requisite, preventive measures can be implemented to delay the changes and improve a person’s quality of life. The skin can be prevented when a person avoids direct sunlight and ensure regular physical exercises. Since other cardiovascular conditions and obesity are other causes of skin aging, taking a balanced diet is also essential to maintain skin health. One must also moisturize regularly, quit smoking, and avoid skin irritants.
Continuous physical exercise and taking a balanced diet are vital to ensuring that bones remain strong and prevent the changes that occur with aging. The best preventive measure is to ensure that all the minerals and calcium that strengthen the bones are relinquished through dietary supplements. While men need to take food rich in calcium, women must take vitamin D to eradicate the changes caused by menopausal hormones (Hargrove, 2018). People must quit smoking and avoid alcohol consumption.
Conclusion
Aging is a definite stage that people phase through as they move from one stage of life to another. Numerous changes occur as a person approaches middle adulthood. Skin and bone changes are the most common and are caused by sebaceous glands and wasting. Preventive measures must be implemented to delay the changes and ensure a person lives a high quality of life. Education on preventive measures is critical to ensure that people live quality life.
References
Hargrove, T. W. (2018). BMI trajectories in adulthood: The intersection of skin color, gender, and age among African Americans. Journal of health and Social Behavior, 59(4). Web.
McCormick, R., & Vasilaki, A. (2018). Age-related changes in skeletal muscle: Changes to lifestyle as a therapy. Biogerontology, 19(6), Web.
Shin, J. W., Kwon, S. H., Choi, J. Y., Na, J. I., Huh, C. H., Choi, H. R., & Park, K. C. (2019). Molecular mechanisms of dermal aging and antiaging approaches. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(9), 2126. Web.