50YOUR S

DENTAL HEALTH. Receding gums can make teeth more vulnerable to decay. Dry mouth can often result from medications you’re taking for conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.

SEXUAL HEALTH. Vaginal dryness and atrophy can make sex uncomfortable for women after menopause, while men may face impotence issues. Medication you’re taking for other health issues may negatively impact libido and sexual performance.

SLOWER METABOLISM. What started slowing in your 40s, continues this decade. Like it or not, you have to eat less to maintain the same weight.

Fight Back

› Reduce stress!

› Don’t smoke—it hardens your arteries and raises blood pressure and heart rate.

› Make exercise a regular part of your routine; it lowers blood pressure and can reduce the amount of arterial sti ening. Shoot for 30 minutes per day.

› Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night—this is when your body repairs itself.

› Get enough calcium: 1000mg for men ages 51 to 70 and 1,200mg for women ages 51 and older and men 71 and older. Take a supplement if your diet doesn’t contain adequate amounts.

› Get enough vitamin D: 600 IU daily for adults age 19 to 70; 800 IU daily for those 71 and older.

› Ask your doctor if medication for osteoporosis is right for you.

› Drink plenty of water and eat a high-fiber diet.

Screenings and Tests

Follow up on the screenings and tests from previous decades, plus: COLONOSCOPY: At least every 10 years, starting at age 50

› Don’t “hold it.” When you have to go, go!

› Avoid acidic foods and beverages that can irritate the bladder, such as ca eine, alcohol, soda and carbonated drinks.

› Continue skin care routine with extra attention to moisturizing, sun protection and products that address texture and tone.

› Brush at least twice daily, and floss daily. Schedule annual dental exams, and visit your hygienist for cleanings twice a year or more frequently if your dentist recommends.

› Talk to your health care provider about hormone replacement for vaginal and bladder health and medication for libido and/or erectile dysfunction.

› Eat a healthy diet, and, if necessary, consume fewer calories to lose/maintain weight.

IS IT JUST FORGETFULNESS?

MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: Misplacing things, forgetfulness, difficulty coming up with desired words, more memory problems than normal for their age

DEMENTIA: Loss of thinking, memory and reasoning skills to the point that it affects daily functioning

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: Serious form of dementia in which nerve cells in the brain die; symptoms eventually worsen to the point that the person loses ability to perform regular activities and requires total care

VASCULAR DEMENTIA: Form of dementia caused by strokes or changes in brain’s blood supply, which causes brain tissue to die; can affect memory, language, reasoning, coordination, mood and personality

Source: National Institute on Aging, nia.nih.gov