Balanced diet, exercise lead to fuller life, experts say
- Oct 15, 2007 - comment
Martha Brown considers herself pretty savvy when it comes to preventive medical care. In her 60 years, she has reared four children, cared for aging parents and watched over the health of her husband and herself. She has learned from experience that early attention to medical concerns can make a big difference in the long-term quality of life.
So three years ago, when she received the results of her annual blood test, Brown was not happy with what she learned. Her cholesterol levels, which had been creeping up for a few years, were high — too high. Though in overall good health, Brown, a member of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, Muscadine, in Cleburne Baptist Association, knew that her family history put her at risk for diabetes and heart disease. She also knew her cholesterol levels were a warning sign she needed to heed.
“I had been gaining a couple of pounds each year, and as I saw the pounds increase, my cholesterol and blood pressure readings were increasing as well,” she said.
So following her doctor’s advice, she began taking medications to control her blood pressure and lower her cholesterol and lost 30 pounds with dietary changes and exercise. She has maintained her weight loss and continues to exercise and watch her diet.
She also includes Bible study and prayer in her morning routine and believes that taking care of herself spiritually, as well as physically, has contributed to a healthier, happier life.
Tom Holt, a family physician with Jasper Family Practice Center and part of the medical staff at Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper, said preventive health care is his top priority.
“Everyone knows that it is better to prevent something bad from happening than it is to fix a bad situation once it occurs, and this certainly applies to one’s health,” he said. “Preventing heart attacks with proper diet, exercise and appropriate medical care is far more appealing to most senior adults than, for example, recovering after heart surgery.”
According to Holt, he and his patients share the same goal for the patients’ long-term health — “long, healthy, happy, productive lives.” Attention to diet and exercise and prevention and early detection of disease can help patients reach that goal.
Diet
A balanced diet filled with the right mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and protein is very important for seniors, said Cheryl Vasse, regional extension agent in human nutrition, diet and health with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
“The foods we eat can have an effect on conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease,” Vasse said. “Some are based on heredity, but they can be influenced by our diets.”
Vasse recommends that all adults consult their personal physicians and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.MyPyramid.gov, to make sure they are getting the nutrients and calories they need each day. Those without Internet access can call their county’s Alabama Cooperative Extension System for nutrition information.
Exercise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular physical activity can prevent and help treat many of the most common chronic medical conditions associated with aging.
While each individual should consult a physician before beginning a new exercise program, the CDC and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommend that all adults should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity throughout the day at least five days a week. Cardiorespiratory activities such as walking and swimming are good choices for older adults.
Daily stretching and the addition of strength-building activities such as weight lifting, chair exercises and even carrying laundry or groceries two to three days per week can help maintain balance and endurance, according to the CDC/ACSM recommendations.
Prevention and early detection
According to Holt, early diagnosis and treatment of disease are imperative.
Complications of a chronic condition like diabetes, for example, can include heart attacks, renal failure, blindness and neuropathy, he said. A diagnosis of diabetes, however, does not mean these complications are inevitable.
“The patient who has diabetes who stops smoking, maintains normal blood pressure, takes a daily aspirin and keeps sugar and cholesterol under control will have a much longer life and a much better quality of life because most of the major complications of diabetes can be avoided,” he said.
He noted the same is true of heart disease, which can lead to heart muscle damage and heart failure if left untreated.
Many dementia cases can be linked to undiagnosed or untreated conditions such as ministrokes, high blood pressure and obesity, said Kathleen Miller, a registered nurse and program coordinator for the partial hospital at Regional Medical Center in Anniston. “Medical problems that seem small now can become serious if left untreated,” she said.
Although there are no health guarantees, Brown believes that stewardship of the physical body is the responsibility of every individual.
“It is my responsibility to take care of my body because God gave it to me,” she said. “I want to live as long as God allows me, but I also want to experience those years with the best quality of life and health possible.”
This article is reprinted from the October 4, 2007, issue of The Alabama Baptist, the newspaper of the Alabama Baptist State Convention.