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Health Matters: Providence St. Joseph Hospital | 11 Five Strategies to Slow the Aging Process A recent study of 500,000 Americans found that as people got older, they still felt younger than their chronological age. Age is just a number; what really matters is how you feel. Here, Victoria Leigh, DO, an internist and primary care specialist at Providence AdvantAge Health Center in Tustin, offers five tips for staying healthy, active and young inside. 1. Prevention Most important is preventing illness, which means dealing with what we eat and how we move and being compliant with our checkups and medications. 2. Semiannual Checkups Slowing the aging process takes awareness of your body, working with your doctor and then speaking up if something doesn't feel right. I like to see my patients who are over 65 at least twice a year. During those evaluations, we get a head-to-toe body system review, making sure that all the little symptoms get noticed and monitored. 3. Regular Screenings The most important screenings over age 60 continue to be colonoscopies, mammograms, prostate screenings and bone- density scans for both women and men—to prevent fractures and for early detection of cancer. And blood pressure, of course. I check thyroid and kidney function at least once a year. 4. Diet and Exercise I'm most concerned that people are moving. And if there are any aches or pains, or knee or hip problems, we give patients a course of physical therapy. Just as you get your car's wheels balanced so the tires are wearing normally, we want to balance the body and take care of any joint issues. Many people have lost the habit of regular exercise, so it's important to lower the bar; instead of going to the gym for an hour every day, aim for 150 minutes per week (20 minutes daily), including 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. 5. Emotional Health I encourage people to see where their stress points are and find ways to talk about them. The great thing about our new Providence AdvantAge Health Center is that we have patient advocates, social workers, therapists and case managers who coordinate care. From movement recommendations to food resources to overall stress management, we can address all of those things. A healthy approach to aging must be patient-led, so we ask, "Where are you now? Where do you want to be?" HEALTH CARE IS PERSONAL Selecting the right health plan during open enrollment is important but it can be overwhelming. When you select a health plan that includes Providence, you'll have access to the best physicians from the largest, most comprehensive health care network in SoCal. Call 855-967-6026 to learn more or visit us online at providence.org/open-enrollment. NOW OPEN! PROVIDENCE ADVANTAGE HEALTH CENTER, TUSTIN Seniors in Orange County have a comprehensive care center designed to keep them living their healthiest lives. Providence AdvantAge Health Center in Tustin features physicians from St. Joseph Heritage Medical Group who specialize in keeping you feeling your best. Our 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 Located at 1095 Irvine Boulevard in Tustin. Call 714-573-5199 for more information.

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