Staying Healthy as We Age

By Peter Betz, MD

Many of us like to think that 50 is the new 30, but the reality is that 50 is when we begin to enter the older stage of our lives.

Genetics and lifestyle may cause some people to age faster than others, but most baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) and Gen Xers (born from 1965 to 1980) pride themselves on their youthfulness despite their numerical age. However, no matter how good you feel, most experts agree that when you turn 65 and qualify for Medicare, you are considered geriatric. It is important, therefore, to work with your healthcare provider to ensure that your cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar are all under control and to follow your provider’s recommendations for screening and preventative measures.

Although physiological changes that accompany aging may keep you from feeling like a youngster, there are many things you can do to promote a healthy lifestyle and help stave off illness and physical or mental disabilities. The key is to make a list of the things you know are good for you and then to actually do them.

This is not always easy. Change is difficult because it requires you to alter your lifestyle. So how do you make a change in your routine that includes healthy activities? One thing you should not do: punish yourself and then make yourself feel guilty in the process.

Be physically active

Everyone knows exercise is important to staying healthy. But if you try working out at the gym and discover that you don’t like it, don’t force yourself to go to the gym. Instead, find an activity that you enjoy. If you like to walk, take a walk around the block or go hiking; if you like to play tennis, find a partner and play a match; if you enjoy gardening, go plant some flowers. Swimming and running might be better for you than gardening or playing tennis, but if you don’t have a pool or you can’t run, do what you can. The key is not how you exercise, but that you do something that requires activity.

Stay intellectually active

Intellectual stimulation should be engaging and fun. Choose something that is new and different and requires focus and brain power. Learn a new skill and expand your horizons. Whatever the activity, it should be exciting to you. In other words, choose something that speaks to you. If you like puzzles, learn to play chess; if you like to garden, become a master gardener; if you like to be in the kitchen, take a cooking class. Not sure what to do? Do a little bit of everything, and something will pique your interest.

Manage your diet

If food and eating are important to you, pay attention to tasting your food. Be mindful and appreciate the distinctions of flavor and taste. The best food critics are not overweight because they love their food in a different way than most of us do. They savor every bite, every portion, every experience. They appreciate the nuances. Learn to recognize food that is good for you and tastes good. If something tastes really good to you, eat it. If you love a chocolate bar, enjoy every bite of it, but don’t eat 20 of them. If you take the time to savor your food, you will come to truly appreciate taste instead of quantity.

Sleep is important

Sleep is important, but artificially induced sleep may not be. Try to avoid sleep medicines — they can cause tremendous problems, including the risk of falling. Managing sleep is just as important as managing diet and exercise.

As you grow older, you cannot control every factor that affects your health, but many of them are in your hands. Healthy aging is about being proactive. By visiting your provider regularly and finding ways to take care of yourself mentally and physically, you will be able to achieve and maintain your best health possible.

Peter Betz, MD, is medical director of geriatric psychiatry at Centra Medical Group Piedmont Psychiatric Center. For information about Centra’s geriatric psychiatric services, call 434.200.4447 or visit CentraHealth.com.