Turning 50? Get Your Wellness On Track For the Next 50 Years

When you turn 50, you start blaming any wellness problem to turning “the big 5-0”. Sexual health and vigour not what it once was? It’s because you’re 50. Can’t run around after the kids anymore? Must be your 50s. While it’s true that each decade you age requires a greater need for health prevention strategies, those who have already taken steps to take care of their wellbeing will feel perfectly nifty at fifty, and so can you if you start taking certain steps. If you don’t look after yourself, you may put yourself at risk to age-related issues such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease. Though it can take longer to see results the longer you wait, it is never too late to make positive changes.

 

1. Do your Diet Right: As developed nations rely more on food of convenience, and the quality of ingredients goes further down, it becomes more obvious than ever that you are the only one watching out for the state of your body. In terms of your diet, this means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables – at least five-a-day – and healthy proteins. If you focus on these food groups, you can reduce your risks of cancer and heart disease. Try to plan your grocery shopping in advance so you won’t be tempted by junk on shop shelves. The key to healthy eating is to have good options on hand at work and at home.

 

2. Edit your Exercise Programme: With each decade, the phrase “use it or lose it” becomes more and more applicable. In your 50s, many of your hormones – including progesterone, testosterone and growth hormone – really start to decline. This ageing process can really do a number on your wellness and, if you don’t exercise, you’ll only hurry that decline along. Exercise stimulates growth hormone, helping you to maintain a lean body mass. However, without enough physical activity, your metabolism will slow down, your bone density will decline, and you’ll be more stressed and depressed than you should be. If you find it hard to motivate yourself, why not go to a class or work with a personal trainer? If you’ve got it written on your calendar and all paid for, you’ll have the incentive to workout until the health benefits become their own motivation.

 

3. Find out Your Family History: If someone in your family has suffered from a certain illness or condition, it’s not a sure thing that you will likewise be affected, but history certainly has a way of predicting the future. Look into your family’s history of health problems, paying close attention to your parents, siblings and grandparents. While having a grandparent who had a heart attack at 75 is something to take note of, being related to someone who suffered at age 45 holds is even more significant to your prevention strategy. Take inventory so you can tailor your wellness programme to your needs, and consider talking to your GP if a particular health concern does arise when you’re digging.

 

4. Sign up for screenings: As well as looking into your family’s health conditions, you also need to check for your own. Men of your age have long undergone cholesterol panels to identify potential risk factors for heart disease, but your prevention laboratory information shouldn’t end there. Other labs are now available to help determine a treatment plan and, trust me, you should use them! By getting checked out now – rather than waiting for symptoms to occur – you can prevent serious health concerns more easily, and catch any problems early for treatment. As a man in his 50s, it’s recommended that you have 25-OH vitamin D (25-hydroxy) testing, C-reactive protein (CRP) testing, homocysteine testing, total and free testosterone testing, fasting insulin levels testing, thyroid testing, DHEA-sulftate testing, prostate cancer screening and a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening.

Categories: cancer screening, diet, Family, growth hormone, health, heart, heart disease, men in 50s, Screenings, Testing, Wellness

The Reality Behind Common Health Checks

Sometimes we are all guilty of taking our health from granted. It is common to find that people have an ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude about illnesses and that means that those unlucky people who do suffer from the illness go into the treatments and check-ups under prepared for what is in store for them. In fact there are many health checks and medical procedures that we may have heard of but we don’t actually understand what they do, how they work and what they are for. We’ve decided to put together a list of some of the most common health checks and reveal the details so that if you ever find yourself in a position where you have to have one, you’ll be fully briefed on the reality of them.

 

The CT (Computed Tomography) Scan

The CT scan is one of those health checks that you’ve probably heard mentioned in movies and on TV, or possibly you’ll know someone who has had to have it done to them. But it may be the case that you don’t actually know the practical realities of it. Well, a CT scan is usually used for looking into abdominal problems, unusual issues with a chest x-ray or unexpected problems from a pelvic exam. It is a non-invasive procedure in which you’ll be placed in a doughnut-shaped device that combines x-ray and powerful computer equipment to produce a number of images of your body. You may well be required to fast and remove any metallic objects from your person before you can undergo the procedure.

 

The procedure tends to last between 15 and 30 minutes and you’ll receive an injection or have to drunk a cloudy solution in order for the machine to produce effective images. It’s also worth noting that CT scanning rooms tend to be very cold, so it’s OK to ask for extra blankets in order to stay warm.

 

 

Skin cancer screening

The idea of having skin cancer is very worrying to people, and contrary to sense, this can often make them avoid or put off having a skin cancer screening. It should be noted that you should have a skin cancer screening fairly regularly, especially if you’re someone who sits out in the sun a lot and is therefore at an increased risk of developing it. You should remove any nail polish before your screening to make it easier to identify any potential problems in the nail bed. The doctor will examine the skin everywhere from the very top of your head to in between your toes. If your doctor finds anything suspicious they will remove it, in order to stop it from developing into a major problem at another time.

 

 

Eye exam

For many of us, the simple eye exam is something we have very regularly and is not something that we worry about at all. However, for others, eye exams are a daunting prospect that they do not really understand. You’ll be tested in your ability to read a series of letters or numbers both up close and far away. You may also have your eye scanned using more technologically advanced equipment. It’s worth resting your eyes for a few days before the exam – for example, you could avoid doing excessive work on a computer in that time. Eye exams are not just to test whether you have glasses, they can also be invaluable in diagnosing you in terms of other conditions that can be much more damaging to your health. It’s worth getting an eye exam every year, even if you do not suffer from short- or long-sightedness.

Categories: cancer screening, common health, ct scan, eye exam, Eye Exams, eye test, health, health check, health checks, nbsp nbsp, Skin Cancer

Gay Men and Women: Are You Skipping Vital Screenings?

According to a wealth of research, gay men and lesbians are less likely to protect their wellness with routine screening tests than heterosexuals. Whether you’re gay or straight, illnesses can affect your wellbeing, so why aren’t you having screening or testing done to check your risk? And we’re not just talking about sexual health here, but other health concerns like cancer. Gay men and women often fear discrimination, or simply don’t think they’re at risk, and so they don’t get tested but the screening process may save your life. It’s vital that certain conditions are detected early, and some, such as breast cancer, may actually be more common in gay people.

 

For Women Only:

 

• Cervical cancer screening: If you have sex with other women, you should have cervical smears every three to five years. Early detection of cervical abnormalities is vital to prevent cervical cancer, which is currently diagnosed in around 2,800 women each year. There’s an urban myth floating around that lesbians can’t get cervical cancer, but in reality your risk is just thought to be lower than straight women. You can still develop cervical cancer, but according to charity Stonewall, 15% of lesbians and bisexual women have never had a cervical smear test compared with 7% of women in general. The NHS Cervical Screening Programme encourages every 25- to 49-year-old woman to have a screening every three years, and women aged 50-64 are invited every five years. Your GP gives the programme your details and sends you a reminder letter when your test is due, so it’s vital to register with a local surgery.

 

• Breast cancer screening: Stonewall’s survey of more than 6,000 women found that lesbians are more prone to breast cancer than straight women. This may be linked to other factors that lesbians are more prone to, such as being overweight, drinking more alcohol and being less likely to have children. Compared to one in 20 of women in general, more than one in 12 lesbian and bisexual women aged between 50 and 79 had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and yet lesbians and bisexual women are less likely to attend routine breast screening tests. As the NHS Breast Screening Programme automatically invites 50- to 70-year-old women for screening every three years, and encourages the over 70s to make their own screening appointment every three years, there’s no reason not to get tested.

 

For Men Only:

 

• HIV Testing: As a gay man, you’re more at risk of certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhoea, than straight men. This is certainly the case with HIV, as gay men in the UK are the most commonly affected group even though it can affect anyone’s wellbeing. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) notes over a quarter (27%) of people with HIV don’t know they have it, and the number of people with HIV continues to rise. The most common way to spread HIV is through penetrative sex, and so prevention using a condom is key. However, if you do have unprotected sex or think you might be at risk of HIV, your nearest genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic can give you a free, confidential and anonymous sexual health check.

 

For Men and Women:

 

• General health checks: You’re eligible for NHS bowel cancer screening from the age of 60 and for a blood pressure check every five years or so from the age of 40, although you should be screened more often if you have high blood pressure.

 

• Chlamydia screening: As one of the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK, chlamydia can affect men and women, gay or straight, and often doesn’t present any symptoms. You can get a free chlamydia test if you’re under the age of 25, but screening is important at any age as chlamydia can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.

Categories: Bisexual Women, blood pressure, breast cancer, breast screening, cancer screening, cervical cancer, gay men, Lesbians, Screening and Testing, screening programme, women aged