Top Ten Problems for Seniors

Research shows that there are 10 health problems that affect most seniors, subject to local variations. Applying my experience I'll briefly discuss one of them each week, so today let's start with high blood pressure. (hypertension)

If untreated it can lead to heart attack and strokes. A healthy diet and increased exercise are important for everyone with raised blood blood pressure. By starting to exercise on a daily basis you can help to prevent high blood pressure.

I exercise everyday and still have high blood pressure. Why? Because I have a family history of this condition, so my doctor recommended that I take a low dosage drug that keeps my blood pressure in the safe zone. If I didn't exercise on a daily basis I would not doubt have to take a more potent drug which in many cases has undesirable side affects. Another important culprit creating high blood pressure is salt. Salt is not bad for you but it's use should be kept at a minimum. An increase in fruits and vegetables, in my experience, is also very helpful.

Keep it Simple, Consistent and Fun

Fall apart past 70 ???

I recently listened to the topic of healthcare be discussed by a journalist that reports on healthcare and a US senator who is in his mid fifties. The focus was on those 70+ and the grave danger they're in!! The senator, who is 55 said and I quote, "people over 70 begin to fall apart."

First of all how would he know that, he's only 55. Why not ask someone who is that age, they're the experts. As a 74 year old I can tell you the difference between being 55 and 74 because I've been there. I can also talk about how paying closer attention to my health when I entered my fifties made a huge difference in my health today.

I began eating a little less, cutting out fatty foods, reducing my alcohol intake, getting more sleep and increasing the amount of exercise I did each week. Because of that, "I'm not falling apart," nor should any one else in there 70's if the take care of themselves. Just get started.

Keep it Simple, Consistent and Fun

"Take Charge of Your Health...........

"Take charge of your health! If you don't, who will?"

This statement was made by C. Everett Koop, Surgeon General in the 1960's. It was valid then and it's certainly valid today. A healthy lifestyle is the best way to live a long life with vigor and avoidance of chronic diseases. Also remember that two very simple things added to your daily routine can insure that healthy lifestyle: Eat less, exercise more.

It is universally agreed that thirty five percent of our longevity is determined by the genes we inherited over which we have no control. But longevity is an empty victory if those additional years are characterized by chronic illness, frailty, and a lowered quality of life.

Lets start with Eat Less: Calorie restriction and following a diet of high quality protein with limited saturated fats can limit and even reverse unhealthy aging. Exercise more: Make exercise a regular part of your daily lifestyle.

Keep it Simple, consistent and fun!!

FORGETFULNESS!!

As we grow older, and we all do, forgetfulness becomes a problem. How many times have we walked into a room with a definite objective in mind and then completely forget what that objective was.

The good news is that's a problem for all of us and doesn't mean we are headed for Dementia. Many recent neurological studies have now confirmed that Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Dementia were found less likely to develop in seniors if they maintained an exercise regime of at least 15-30 minutes a day for at least three days a week.

Now that's not much exercise in my opinion, but if these studies are accurate, how about 1 hour a day 6 days a week it, certainly can't hurt. We are seniors and we must find time to exercise because the most important duty to ourselves is our health.

More Exercise and Less Food

The National Institute on Health, an agency of our government, every year publishes information about health and how best to stay healthy with lots of tips, charts, and some very good advice.

The bottom line of this yearly report is the following: More exercise and and less food. Simple isn't it!! It should be but unfortunately the insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, food industry all feel a bit threatened by the simplicity and that means one thing to them: Less profits.

The health of the American people should not be determined by the profits of a few industries.

We are the best judge of our health and we know if we are eating to much and sitting on the couch to long. It's up to all of us to do something about it.

Prevention

"It's much easier to stop something from happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it happens, it's called prevention, the act of stopping something from happening."

As someone who will be 75 this year I can attest to fact that working out for the last 45 years has allowed me the minimum physical loss as I have aged. I can still do the same things I did when I was 30 just slower more carefully and with less weight. I'm just happy to still be able to travel easily, play tennis, jog, work out with weights, swim and sleep well.

My next blog will discuss the experiences I've had for the best ways to stay healthy as long as possible at the least amount of financial and physical cost to you.

With running, "the heart becomes a distinctly more efficient instrument, capable of doing more while working less hard." That's my experience.

As a serious runner years ago but now running and jogging only for endurance my standing pulse rate averages 51. The average pulse rate for a person at my age is 84, that's what aerobic exercising accomplishes. My heart is working at 40% less beats per minute that my sedentary contemporaries.

Many doctors see jogging and running as a powerful guard against heart disease and for even those who have survived heart attacks.

Compared with sedentary people, habitual walkers, joggers and runners have an increased life expectancy of 2 to 7 years: and only half the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

These are things for all those approaching 55 to really think about and not put it off.

Remember: simple, consistent and fun.

Enough time to exercise

A friend said to me the other day that there is never enough time in the day to spare for exercising.

The way I see it if there is enough time to brush your teeth, have a cup of coffee and glance at the paper each morning then there is enough time to exercise. Let me give you the following example: There are a total of 168 hours in the week broken up in the following manner,

56 hours a week for sleeping (8 hrs x 7 days)

55 hours a week for working and commuting (11 hrs x 5 days)

21 hours a week for eating ( 3 hrs x 7 days)

21 hrs a week for recreation TV, movies etc. ( 3 hrs x 7 days)

7 hrs a week for exercise ( 1 hr x 7 days)

8 extra hrs of free time. ( over an hr a day free time)

There is your 168 hrs for the week!! It does allow for exercise time, a very important part of your health regimen.