You Don’t Have to Give Up Goodies (Or Sex) to Have a Healthier Life as You Age

Baby Boomers are getting older — in fact, they are now facing the so-called “golden years” of retirement, social security and, let’s be frank, thinking about the ol’ Grim Reaper down the line. On the other hand, getting older never seemed so different.  Many people in their 50s, 60s and beyond are in good shape, and have not only many more years left to live  but, potentially, a whole lot of life left in those years.

If you are health conscious, you may fear that keeping the best care of yourself as you age means giving up your fun and fave goodies in order to stay healthy. That’s not necessarily true. In fact, by using common sense and integrating healthy (and delicious) eating and sensible exercise (yes, an active sex life counts!) into your daily routine, you can have an active, rewarding life far longer than your counterparts of 100 or even 50 years ago.

Consider these lifestyle strategies to keep life as healthy and enjoyable as possible, no matter what your age:

• Ready to say “nuts!””to dieting? Maybe you should! Nuts are part of the Mediterranean style of eating which features whole grains, lots of veggies and salads, red wine, olive oil and more fish than meat. The benefits? Not only can you trim your waistline but research shows this mode of eating can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even depression.
• If you are 55 or older, don’t make yourself miserable by depriving yourself of things you enjoy. That doesn’t mean you should throw caution to the wind and start smoking again like you did as a college student. At the same time, don’t stress yourself out withholding foods you enjoy.  Experts say you can eat almost anything if you pay attention to portion control. Here’s a helpful way to regularly eat less: use smaller plates (salad plates instead of full dinner plates work well).
• Have a sweet tooth? Why not opt for the healthiest choice — like low fat frozen yogurt — instead of the most artery clogging one (full fat ice cream)?  Good news:  research is revealing that chocolate contains phytochemicals that may fight a host of illnesses. Just don’t go overboard and you can still enjoy a scrumptious treat every now and then.
• Many people lose some sense of taste as they get older and that can cause a loss of appetite and enjoyment of food. A tasty solution:  try exploring new ethnic cuisines and highly spiced and flavored foods. If they didn’t appeal to you in your 20s, you may find they taste terrific to you now.
• Get active! Even if you’ve always been a couch potato, it’s not too late to change. And you’ll feel and look better. There’s no need to stress over a complicated exercise routine. Instead, just get into the habit of going for walks around your neighborhood or strolling through the mall. You’ll sleep better, too.
• Talk to your doctor openly at check-ups. Work as a partner with your physician to take care of medical problems such as high blood pressure before you have serious complications. Ask questions about your lifestyle choices and be clear about what is important to your quality of life. If you are taking medications, for example, that are causing significant side effects, be open about your concerns. A case in point: some blood pressure medications can lead to impotency in men. There are almost always alternatives but problems can’t be solved if they aren’t brought into the open.
• Don’t forgo (safe) sex.  Just because you are well past childbearing years, you are never too old to have a warm, fulfilling intimate life. Unfortunately, you are also never too old to catch a sexually transmitted disease. So feel free to keep up an active sex life, but make it a safe one! That means using condoms if you are not in a monogamous relationship.