Age is just a number; what really matters is how you feel. More and more scientific studies have found that as people got older, they still felt younger than their chronological ages.
But what can we do to ensure we continue to feel healthy throughout all stages of our lives? Here, Victoria Leigh, DO, an internist and primary care specialist at Providence, offers five tips for staying healthy, active and young inside.
1. Prevention
The most important measure is preventing illness, which means eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, staying active, staying current with checkups and taking medications properly.
2. Semiannual Checkups
Slowing the aging process takes awareness of your body, working with your doctor and speaking up if something doesn’t feel right. I like to see my patients who are over the age of 65 at least twice a year. During those evaluations, we get a head-to-toe body-system review, making sure all the little symptoms get noticed and monitored.
3. Regular Screenings
The most important screenings for all individuals over age 60 continue to be colonoscopies, mammograms, prostate screenings and bone-density scans to prevent fractures and for early detection of cancer. And blood pressure, of course. I check my patients’ thyroid and kidney functions at least once a year.
4. Diet and Exercise
I’m always interested in knowing that people are moving their bodies, staying active. If patients experience any aches or pains, or knee or hip problems, we may suggest a course of physical therapy. In the same way that we balance the tires on our vehicles to ensure normal wear, we want to balance our bodies to take care of any joint issues or pain.
When we lead busy lives, as most of us do, exercising regularly can often feel improbable. Part of the problem is how we approach exercise, though. Rather than push ourselves to the limit, let’s actually lower the bar. So, instead of going to the gym for an hour every day, aim for 150 minutes per week. That’s just 20 minutes a day. Make sure to include two strength-training sessions, as the American Heart Association recommends.
For diet, I recommend adding more greens or fruit to every meal and staying away from too much red meat. I generally go with a Mediterranean diet that includes more Omega-3s. Fewer processed foods and sugar, and less saturated fat should also be the goal.
5. Emotional Health
I encourage people to see where their stress points are and find ways to talk about them. At Providence, we have patient advocates, social workers, therapists and case managers who coordinate care. Whether it’s movement recommendations, food resources or overall stress management, our health care professionals can address the issue.
A healthy approach to aging must be patient-led, so we like to ask, “Where are you now? Where do you want to be?” Then we help you get there.
Find a doctor for your care
Providence physicians offer personalized care and create lasting relationships to truly understand your needs and maximize your health and wellness.
We offer:
- Timely access to appointments
- A personalized approach to senior care
- Immediate referrals
- After-hours Nurse Advice Line
- Behavioral health and pharmacy services
- An extended network of specialists
- Virtual care visits
If you are looking for a primary care doctor, you can search for one who’s right for you in our provider directory.
