0 Senior Health ?EUR" Seniors Are Facing Both New and Old Challenges In The Battle Against Aging

As seniors we are faced with a number of both physical and mental challenges such as arthritis, mental health concerns (Alzheimer's, Dementia), cardiovascular issues, and an increased risk of cancer. Then of course there are the simpler maladies such as fatigue, declining vision, muscular discomfort, and loss of sex drive.

Wow, those golden years are looking more and more like a train wreck of physical and mental symptoms rather than the utopia painted in those retirement community commercials that seem to run non-stop on cable television!

There are also a number of additional issues brewing that should be of concern to everyone over the age of 50. These are declining medical care and the heightened use of prescription medications.

Recently I had the opportunity to observe declining medical care first hand as I escorted a close friend through a revolving door of doctors. The problem trying to be solved was intense back pain combined with rapidly declining weight. The back pain was chronic and the her weight had plummeted from 128 pound down to a paltry, and dangerous, 93 pounds in less than 6 months. Each doctor she saw would take less than 15 minutes with her, write a prescription, and then pass her on to someone else. She finally got up the nerve to ask her most recent doctor about her weight loss only to be greeting with the response " I can't help you with that.".

I know not all medical professionals have become this desensitized to the needs of seniors but I fear many have due to burn out, rules, regulations, and threat of lawsuits. Recently, a doctor friend of mine told me that in order to pay his medical insurance premium and staff he had to see one patient every 20 minutes. A scary thought for those with a serious medical concern!

Additionally, a recent article in a popular senior monthly publication has the average number of medications seniors age 60 are taking at 5 and climbing from there as one ages. Research tells us that the vast majority of prescription medications put pressure on the liver, impede immune system function, and cause internal inflammation. The more drugs taken the higher the probability that these problems can occur.

So in order to reverse these trends we as seniors need to focus on trying to do a better job of taking care of ourselves by living in a more health conscious way.

According to John's Hopkins the eight ways to do this are to participate in doctor approved exercise at least 5 days a week, eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, achieve and maintain a healthy weight, avoid tobacco products and second-hand smoke, reduce stress, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, avoid excessive sun exposure ( although a small amount is needed to produce vitamin D), and constantly challenge our minds.

Additional steps worth considering are to stay socially active in order to avoid depression and implement natural remedies (with the help of your doctor) such as fish oil, herbal remedies, and homeopathic remedies, when possible.

In conclusion, it appears that if as seniors we are going to be able to achieve longevity and maintain our quality of life we must do a lot of the heavy lifting ourselves since it appears we can no longer rely on our medical system to do it for us. It is a harsh reality that must be faced but most of the seniors I know are still young at heart and ready to take on this new challenge.

R.D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living
with over 10 years experience in the field.
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