Friday, April 15, 2011

Senior Citizens and Aging

By Charles Maddox


As we get older our trips to the doctor increase in frequency, and also in importance. Going to see your general practitioner won't cut it anymore either. You will begin seeing many specialists. Most older people must see dermatologists, cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, allergy specialists, rheumatologists, (heaven help us) oncologists, and others.

Your regular family doctor can and will handle many of the problems you will face as you approach your golden years. However, even if you have had the same doctor for years, eventually they will begin referring you to specialists. Quite often, many people do not go see a specialist until after they wake up in an emergency room after a stroke or heart attack. Many times these emergency health issue could have been avoided with a little special and preventative care.

First of all, anybody over the age of 40 (and that certainly isn't old) should have their blood pressure checked regularly. Between the ages of 40 and 50, checking blood pressure once every month or so should be sufficient unless a problem is noted. However, after the age of 50, both men and women should have their blood pressure check a minimum of once a month and more often wouldn't hurt a thing.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of medicine. People over the age of 65 should have regular check ups at least once a month. Many times a regular check up can detect potential problems that may lead to a more serious issue down the road. Detecting these issues early can avoid a trip to the emergency room later.

A low fat diet and regular, low impact exercise is a great way to stay healthy and avoid emergency health situations. Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly is probably the best way to stave off many of the health issues of old age. Both of these also lessen your chances of high blood pressure, which can lead to hardening of the arteries, heart attacks, and many other age related health issues.

Slowing the aging process can be as easy as watching your diet and getting regular exercise. Low impact exercise can also help stave off arthritis, one of the biggest issues of aging. Your heart rate and blood flow are also both increased during exercise, which helps to keep your arteries clear. The earlier your doctor finds issues, the easier it is for him so correct them. So don't forget those annual check ups.




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