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Living a healthy lifestyle which includes eating a proper diet and exercising is essential for everyone but is even more important as one gets older. As one gets older the chances of developing a chronic illness increases. There are many elderly people who suffer or die from a variety of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancers, and kidney diseases. One of my uncle over the age of 65 years old who lives in Jamaica had a stroke about two weeks ago which left him paralyzed on one side. The stroke was caused from his blood pressure being really high. Practicing healthy habits could have possibly prevented him from having this stroke. Chronic illnesses can be reduced greatly or prevented by making better health choices.

Eating a variety of healthy foods which includes fruits and vegetables, drinking alot of water, limiting the amount of fats, sugars and salt intake and exercising daily for at least 30 minutes daily is necessary in preventing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes which are linked to the causes of some of the chronic illnesses that exist in the elderly. Since my uncles stroke two weeks ago, I have been really taking notice of what my parents eat and their physical activities. My dad is over 65 and my mom is almost in her 60's. I would like to have my parents around for as long as possible. My mom and I have decided to start working out together 2-3 days a week. My dad is thinking about joining a gym. An healthy lifestyle is not just for the young but also for the old and can greatly reduce the amount of chronic illnesses that exist in the elderly.