Doctors say there are some simple ways that can be the key to health and longevity, helping to prevent disease, maintain cognitive function, and improve your quality of life, according to the health news site Best Life.
Here are seven things doctors want you to start doing in your 50s.
1. Follow a consistent workout plan
Doctors say that moderate exercise, at least 150 minutes a week, is one of the best things you can do. It helps reduce heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, mobility problems, and obesity.
Doctors say that moderate exercise, at least 150 minutes a week, is one of the best things you can do.
2. Mental training
Exercising your brain is just as important as exercising, says Ryan Glatt, a personal trainer and brain health expert at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center.
3. Prioritize sleep
Ideally, 7 to 9 hours a night helps prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and depression, says Dr. Vernon Williams, a sports neurologist and founding director of the Sports Neurology Center at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute.
4. Blood pressure monitoring
Monitoring your blood pressure is an important way to stay healthy in your 50s. Dr. S. Adam Ramin, medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles (USA), explains: High blood pressure is not only harmful to the heart but also has serious and long-term effects on many parts of the body including the kidneys, which are one of the leading causes of kidney failure, according to Best Life.
Some ways to control blood pressure are to eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and reduce salt and sugar intake.
Older age is a major risk factor for almost every type of cancer, which is why health screenings become much more important after age 50.
5. Eat healthy, fresh foods
By the time you hit 50, your organs can’t handle the high levels of processed, sugary, and fatty foods you consume. And when you’re forced to filter these out over time, the consequences can be serious and life-threatening, says Dr. Ramin. So make fresh, homemade foods a priority.
6. Cancer screening
Age is a major risk factor for almost every type of cancer, which is why health screenings become even more important after age 50. Get mammograms, prostate exams, colonoscopies, and other cancer screenings your doctor recommends.
7. Practice mindful breathing
Finally, another thing you should start doing in your 50s is mindful breathing, says Ashkan Farhadi, MD, a gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center.
Simply focusing your attention on your breathing helps slow your heart rate, relax your blood vessels to lower blood pressure, boost your immune system, lower your blood sugar, and improve your mood.
Of course, at any age, you should quit smoking and cut down on alcohol, according to Best Life.
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