Take Control of Your Health and Safety

Take control of your health and safety.

Don’t take it from me. I’m not a doctor, however, my good friend Kathryn Holder is. And as I was sharing with her the news of my creating Elderly Care Concierge, she told me it was important for seniors to understand they play a big role in their health and safety.

Sure, it is important to visit our health care providers regularly. We encourage you to follow their advice and take the prescribed medicines. But we must also adhere to a healthy lifestyle. I was shocked when she told me 80 percent of all premature deaths are attributed to tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of physical activity.

We are in Control

As Dr. Holder notes, those are all factors under our control. Tobacco use and poor diet are straightforward. Avoid smoking or chewing, and see a nutritionist or dietician to develop a meal plan that supports your health. However, physical activity is something altogether different. Being active on a daily basis does wonders for your ongoing health, for instance.

Your level of health can be measured by many factors such as blood pressure, pulse, body mass index, etc. Physical activity can positively impact each of those according to Dr. Holder. She suggests at least 150 minutes per week of physical exertion. This can come in a variety of forms: walking/jogging, yoga/Pilates and lifetime sports such as golf, tennis, pickleball.

Your activity should not only include cardio activities but should include flexibility and strength training. While no one expects seniors to be professional bodybuilders (those do exist), lifting weights and engaging in physical resistance is vital. Strength training increases resting energy expenditure, improves one’s ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADLs) and reduces the risk of falls. The lack of core strength can have a significant negative impact one’s ability to keep their balance.

Research Supports the need for Physical Activity

Research indicates only one in three American adults achieve the recommended amount of physical activity each week. That number is alarming given that we can take control of our health and safety. The benefits of physical activity on health include:

• Increased muscular and cardiovascular fitness
• Improved bone health, less falls and risk for fractures
• Reduced risk of chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, breast and colon cancer)
• Improved control of healthier weight

And when we feel better physically, it has a positive effect on our mental and emotional state. We have a smile on our face, our eyes light up and we walk with a skip and a hop.

Take Control by Starting on the Right Foot

How does one get started on such a routine to a more healthier lifestyle? First, check with your insurance plans to see what professional services may be covered. If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can likely use those funds to cover related expenses. Ask your HSA administrator. Second, seek out professionals who can help you with nutrition and diet, and physical activity. In consultation with your personal physician, they can map out a program for you.

Physical activity is often difficult at the beginning because one might not be in optimal condition. Above all, life by the inch is a cinch, but by the yard is hard. The advice from the professionals will be to start slow and increase your exertion over time. 

Charting your activity creates accountability because it measures your progress in black and white. Ensure your workouts are not a passing fad by instituting the buddy system. Working out with a spouse, friend or organized groups serves as support and motivation to achieve the goal of personal improvement.

We can take control of our health and safety. The time to start is now.

To learn more about how to prevent falls click here for information from the National Institute on Aging.

For more information on the services of Elderly Care Concierge click here.