Sixty and Seventy-Something

SIXTYSOMETHING

It's never too late to get healthy. Even though you can join AARP and get the senior citizen discount at the movies it doesn't mean that you're too old to get healthy and fit. You do need to take care when starting up a new exercise program, but women of all ages are given this warning. When you are in your sixties, however, you may be prone to more injuries and may not have optimum balance and coordination (this is certainly not to say that all women of this age have issues like this because there are plenty of sixty year old women who are far more graceful than women half their age), so be sure to take things relatively slow and not push yourself too hard in the beginning.

Don't be frightened to start something new! You're not too old to try weight training or aerobics classes. You're not past the age when you can try Pilates for the first time. Perhaps you would like to try a dance class or something equally thrilling that you have always wanted to try. In other aspects of your health you may also want to try something new. Have you always wanted to try out vegetarianism? Do you want to try to quit drinking coffee every morning? Whatever it is you want to try in order to get healthy then go ahead and try it…just be sure to take it slowly and to get your doctor's okay before getting started.

Don't get overloaded on medications. This is usually the age when a lot of women start to notice a marked increase in the amount of medication they take, either because their doctors recommend the medication or because they make the decision to start taking supplements and herbal medications in an attempt to stay or get healthy. What you must remember for the benefit of your own health is that just because something is sold over the counter it does not mean that it will not have contraindications with the medicine your doctor prescribes. When your doctor asks you for a list of the medications you are currently taking you need to tell him or her absolutely everything, from the prescribed medicine for hypertension to the multivitamins you purchase at the grocery store.

This is also not the time to jump on board with a bunch of hyped-up supplements that you see advertised late at night on television. Remember that there is no miracle drug that is going to make your memory completely sharp, there is no fantastic pill that will safely and effectively melt fat from your midsection while you sleep, and there is no incredible pill that will erase the wrinkles from your face. Perhaps these things sound like Godsends to you, but they might actually be something that will be to your physical detriment. Another thing to take into consideration is the idea that you should not readily agree to take every single medication your doctor suggests because if you do this you might eventually wind up taking a dozen pills or more a day. Before agreeing to take any new medication, ask a few questions about it:

Why do you think I need this medication?
What are the risks associated with this medication?
Will any of the other medicines I take be a problem if I take this medication?
How long will I be on this medication?
What other options do I have besides taking this medication?

You're not being a pest by asking these questions. Instead, you are being your own health advocate, and that's an excellent idea. Any doctor who makes you feel silly about asking completely legitimate questions is a doctor who should be replaced with a different doctor who is not so medication-happy.

There may be noticeable declines at this age. Things start happening in your sixties that you may not necessarily be prepared for. You may start to notice that your hearing is not nearly as crisp as it once was, and maybe your eyesight is changing for the worse. This does not mean that everything in your body is going to crumble, and many women in their sixties do not even notice any such declines. The trick here is to pay attention to your body and to the status of your health.

If you feel as though your eyesight might be getting worse then go get your eyes checked. If you feel like your hearing just isn't what it used to be then visit your doctor to get your ears checked. The reason why you want to stay on top of these things is obvious: If you are not functioning at full capacity then you need to know this and adjust accordingly. For health's sake, a woman in her sixties who cannot see as well as a decade ago should consider getting glasses (or a stronger prescription if she already has glasses) because otherwise she is going to get behind the wheel of a car and wind up in an accident.

The same goes for hearing loss, because accidents can happen when you can't hear all the things that are going on around you. You also want to make sure that these changes aren't a result of something else, and seeing your doctor and having some tests run can rule out anything like that. Acknowledge any declines you notice - don't try to just ignore them - and then do the things you have to do in order to still live your life to your full potential.

SEVENTYSOMETHING AND BEYOND

Look for exercise classes designed for ladies your age. Just because you are seventy it does not mean that you shouldn't indulge in the fantastic benefits of exercising. You do need to be careful when taking an exercise class, especially if you haven't taken one in quite some time. This should not deter you from trying out a few different classes to see which one you enjoy the most and derive the most benefit from. You probably don't want to join up at a kickboxing class unless this is something you have been doing all your life, but consider finding a gym or aerobics studio that offers classes designed for mature women. You are bound to find something fun if you look around and do a little research. Examples include:

Water aerobics classes, which are easier on your joints.
Fit-sit classes, where you exercise while sitting in a chair
Tai Chi classes, which are designed for people of all ages
Dance classes specifically designed for older women

Plenty of gyms and aerobic studios recognize the need for senior citizen exercise classes and have answered the call with some great classes. Not only will these classes help you to stay healthy, but you may meet some new friends and have the added benefit of active socialization.

Better health means more independence. As you approach an older age you may be concerned about the level of independence you will be able to have. Most women do not care for the idea of relying on children and other relatives in their later years, and many women find the idea of living in an assisted living facility quite distasteful. One of the things you can do to ensure your independence as you age is to stay as healthy as possible.

If you can avoid debilitating diseases, ailments, and injuries then there is really no reason that you can't maintain your living space as you have in years past (unless there is a financial issue involved to where you can no longer afford to live on your own). Don't think that just because you are of advanced age it automatically means that you can't improve your health. There is always time to try to make your health better, whether you're seventy or seventeen.

There is plenty of more time for some ladies this age. Now is not the time to get fatalistic and start thinking that your life is over. Think of it this way…if you live to the age of ninety-something (which plenty of women do) then you still have twenty years of life to enjoy. Think about how much you can do in twenty years and how much you can see in that long span of time. For this reason, you should not stop trying to improve your health.

The fact that you are in your seventies is simply not a valid excuse for not continually striving to be as fit as you can possibly be. You want to make sure that you are as healthy as possible no matter what age you are, and if you do indeed live to see ninety or one hundred then you'll want to do it with the best health you can have. Don't think of these years as your time to wind down and stop striving for good health. Instead, think of it as a continuation of your quest for great health even as you continue to get older.

No matter what age you are, you should always try to be as healthy as possible. There is no magic age when it's an ideal time to get healthy, although the earlier you begin the more likely it will become a habit throughout your lifetime and much more beneficial to you overall. There is also no age that you can reach where there is simply no point in trying to be healthy, because this is a noble aspiration at any age.

On the next page we talk about How To Get Health Now!