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As human beings, we are constantly aging, and will eventually find ourselves as full-fledged members of the elderly demographic. While it’s a natural process, not everyone is prepared to age, and some of us may be clueless as to what we should do when the time comes.
Around the age of 50 and beyond, our bodies start to be less robust. Now more than ever, it’s essential to start to take better care of our bodies as they become more fragile and inefficient.
This article will be revealing seven health tips for men over 50. While these tips are specifically catered to men above 50, these tips can apply to any able-bodied person who’s seeking to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Let’s begin.
Health Tips for Men Over 50
1. Attend Frequent Health Screenings
As we age, our body weakens and becomes less effective. Diseases like prostate cancer can occur over a long time due to the accumulation of mutations in our cells, and manifestations of this disease often start to show the older we become.
As such, it’s crucial for men over 50 to attend frequent health screenings. This is especially true if you’re currently diagnosed with health conditions and have a family history of such diseases. Most of the time, your doctor will recommend you undergo screening once a year.
Several health concerns that older men should screen for include:
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Hypertension
- Prostate cancer
- Colon cancer
Besides physical health conditions, it’s important to get checked for mental health risk factors too. Depression and anxiety can all impede a healthier life—so be sure to have these mental illnesses in check too.
2. Maintain a Balanced and Healthy Diet
As we age, we’ll have to become more selective of what we eat. Why? The answer is simple. Having a healthy diet is key to preventing numerous age-related diseases, which include cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Some food that men over 50 should try to incorporate in their diet include:
- Beans
- Eggs
- Fruits
- Lean meat
- Nuts
- Vegetables
- Whole grain
On the other hand, try to avoid:
- Caffeine
- Ultra-processed food
- Grapefruit
- Junk food
- Raw eggs and meat
- Red meat
- Sugary drinks
3. Sleep at Least Seven Hours a Night
As we age, we tend to wake up earlier due to changes in our circadian rhythms. This may result in having less sleep every night, so it’s extremely crucial to get at least seven hours of quality sleep every night.
Research has shown that sleeping at least seven hours a night results in a reduced risk of multimorbidity as compared to five hours a night. However, the duration alone isn’t a good indicator of good sleep—the quality of your sleep matters as well.
Older men tend to have worse sleep quality as the frequency of nighttime awakenings increases. They also experience less deep sleep, which results in them feeling less refreshed in the morning.
Sleep deprivation leads to increased mental instability and an increased risk of developing dementia. It also increases the risk of suffering from diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney diseases, obesity, and stroke.
4. Exercise Regularly
It’s important for men above the age of 50 to work out regularly. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise types such as cycling and jogging can help improve blood circulation and encourage healthy weight. This helps to keep your heart healthy while simultaneously preventing certain conditions, including erectile dysfunction.
Despite that, it does not mean that you should neglect other exercises. As your muscles begin to decline after the age of 40, strength training can help build up or maintain muscle mass, which helps to keep your muscles functional as you grow older.
However, if you’ve lived a sedentary life prior to this, it’s crucial for you to gradually increase your level of physical activity rather than going all-out immediately. As a start, try getting at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. This can come in the form of brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or weightlifting.
5. Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption
While consuming alcohol is fine in moderation, you may want to tone it down to one or two glasses of wine a day (or equivalent). Excess alcohol consumption is detrimental to your health in the long run.
Aside from the health risks caused by excess consumption of alcohol such as hypertension, alcoholism may also result in other social issues, including drink-driving and violence.
However, this does not mean that you need to totally avoid alcohol—research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption can put you at a lower risk for certain diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes
6. Stop Smoking Completely
Many of us are aware of the harm that smoking can cause us. While smoking is addictive, it’s not too late to quit as smoking is detrimental to the health of smokers, especially those over 50.
For older men, smoking greatly increases the risk of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, erectile dysfunction, and stroke. This is especially concerning as smoking may cause further health complications that may potentially cause death.
However, if you’re worried about your health after smoking for a long time, you may be relieved to learn that your body will begin reparations almost immediately after you stop smoking. As such, you should definitely consider quitting as soon as you can.
7. Vaccinate Against Diseases
In the ever-changing world we live in, new diseases are constantly discovered. Viruses and bacteria continue to mutate to form new variants and strains that are foreign to our bodies, and as we age, our immune systems may not be able to counter them.
As such, it’s crucial for us to vaccinate against diseases, including the new variants, to reduce our susceptibility to such diseases.
Consult Orlando’s Leading Male Health Clinic to Protect and Improve Your Sexual Health Long Term
While the health tips above cover the fundamental health tips you need to know, it’ll all depend on how disciplined you are to follow them. Strict adherence to these health tips would almost guarantee an easier time aging in the long run.
That said, everyone’s health journey is different. We strongly encourage you to have a discussion with a medical professional at Premier Men’s Medical Center in Orlando to find out how you can better manage your overall and sexual health as you grow older.
Our medical group can help you take large strides towards better health. We provide sexual dysfunction treatments such as ED therapy and low testosterone therapy, as well as customizable healthy living treatment plans for weight loss catered toward men.
Contact our medical office for a consultation to begin making health improvements today.
