A Health Plan For Your Future Years
Back in 11/25/98 I wrote an article on “Living The Good Life”. You can read this article in my Doctor’s Journal. Basically, it speaks of how important it is to keep active so that you will remain vigorous and active throughout the senior years. Now, as we grow older and wiser, we know that we should all have a plan to live a healthier, pain-free lifestyle. Creating the master plan for health and longevity is the responsibility of each individual to create and institute such a plan.
Consideration of a risk factor found in your family should be the first consideration in creating a proper plan for each individual. Families with histories of such diseases as high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia), cancer (different types), emphysema, athersclerosis, arthritis, and any other systemic disease that may become a risk factor. Therefore, part one of the plans should be targeted to the prevention of diseases linked to these risk factors. In order to do this, consideration of the risk factor will determine how you will proceed. The following are some examples of what the plan will entail.
1. Hypertension: Loss weight if you are overweight and reduce the sodium in your diet. Eat a proper diet that includes, fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry. Reduce the consumption of red meats and fried foods. Reduce the size of the portions of food you eat. Reduce the number of calories you eat on a daily basis. Start an exercise program and stick to it.
2. Cancer: Early detection is key. Self examination for women monthly can detect a lump in the breast at its earliest stages, and can be biopsied. If found to be cancerous, treatment can be started, thereby increasing survival rate. This will apply to men for testicular cancer. In addition, both men and women should have a colonoscopy after age 50 and then again approximately every 5 years. Women should also have a gynecological exam every few years, and more often if found to be necessary. Men should be examined every few years by an urologist for prostate problems, and more often if found to be necessary.
3. Athersclerosis: Attention to diet is mandatory in the prevention of fat buildup in the a teries. Weight loss where necessary is also mandatory. Eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, fish, and poultry should be the mainstay of the diet. Red meat should be eaten at a minimum. Fried foods and foods high in saturated fats, as well as trans fats should be entirely eliminated. In addition, you need to reduce the size of food portions. This will keep your calories at normal levels, and will help maintain a normal weight.
4. Arthritis: Here too: loss of weight, diet and very definitely exercise, can help in pain reduction, and will help maintain flexibility and balance. Following this regime will help you to stay active, prevent falls, and keep you independent.
5. Diabetes: Diabetes is a disease that can go undetected early on as symptoms will be so unobtrusive. Early symptoms are frequent urination and thirst so the individual will have a tendency to ignore them. This allows the disease the disease to progress and cause damage to organs that is at times impossible to reverse. This damage will affect the eyes, kidney function and to the nervous-system, causing a diabetic neuropathy, and also affecting the circulation, especially of the lower extremities. Therefore, it is imperative that everyone is tested early on.
6. Emphysema: This is a breathing problem that is so important to mention because it will not only be found in some as a family trait, but is mainly due to the prevalence of smoking. This is a warning for those who smoke, that it is imperative that they stop smoking. Smoking destroys the cilia in the bronchi (breathing tubes). The cilia are tiny hairs that move the mucous out these tubes into throat where it can be swallowed. When the mucous is not cleared an inflammatory condition starts. This inflammation will prevent air from being exhaled in the normal manner.
7. Normal Aging: The progression of normal aging can be slowed and held to a minimum by following the above suggestions. This includes the diet, weight loss, and exercise program that you are serious about and will be able to stick with as a dedicated part of your way of living. As part of an exercise program, one for mental calisthenics should also be included. Keeping the mind sharp and alert can be a challenge as time goes on.
After reviewing all of the above, there are other considerations that must be included in this master plan so that your future years will remain pain-free, vigorous and vital. This means that how your home is maintained in keeping a healthy environment will be of the utmost importance. The plan will also involve your conduct on the outdoor activities you engage in, such as gardening, sports, driving, etc. Covering all these subjects will require a great deal of space. These subjects are covered in many of my articles in the Doctor’s Journal, so I would suggest reading these articles, some of which are:
- Tips For Your Health And WelFare 1/5/99
- How To Know You’re Growing Older 9/7/99
- The Aging Process 10/25/99
- Knowing Your Vitamins And Minerals 1/10/00
- Colds And Flu Prevention 1/31/04
- What Should I Eat Today 6/19/04
- Mold 8/16/05
- The Sick Home—Finding The Cure 12/18/05
- Road Map For Longevity 2/25/06