To do list for your health...

[recycled sixtie]

Just wondering what you seniors have in mind to get your health improved. It seems for me it is a trade off . Do I really need it? Are too many anaesthetic sessions hard on the body?

I need to get another inguinal hernia fixed in the next couple of years but so far it is not too much problem. I have atrial fibrillation about once every two weeks. The scheduling coordinator for the surgeon says there is an eighteen month waiting period to get it addressed. I said I could be dead by then. I will start phoning this week to see if I can get it done privately in Canada. I imagine in the US it would be expensive and found a place in Zurich Switzerland where ablation costs $30000!

Would be interested in your opinions on health decisions.
Cheers, Guy.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I'm only 58 and have a very physical job, standing and working the entire day. Upper body is fantastic from work. Lower body, feeling a little stiffness months ago, instead of bending down, I started squatting down to pick up things. Just a few weeks into squatting, my hip, knee and ankle joints are much more limber and feel healthy like my upper body always has.

[GH85Carrera]

Genetics is the biggest factor of "normal" living. I don't participate in overly dangerous activities.

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=recycled sixtie;12609503]
I need to get another inguinal hernia fixed in the next couple of years but so far it is not too much problem. I have atrial fibrillation about once every two weeks. The scheduling coordinator for the surgeon says there is an eighteen month waiting period to get it addressed. I said I could be dead by then. I will start phoning this week to see if I can get it done privately in Canada. I imagine in the US it would be expensive and found a place in Zurich Switzerland where ablation costs $30000!




My younger sister was going through a couple years of panic attacks...diagnosed by her Gen Dr. They got worse and he sent her to a heart specialist. He ordered an Ablation immediately and she went home the next day. It's been about 6 months now and no more 'panic attacks'. She says she feels better than ever now.
.

[wdfifteen]

Well, I made my attitude about life and doctors clear in another thread here.
I hope you went ahead and got put on the waiting list. I'm sure they'll have cancellations that might move you up on the list. That has happened to me multiple times.

[vash]

find a good doctor. and learn to advocate for yourself. and be truthful to them..100%.

I drive my mom to the doc and she will tell the guy, "oh, I'm fine". after I just listened to the laundry list of health woes on the drive in....

[Cajundaddy]

My big 3- Eat real food, moderate exercise daily, avoid the healthcare system like anthrax.

I do the annual checkup and sometimes go in for a travel vaccine to avoid Yellow Fever or Typhus in a 3rd world country. Otherwise no pharma, only supplements, no home healthcare machines. My feeling is that our healthcare system is pretty good for emergency and critical care but so much of the "health maintenance" is centered around treating symptoms only, ignoring root causes, and keeping us in the system as a subscriber. I'd rather stay out of the system as long as possible.

[oldE]

Don't sweat the small stuff. Recognize what is in your best interests and follow that course. Around the time I retired I was having pain in my knees. I had to acknowledge the fact I had put on weight and it was adding too much stress to my joints. Over a period of 18 months I got back to my usual weight and waist size and my knees stopped complaining. Who knew?
The next problem was shortness of breath. Some breathing exercises helped for a while, but eventually I agreed to try a puffer. Problem solved. The doctor also had me do an EKG and a stress test to make sure we eliminated other possibilities, but other than that I just avoid soft drinks and junk food. I haven't smoked in 55 years and my alcohol consumption seems to be about 4 glasses of wine or beer a week, always with a meal.
As my doctor said, "Keep doing what you're doing."

[LWJ]

I just got back from 22 days in Italy. Take away. 1. Walking culture. 2. The food is fresh, natural, and tastes 2-3x better than in the US. I was making absolutely epic dishes with super basic ingredients and a not particularly complete kitchen. 3. Lower pace of life. Things moved slowly.

And? My stress / anxiety are very very low. My smile? Pretty big. Also didn't gain any weight despite eating very very well.


I believe in the situational theory to health (which, I may have just coined the term). That is, your situation will greatly drive your outcome. If you eat crap. Sleep crap. Don't exercise and stress out. The outcome is somewhat predictable. You will feel like crap and not be healthy.

We have choices that can drive long term results.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by LWJ

I just got back from 22 days in Italy. Take away. 1. Walking culture. 2. The food is fresh, natural, and tastes 2-3x better than in the US. I was making absolutely epic dishes with super basic ingredients and a not particularly complete kitchen. 3. Lower pace of life. Things moved slowly.

And? My stress / anxiety are very very low. My smile? Pretty big. Also didn't gain any weight despite eating very very well.


I believe in the situational theory to health (which, I may have just coined the term). That is, your situation will greatly drive your outcome. If you eat crap. Sleep crap. Don't exercise and stress out. The outcome is somewhat predictable. You will feel like crap and not be healthy.

We have choices that can drive long term results.

Yep, I could move to Tuscany tomorrow. The food, culture, and pace of life would be easy to adapt to.

[BK911]

Lots of water.
Reduce sugar.
Stretch every day.
Fast - eat one meal a day. I do this for a couple weeks then back to normal for a few weeks.

Of those 4, the sugar reduction had the most impact.

[pwd72s]

How long do you want to live? Not meant as a joke. The desire to keep living changes as the health problems pile up. That doesn't mean one is suicidal, but it does mean you begin to think long and hard about whether or not to undergo a procedure.

My personal example...I have abdominal aortic embolisms, both sides...after reading of the operation to correct these, and considering my age, I decided I'd rather bleed out than go through the pain and long healing process of the operations, assuming I even survived the stress of them. So, I stopped going for the monitoring scans.

It's really the old quality vs. quantity of life debate....something for each individual to decide...

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

How long do you want to live? Not meant as a joke. The desire to keep living changes as the health problems pile up. That doesn't mean one is suicidal, but it does mean you begin to think long and hard about whether or not to undergo a procedure.

My personal example...I have abdominal aortic embolisms, both sides...after reading of the operation to correct these, and considering my age, I decided I'd rather bleed out than go through the pain and long healing process of the operations, assuming I even survived the stress of them. So, I stopped going for the monitoring scans.

It's really the old quality vs. quantity of life debate....something for each individual to decide...

This. My MIL is 93, and has a pacemaker she refused to have the battery replaced. She can walk to and from the car with cane, but wants someone to provide a hand to hold onto. She is in hospice care, and 100% positively will never go to the hospital again. She is at an assisted living home, and it is very nice, friendly staff, and the food they cook on site sure smells good. She has sold her house, and her car, and gotten rid of all her excess stuff. She has occasional strong chest pain, and they call hospice and they will administer pain medication and nitroglycerin. That is all.

I never want to live like some of the other residents there, that just sit and stare blankly at the TV, and can't even feed themselves or interact with anyone.

[LWJ]

^^^100%. Quality over quantity. My FIL took 8 years to die. It was awful. Torture on everyone.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by BK911

Lots of water.
Reduce sugar.
Stretch every day.
Fast - eat one meal a day. I do this for a couple weeks then back to normal for a few weeks.

Of those 4, the sugar reduction had the most impact.

That sounds like a pretty solid plan. Reduce sugar, stretch, and fast. I actually usually do a different fast, maybe 36hrs or 2x 36hrs/week. Sometimes I'll do a 60hr, but I think 2x 36hrs is better and a bit easier. I'm sure that one meal a day is good as well.

[carreradpt]

What would I have in mind to get/keep healthy or improve health? Walk. Take walks, stretch/stay limber and do things that challenge you mentally and physically. Losing/keeping the weight off will make you feel younger, you have to eat good stuff.
But you always have to take care of the serious chit that prevents any of that from happening.
AND stay off of ladders!
Best to you

[Baz]

[Bill Douglas]

Moderation works for me. And being consistent.

I don't exercise too much, I also don't drink too much. Food is pretty ordinary, well, much the same food as I've always eaten.

I never do fad diets or "a teaspoon of this a day will dissolve belly fats"

[stevej37]

More bike riding this season....it's almost here.
Most off-seasons I put on a few pounds...this year not so much....happy about that.

[Brian 162]

I’m 66 so I’ve done a few things since I retired. I ran for a few years, then my wife gave me a gym membership with a fitness trainer when I turned 65. Now I go to the gym 3 days a week. I also go for walks when we’re away.
This winter helped with all the shoveling that I did.