Editor’s Word: With a bevy of stressors, each CEO is aware of—and fears—the reality about this job. It may be a killer. That’s led Chief Government to staff with the famend college at Mayo Clinic Government Well being that will help you rethink among the most essential—and too-often missed—facets of sustaining good well being as CEO. We’ve collected the articles in a rising library. We hope you discover this new initiative helpful. — Dan Bigman, editor
You realize that growing old causes wrinkles and grey hair. It’ll additionally have an effect on your tooth, coronary heart and sexuality. Right here’s what anticipate— and learn how to promote good well being at any age.
Your cardiovascular system
What’s occurring
The commonest change within the cardiovascular system is stiffening of the blood vessels and arteries, inflicting your coronary heart to work more durable to pump blood by means of them. The center muscular tissues change to regulate to the elevated workload. Your coronary heart fee at relaxation will keep about the identical, however it received’t enhance throughout actions as a lot because it used to. These adjustments enhance the danger of hypertension (hypertension) and different cardiovascular issues.
What you are able to do
To advertise coronary heart well being:
- Embrace bodily exercise in your every day routine. Attempt strolling, swimming or different actions you take pleasure in. Common average bodily exercise will help you preserve a wholesome weight and decrease your coronary heart illness threat.
- Eat a nutritious diet. Select greens, fruits, entire grains, high-fiber meals and lean sources of protein, reminiscent of fish. Restrict meals excessive in saturated fats and salt.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking contributes to the hardening of your arteries and will increase your blood strain and coronary heart fee. When you smoke or use different tobacco merchandise, ask your physician that will help you stop.
- Handle stress. Stress can take a toll in your coronary heart. Take steps to cut back stress, reminiscent of meditation, train or speak remedy.
- Get sufficient sleep. High quality sleep performs an essential position within the therapeutic and restore of your coronary heart and blood vessels. Intention for seven to 9 hours an evening.
Your bones, joints and muscular tissues
What’s occurring
With age, bones are likely to shrink in measurement and density. This weakens them. Age-related bone adjustments additionally may trigger you to change into a bit shorter. Muscle groups are likely to lose energy, endurance and adaptability. That in flip can have an effect on coordination, stability and steadiness. These adjustments elevate the danger of falls. Falling with weaker bones makes it extra possible that you would break a bone.
What you are able to do
To assist bones, joints and muscular tissues keep wholesome:
- Get sufficient calcium. Adults ought to purpose to get at the least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day. Girls age 51 and older, and males 71 and older ought to purpose to get 1,200 mg a day. You may get calcium from meals reminiscent of dairy merchandise, broccoli, kale, salmon and tofu. When you discover it onerous to get sufficient calcium out of your eating regimen, ask your physician about calcium dietary supplements.
- Get sufficient vitamin D. Adults as much as age 70 ought to purpose to get 600 worldwide items (IU) of vitamin D a day. Adults older than 70 ought to purpose to get 800 IU a day. Sources of vitamin D embody tuna, trout, salmon, eggs, vitamin D-fortified milk and vitamin D dietary supplements. The physique additionally makes vitamin D when uncovered to direct daylight.
- Embrace bodily exercise in your every day routine. Weight-bearing workouts will help you construct sturdy bones and gradual bone loss. These workouts embody strolling, jogging, tennis, climbing stairs and weight coaching.
- Don’t abuse substances. Smoking tobacco and ingesting an excessive amount of alcohol can reduce bone mass and lift the danger of fractures. When you smoke, get assist quitting. When you drink alcohol, you’ll possible really feel its results extra strongly as you become older. That may elevate the danger of significant accidents from falls and automobile accidents. Ask your healthcare skilled how a lot alcohol could be protected on your age, intercourse and basic well being.
Your digestive system
What’s occurring
Age-related structural adjustments within the massive gut can lead to extra constipation in older adults. Different contributing elements embody an absence of train, not ingesting sufficient fluids and a low-fiber eating regimen. Drugs, reminiscent of diuretics and iron dietary supplements, and sure medical circumstances, reminiscent of diabetes, additionally may contribute to constipation.
What you are able to do
To forestall constipation:
- Eat a nutritious diet. Ensure that your eating regimen consists of high-fiber meals, reminiscent of fruits, greens and entire grains. Restrict high-fat meats, dairy merchandise and sweets, which could trigger constipation. Drink loads of water and different fluids.
- Embrace bodily exercise in your every day routine. Common bodily exercise will help forestall constipation.
- Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel motion. Holding in a bowel motion for too lengthy may cause constipation.
Your bladder and urinary tract
What’s occurring
Your bladder might change into much less elastic as you age, leading to the necessity to urinate extra typically. Weakening of bladder muscular tissues and pelvic ground muscular tissues might make it troublesome so that you can empty your bladder fully or trigger you to lose bladder management (urinary incontinence). In males, an enlarged or infected prostate can also trigger troublesome emptying the bladder and incontinence.
Different elements that contribute to incontinence embody being chubby, nerve injury from diabetes, sure medicines, and caffeine or alcohol consumption.
What you are able to do
To advertise bladder and urinary tract well being:
- Go to the bathroom often. Think about urinating on a daily schedule, reminiscent of each hour. Slowly, lengthen the period of time between your bathroom journeys.
- Keep a wholesome weight. When you’re chubby, lose extra kilos.
- Don’t smoke. When you smoke or use different tobacco merchandise, ask your physician that will help you stop.
- Do Kegel workouts. To train your pelvic ground muscular tissues (Kegel workouts), squeeze the muscular tissues you’ll you utilize to cease passing gasoline. Attempt it for 3 seconds at a time, after which loosen up for a depend of three. Work as much as doing the train 10 to fifteen instances in a row, at the least 3 times a day.
- Keep away from bladder irritants. Caffeine, acidic meals, alcohol and carbonated drinks could make incontinence worse.
- Keep away from constipation. Eat extra fiber and take different steps to keep away from constipation, which may worsen incontinence.
Your reminiscence and pondering expertise
What’s occurring
Your mind undergoes adjustments as you age which will have minor results in your reminiscence or pondering expertise. For instance, wholesome older adults may neglect acquainted names or phrases, or they could discover it tougher to multitask.
What you are able to do
You may promote cognitive well being by taking the next steps:
- Embrace bodily exercise in your every day routine. Bodily exercise will increase blood circulation to your entire physique, together with your mind. Research recommend common train is related to higher mind perform and reduces stress and melancholy — elements that have an effect on reminiscence.
- Eat a nutritious diet. A heart-healthy eating regimen might profit your mind. Give attention to fruits, greens and entire grains. Select low-fat protein sources, reminiscent of fish, lean meat and skinless poultry. An excessive amount of alcohol can result in confusion and reminiscence loss.
- Keep mentally energetic. Staying mentally energetic might assist maintain your reminiscence and pondering expertise. You may learn, play phrase video games, take up a brand new pastime, take courses, or study to play an instrument.
- Be social. Social interplay helps push back melancholy and stress, which may contribute to reminiscence loss. You may volunteer at an area faculty or nonprofit, spend time with household and buddies, or attend social occasions.
- Deal with heart problems. Comply with your physician’s suggestions to handle cardiovascular threat elements — hypertension, excessive ldl cholesterol and diabetes — which will enhance the danger of cognitive decline.
- Give up smoking. When you smoke, quitting smoking might assist your cognitive well being.
When you’re involved about reminiscence loss or different adjustments in your pondering expertise, speak to your physician.
Your eyes and ears
What’s occurring
With age, you might need issue specializing in objects which can be shut up. You may change into extra delicate to glare and have bother adapting to totally different ranges of sunshine. Growing old can also have an effect on your eye’s lens, inflicting clouded imaginative and prescient (cataracts).
Your listening to additionally may diminish. You might need issue listening to excessive frequencies or following a dialog in a crowded room.
What you are able to do
To advertise eye and ear well being:
- Schedule common checkups. Comply with your physician’s recommendation about glasses, contact lenses, listening to aids and different corrective gadgets.
- Take precautions. Put on sun shades or a wide-brimmed hat whenever you’re open air, and use earplugs whenever you’re round loud equipment or different loud noises.
