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1. Bad knees
Cause: too many decades carrying too much weight. Prevention: lose excess weight. It's much better to be mobile, especially when you're old.
2. Bad back
Losing a few pounds will spare your spine as well as your knees. Runners: anything you can do to reduce impact shock will pay off here.
3. Bad eyes
Farsightedness happens: not all cataracts should.
Buy sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays, especially if you spend a lot of time on the water, on now or at high elevations.
4. Bad ears
Hearing deteriorates with age, so don't hurry the process. Your mp3 player can reach 115 decibels: hearing loss starts at 85. I know very few satisfied users of hearing aids.
5. Bad bladder
As many as one in four men over age 75 have some form of incontinence at some time, much of it from a lifetime of putting off trips to the bathroom. Over decades, the strain reduces our bladders to nervous wrecks. So stop laughing and go pee. What happens if you don't? Depends.
6. Bad bones
Osteoporosis occurs in men too. If you don't consume a lot of dairy, ask your doctor if you should start taking 1,200 milligrams a day of calcium carbonate (calcium citrate if you're on drugs for acid reflux). have your vitamin D levels checked, too.
7. Bad gut
Constipation is another one of those funny-when-it-happens-to-other-people things, but I have seen people die of constipation, and it wasn't funny at all. Eat roughage. Stay hydrated. Exercise. And don't use laxatives without talking to your doctor.
8. Bad skin
Your skin is the organ that makes you look old. It's also the site of most cancers. So buy yourself a hat for when you work outside. Read the label on your sunscreen. (You probably haven't been using it correctly). And try not to worry. It causes lines.
9. Bad brain
This is another funny one, until the next time you can't find your car. Remind yourself (if you can) that Alzheimer's disease may begin well before the age of 30: Start accumulating excess brain capacity now. Also avoid anything causing your brain to slam against the inside of your skull, from roller coasters to football. A helmet won't save your from dementia.
10. Bad mood
Seek treatment for an episode of depression and you'll reduce your risk of a relapse later in life. If you can't sleep at night, if your appetite, energy, or motivation is gone, or if you feel worthless, discouraged, or overwhelmed, seek help today. Depression is one of the most treatable of illnesses. Take care of it now so people won't have to take care of you later.
[by T.E. HOLT M.D., PH.D.]
Cause: too many decades carrying too much weight. Prevention: lose excess weight. It's much better to be mobile, especially when you're old.
2. Bad back
Losing a few pounds will spare your spine as well as your knees. Runners: anything you can do to reduce impact shock will pay off here.
3. Bad eyes
Farsightedness happens: not all cataracts should.
Buy sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays, especially if you spend a lot of time on the water, on now or at high elevations.
4. Bad ears
Hearing deteriorates with age, so don't hurry the process. Your mp3 player can reach 115 decibels: hearing loss starts at 85. I know very few satisfied users of hearing aids.
5. Bad bladder
As many as one in four men over age 75 have some form of incontinence at some time, much of it from a lifetime of putting off trips to the bathroom. Over decades, the strain reduces our bladders to nervous wrecks. So stop laughing and go pee. What happens if you don't? Depends.
6. Bad bones
Osteoporosis occurs in men too. If you don't consume a lot of dairy, ask your doctor if you should start taking 1,200 milligrams a day of calcium carbonate (calcium citrate if you're on drugs for acid reflux). have your vitamin D levels checked, too.
7. Bad gut
Constipation is another one of those funny-when-it-happens-to-other-people things, but I have seen people die of constipation, and it wasn't funny at all. Eat roughage. Stay hydrated. Exercise. And don't use laxatives without talking to your doctor.
8. Bad skin
Your skin is the organ that makes you look old. It's also the site of most cancers. So buy yourself a hat for when you work outside. Read the label on your sunscreen. (You probably haven't been using it correctly). And try not to worry. It causes lines.
9. Bad brain
This is another funny one, until the next time you can't find your car. Remind yourself (if you can) that Alzheimer's disease may begin well before the age of 30: Start accumulating excess brain capacity now. Also avoid anything causing your brain to slam against the inside of your skull, from roller coasters to football. A helmet won't save your from dementia.
10. Bad mood
Seek treatment for an episode of depression and you'll reduce your risk of a relapse later in life. If you can't sleep at night, if your appetite, energy, or motivation is gone, or if you feel worthless, discouraged, or overwhelmed, seek help today. Depression is one of the most treatable of illnesses. Take care of it now so people won't have to take care of you later.
[by T.E. HOLT M.D., PH.D.]