There are many measures a person can take as they enter their mid-life years to stay healthy, strong and happy. Exercise and good diet are key components of staying healthy, but there are other positive actions that can be taken to stay the healthiest you can for many years.
It is important to be as pro-active as possible when it comes to prevention and early detection of illness. One simple preventative measure which is crucial for seniors is to be immunized each year against the flu. This simple act of getting a flu shot can prevent needless suffering, which in older people can even be life threatening.
Early detection of many diseases can also prolong life considerably, and improve its quality. For instance, breast cancer screening can catch this devastating illness early, making treatment much simpler and a cure more likely. The same is true for cervical and colo-rectal cancers. So keep up to date with these life-saving screening tests; they can save your life.
Other early warning signs of illness such as diabetes and high blood pressure are easy to monitor. Regular blood pressure checks and blood sugar levels are all it takes, and if high blood pressure or early signs of diabetes are rearing their heads, your doctor can help you get these indicators of illness under control.
The country’s most common disability is arthritis. About 46 million adults in the US have arthritis of some kind, and half of these are under 65 years old. Happily, there are steps one can take to prevent this illness from reaching its most painful severity. Having information about this disease, being careful to avoid injuries to joints, and staying physically active, can all help to ease the bad effects of arthritis.
“Once you have arthritis, staying physically active can help reduce the pain you get and the symptoms; that’s counter-intuitive, but well-documented that it does help,” says one expert.
Take heed of the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” take care of your body and you will find your body will take care of you.