A nurse performs a routine check-up for one patient’s preventive health care plan.
Your Health
Middle-Age Maintenance
Tune up with these tried-and-true tips.
BY
Lisa Waterman Gray
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photo courtesy of Carondelet Health

As we grow older, preventive medicine and lifestyle habits become increasingly important factors in creating and maintaining optimal health. If you’re a female between the age of 35 and 50, and you receive annual PAP smears and mammograms, you’re on the right track. If you’re a male nearing the age of 50, it’s time to add prostrate screening examinations to your regular healthcare regimen.

Most women receive basic screening physicals when they receive their PAP smears. Even men who present no symptoms of health problems should schedule annual physicals, according to Jennifer Teegarden, a physician with Kansas City Family Medical Care, in Kansas City, Mo.

“It’s important to have an annual physical to monitor your blood pressure, address weight concerns and make preventative lifestyle and dietary modifications to avoid future problems,” she explains.

High blood pressure, with no symptoms by itself, most often emerges within this age group. Physicals for middle-aged patients also should include tests for lipid/cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and body mass index — a measure of body fat based on individual height and weight.

 “BMI seems to be the tool to use to diagnose obesity,” says Paula Davis, a physician with Family Care at Arbor Walk, in Lee’s Summit, Mo. “Height and weight tables are rather passé now.” 

In addition to these tests, incorporate the following healthy habits into your life.

Keep Moving
  The potential for “middle-age spread,” the weight gain, particularly around the stomach, that plagues this age group, is a real concern for many people. Because the body’s metabolic rate naturally slows down as we age, this change alone can account for five or more pounds of weight gain.

Exercise is vital to maintaining good health. Davis suggests that patients exercise a minimum of 30 minutes, five times a week, although one hour of physical activity, seven days a week, is most desirable. Exercise sessions that occur several times each day for shorter durations, rather than during a single session, can provide equal benefits.

“The exercise you choose depends on your overall physical fitness, to some extent,” Teegarden says. “Find something you like and that holds your interest, whether it’s swimming or walking with a friend or jogging.”

Davis cautions that jogging and running, especially among women, can be very hard on knee and hip joints and on the feet.

“Yoga, swimming, bicycling and some martial arts like T’ai chi have gentler, flowing movements,” she notes.

Teegarden also recommends that patients complete their exercise several hours before bedtime so the endorphin rush that typically accompanies physical exertion won’t interrupt sleep.

Eat Well, Drink Water and Supplement
Davis and Teegarden tell their patients to eat a diet that features a wide variety of colors and to consume minimal or no refined carbohydrates. It’s important to       primarily choose lean meats and watch  your salt intake. Davis also says that people with the most successful weight loss and maintenance seem to eat small amounts, six times a day.

Women who weigh less than 127 pounds, have had non-traumatic fractures, or have a family history of osteoporosis have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis themselves. For good bone health, Davis recommends that pre-menopausal women have three servings of calcium daily and/or calcium/magnesium supplements, for a minimum of 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day.

“I always talk to people about how much calcium they get in their diet,” Teegarden says. “I also think a daily multivitamin is a good idea, but you should talk to your own doctor about using any other supplements.”

Thirst is not always a good indicator of your need for hydration. In fact, as we grow older, our body’s signals regarding thirst actually diminish. Teegarden believes that all adults should drink 64 ounces of pure water every day in addition to any water that comes from other beverages and food.

“And you need more if you’re physically active,” she adds.

Protect Your Skin
If you don’t already wear sunscreen daily and year-round, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 — particularly on your face — it’s time to start. Any amount of UV rays can damage the skin. And don’t be fooled into thinking sun rays that reach your skin through a car window are of little consequence. Faces, arms, and hands are the most frequent areas where skin cancer develops.

Stimulate your Brain and Spirit
Maintaining good brain function is critical as we progress through our middle years. We can “feed” our brains by learning new things and staying mentally active. Completing crossword puzzles, playing bridge or getting involved in a creative hobby can stimulate the brain to optimal function.

“It’s important to have some kind of activity beyond work that exercises your brain and keeps you thinking of new things,” Teegarden says.

Davis suggests activities that require problem-solving, which seems to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Davis says.

Some of the very activities that stimulate your brain also might stimulate and support your spirit.

“Research on spiritual health is really pretty new, particularly in the last 10 years, but spiritual health is very important because of (its impact on) stress,” Davis says.

“You need to take time to smell the roses, meditate, spend time with friends, read a book, knit, paint, garden or watch a movie, something creative.”