By Nathan Madison
If you’re a Boomer, this may be the best time of your life. The kids are grown, or close to it. Your life is somewhat settled, and before long you could be enjoying grandchildren. That’s one of many reasons why you should make every effort to protect your long-term health. Here are some tips from the experts to help you do just that:
1. Don’t underestimate the value of fruits and vegetables. A study reported in the Wall Street Journal says eating at least five servings of vegetables per day greatly increases your health benefits. Men and women with a high intake of fruit and vegetables have lower blood pressure and the lowest risk of heart disease, according to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. One of the Harvard doctors adds that if eating five servings per day seems like too much, start with two and work up from there. The goal is five, but eating more than five adds even greater health benefits. Plus, eating leafy greens keeps your brain sharp and helps to ward off age-related diseases.
2. In order to cover whatever your diet lacks during the day, take a multi-vitamin high in Vitamin D for bone strength, and B-12 to ward off anemia and neurological problems.
3. Add strength training to your daily workout to improve core muscle groups. You may still be young, but age eventually causes us to be at risk for osteoporosis and hip fractures.
4. Walking adds aerobic activity, which is good for the heart and the mind. Even a little extra walking helps. Here’s a suggested walking schedule from the Mayo Clinic to help you get started. You’ll be surprised how doable it is.
Get Started Walking Schedule
5. Check yourself for signs of skin cancer, which increases in middle age. Skin cancers respond well to early treatment, so watch for changes in your skin, and reduce your risk by avoiding excessive exposure to the sun.
6. Be kind to your teeth. Floss daily. Most adults over 65 still have all their own teeth, but that will be determined by how you treat your teeth today. Periodontal disease has been proven to be connected to strokes and heart disease. Often the dentist is the first one to detect the onset of various health problems, so don’t neglect dental visits.
7. How are you sleeping? Sleep apnea is linked to heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, and becomes more common in your late 40s and early 50s. Symptoms include loud snoring, morning headache, excessive daytime sleepiness, and waking with a dry mouth or sore throat. If sleep apnea is a problem the Mayo Clinic suggests these self-treatments: lose excess weight, avoid alcohol and medications such as tranquilizers, sleep on your side or stomach rather than your back. Use an antihistamine or nasal decongestant to keep your nasal passages open.
If you think you may have sleep apnea, visit this Web site to read more:
Sleep Apnea
Sleep disorders do much more than just make you tired. They can cause heart disease and hypertension, or magnify arthritic pain, so you need to correct this problem before it does you harm.
The Mayo Clinic provides a free newsletter with regular heart issue updates. Go to this Web site to sign up:
Mayo Clinic Newsletter
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