***Baby Boomers Number 1 Goal Is To Stay Healthy and Vital

I can’t believe that I’m writing January 2010! Is it my imagination or did this decade breeze by so fast that my hair is still settling onto my shoulders?

For many of us Baby Boomers, the last ten years has been fraught with caring for or watching our aging family members deal with such issues as Alzheimers, Osteoporosis, Heart Disease and Cancer. Seeing these diseases so up close and personal has made us all the more determined not to go there ourselves and we are steering ourselves onto a much different course than that of our parents.

The latest Boomer Statistics from Navigate Boomer Media and Silver Summit on Boomer trends say that Boomers Number 1 concern in staying Healthy, and Vital. Here are a few tips on beginning this new decade with a renewed mindset for better health and vitality.

Cancer is so much in the news these days. Several of my friends have just received their first colonoscopy. Next year, I’ll be getting my second one. In ten years, there’ve been some changes on the recommendations for this test, just as there’ve been recent changes on testing for Breast and Cervical Cancer. Advances have been made in finding Prostate Cancer earlier and more people are accessing these tests than ever before.

My recommendations here are to stay on top of the latest testing available and have a heart to heart with your doctor about your own family history, any changes in your body or diet. Also, it’s important to keep an on-going dialog with your doctor about any concerns that you may have. The first step in prevention is being aware of your own body and any changes you feel. Early diagnosis of any type of cancer increases your chances for beating it.

I know that my parents and many of their friends would never have discussed family history with their doctor nor did they really understand their own body in the same way that I do. The Baby Boomer Generation is learning to take charge of our own health care and not rely on someone else who really doesn’t know us. That’s a good thing!

Exercise and diet have been proven to help prevent Osteoporosis and Alzheimers Disease as well as many of the Heart Disease issues like High Blood Pressure and weight gain. A diet rich in Omega 3’s is a must these days as well as plenty of fruit and vegetables. Wild salmon, walnuts, flaxseed and sardines provide Omega 3’s and dark fruits like blueberries and cherry’s have lots of antioxidants, while green leafy veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli and swiss chard provide plenty of vitamins and some Calcium as well Almonds are also a good source of Calcium (my personal favorite).

Moderate exercise is the most beneficial in the long term and I recommend choosing something that you love to do. How about Tango lessons? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to play tennis or you swim like a fish. When you enjoy exercise it’s easier to get out there and do it, so choose wisely, and keep it going! Start an early morning swim club or join a dance class. Social activity is very beneficial in keeping our brain cells healthy so combining our exercise with a social gathering is another great way to keep active, healthy and vital well into our golden years.

And don’t forget your supplements. As much as we try, it’s difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals we need from our food, so make sure your multi vitamin which has everything your body needs and then add some Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D – you can get this combination as one supplement. I also take extra Vitamin C – especially this time of year to keep my immune system functioning properly. Bring the supplements you’re taking to your next doctor’s appointment and discuss your blood levels, blood pressure, etc. with your doctor and get his/her recommendations for the supplements that will be most beneficial for you.

As always, please feel free to ask me questions on health topics by clicking the “Ask Kathi” button on www.HealthyBoomerBody.com I’m happy to provide any information I can.

Tags: baby boomer generation, cancer advances, colonoscopy, health and vitality, silver summit