Living healthy now can keep your sight, hearing and other senses younger longer.  Too often, we take our senses for granted, until we’ve realized they’re slipping away from us as we age. According to Molly Lyons with Prevention.com, if we take the time to baby our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hands now, we could keep our senses young and vibrant for years to come.

She offers the following guide to our senses and what we can do to keep them in tiptop shape:

Vision

At about age 45, you’ll begin to experience dry eyes, when a drop in estrogen and androgen often leads to fewer tears and eyelid inflammation. The result will be light sensitivity, blurry vision, and burning eyes, says Robert Latkany, MD, director of the Dry Eye Clinic in New York City. Prevent it by enriching your diet with omega-3s (at least one serving of fish or walnuts daily). Or talk to your doctor about supplements, Lyons says. You can reverse it by either upping your omega-3s for a month, or trying prescription drops like Restasis, which stimulate tear production.

Cataracts is a condition which clouds the lens, hindering vision, and can arise as early as your 40s; by 80, more than 50% of Americans will have developed them, Lyons says.  Prevent it by regularly taking vitamin C. Lyons says a Tufts University study found that 10 years of taking vitamin C supplements on a regular basis cuts your risk by 60%.  Shun smoking and prolonged sun exposure--both prompt free-radical formations, which greatly increase your chances of a cataract, she says.  Reverse it by having surgery to remove and replace the clouded lens.

Smell and Taste

After 65, about half the population will notice a weaker sense of smell, because as you age, you lose cell receptors that detect odor, Lyons says.  Prevent it by minimizing contact with smoke and household chemicals like insecticides, since they can damage nasal membranes. Also, “There’s evidence that the more you seek out scents, the better you maintain your sense of smell,” says Richard L. Doty, PhD, director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania.  Also, Prevention.com says there is evidence that the more you seek out scents, the better you maintain your sense of smell. Lyons says it’ll increase nerve stimulation, making your sense stronger. When you hit 50, start smelling items that have a distinctive scent, such as peppermint and cinnamon, first thing in the morning, she says. Reverse it by doing sniffing exercise twice daily. Lyons recommends having your doctor check for nasal inflammation or growths that may be blocking aromas, but can be treated.


Around age 65, your tongue taste sensors will start to be noticeably less effective, with sour and bitter often the first flavors to fade, Lyons says.  Prevent it by practicing good oral hygiene, which will help keep your tongue in top condition, and will also protect your taste buds from damaging infections.  There’s little you can do to reclaim age-related taste loss, but you can make up for it by adding more or stronger spices and flavorings to your food, limiting sugar and salt.

An estimated 400-plus drugs, including common heart disease medications such as beta-blockers, can cause dry mouth, promoting tooth decay and affecting how things taste, Lyons says. Prevent it by limiting your intake of dehydrating caffeine and alcohol, and run a humidifier while you sleep to moisten the air you breathe.  Reverse it by talking to your doctor about possibly reducing your dosage or switching prescriptions. If you can’t make the change, you may be able to take drugs that can help stimulate saliva. Chewing gum or adding lemon juice to water can also help, Lyons says.

Hearing

Prevention.com says you may begin to notice gradual hearing loss, or presbycusis, in your 40s. Past exposure to loud noises or changes in your blood supply because of heart disease or side effects of diabetes may have damaged the sound-detecting cells in the inner ear, which can lead to higher-pitched voices being harder to hear. Distinguishing speech against background noise becomes difficult as well, Lyons says. Prevent it by not smoking, which can damage blood vessels in the ear. Lyons also suggests wearing earmuffs or earplugs when participating in any activities where you’re exposed to sound over 85 decibels for an extended period of time (normal speech is 65). Reverse it by talking to your doctor about being fit for a hearing aid.

Touch

Starting in your 50s, it’s likely you’ll lose slight sensitivity as your skin becomes less elastic, Lyons says. She also says there is evidence that the number of touch receptors in our skin decreases with age.  Prevent it by exercising regularly, maintaining a low-fat diet, and not smoking. This will help keep the nerve fibers in your skin well oxygenated and responsive, she says. She adds that loading up on niacin- and B12-rich foods, such as dairy, poultry, and fish, will also help you hold onto sensation. Reverse it by taking aspirin, which can dilate blood vessels and improve circulation. This will increase stimulation of the dermis (innermost layer of skin). Just know that once nerve cells die, they can’t be regenerated, but you could check with your doctor to see if any medications you’re taking could be causing loss of sensation.