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I prefer to go grocery shopping
in the early mornings. In general, I’ve found that if I arrive
before eight o’clock in the morning, it’s less crowded, the fresh
fruits and vegetables look good, and I’m less likely to make
impulse purchases because I’m hungry. Unfortunately, one of my
favorite grocers doesn’t open until 8 a.m. so I have to squeeze in
some time during the day to get there.
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As I was leaving a meeting
recently, I decided to make a quick stop to pick up a couple of
items. I was a little skeptical because it was midday and I had
another meeting, but I was going directly to the aisle where I
could get some dried cranberries and raw almonds, which I needed
for my morning snacks. That was the plan; get the two items, and
get out.
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I hurried into the store, which
was less crowded than I imagined, and went straight to the aisle.
Standing just in front of the dried fruit was a well-known,
long-time elected official. He was reading the nutritional label on
a product very intently, so I could have easily grabbed my two
items and fled. But this is someone I have come to know because he
is a very dedicated community advocate and is a strong proponent of
quality health care and eliminating health inequities.
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I stopped to say hello, and we
had a brief discussion about healthy nutrition. I glanced in his
cart and saw that he had no meat products, so asked if he was a
vegetarian. He told me that he had been diagnosed with high blood
pressure in the past and decided that he could eat much healthier.
He had been successful in reducing his blood pressure by eating
fewer processed foods and less fat, and exercising
regularly.
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I was impressed. These are the
simple things that we know decrease the risk of chronic illnesses,
such as heart disease and diabetes, but these lifestyle changes can
be very challenging.
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Often one of the biggest
determinants to living healthier is being motivated, so I asked him
if he had motivators other than his blood pressure. He talked about
living longer and emphasized that he wanted to feel good and be
functional even if he lived to be a centenarian. I was inspired and
was definitely happy that I stopped to talk with him.
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As a geriatrician, I am often
asked about the keys to longevity. For the sake of my subspecialty,
I wish that the answers were more sophisticated and complex.
Although genetics and the environment play a role in longevity, how
long a person lives is more often related to diet and amount of
physical activity.
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Recent studies have found that
it’s not just the kinds of food but the total calories consumed.
People who consume fewer calories (10-25 percent less than the
average American), while still getting the appropriate vitamins and
nutrients, have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, less
inflammation, and some have better memory. The degree to which a
person should restrict calorie is not yet well established, but
maintaining a body mass index (BMI) between 18-25 has better
outcomes.
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Preventing health problems is
the key to successful aging, so in addition to a nutritious diet
and regular exercise (both aerobic and strength training), avoiding
smoking and second-hand smoke is important. If you do develop a
chronic illness, diet and exercise can still help improve most
conditions but should be supervised by your health
provider.
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Good mental health is also key
in healthy aging. Remaining mentally active by learning new things,
reading, playing games (such as cards and puzzles), and other
activities that require multiple levels of thinking can help
maintain or improve memory.
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Low mood and depression are
sometimes challenging to recognize, especially in older adults as
it can be mistaken for simple loneliness. Having a low mood every
now and then is okay, but consistently low mood and lack of
motivation or interest in things is not normal and should be
addressed. People with low mood have worse health than those who
don’t.
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The good news is that living
longer and healthier isn’t that complicated. So whether your goal
is to be a centenarian (100 years and older) or just a nonagenarian
(90-99 years), it’s never too late to start!
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“font-family: Verdana;”>Dr. Wilkins is The American’s medical accuracy editor.
