If You Are in Your Mid-50s or Older, What Health Advice Would You Have for Someone in Their 20s or 30s?

[Debater Slayer]

If you are in your mid-50s or older, what advice would you have for someone in their 20s or 30s so that they could increase their chances of maintaining reasonably good health in the long term, setting aside individual factors such as hereditary susceptibility to certain health issues, accidents, medication-induced illnesses, etc.?

By "reasonably good health," I mean being able to function completely autonomously, not having severe chronic health issues such as severe diabetes, severe heart disease, etc., (excluding cases of any of these that are hereditary) and having enough physical strength to engage in physical activities like workouts, long walks, or perhaps even running.

Obviously, I know that any posts in this thread are not supposed to replace professional advice or doctor's visits. I'm just interested to know what has helped other people to maintain or regain good health over the long term.

Thanks in advance!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I'm not quite in my 50s yet, but as a 46-year-old with tinnitus: take care of your hearing.

I know it feels dorky to wear earplugs at a concert when you're 22, but think about how loud your environment is and limit your exposure to loud noises without hearing protection.

 

[rocala]

I guess the main one is pretty obvious, do not smoke. I am in my late 60's now and pretty fit, except for my chest. I smoked from childhood until I was 38. On top of that I worked in a couple of very dusty environments.
Most parts are still working very well but my lungs are a mess. I have had a permanent cough for many years.
LOOK AFTER YOUR LUNGS.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I'm not quite in my 50s yet, but as a 46-year-old with tinnitus: take care of your hearing.

I know it feels dorky to wear earplugs at a concert when you're 22, but think about how loud your environment is and limit your exposure to loud noises without hearing protection.

I wore earplugs the last time I went to a movie theater. That made for a much more pleasant experience than having my eardrums assaulted by the overly loud speakers.

 

[PureX]

Mind your mental health. Practice at maintaining a sense of gratitude, peace, conviviality toward others, and forgiveness toward life. Pay attention to what you're thinking and how you're feeling, and know that you can control these. Because you can. That way however long you live, and whatever circumstances are involved, you can make the best of it.

 

[Twilight Hue]

If you are in your mid-50s or older, what advice would you have for someone in their 20s or 30s so that they could increase their chances of maintaining reasonably good health in the long term, setting aside individual factors such as hereditary susceptibility to certain health issues, accidents, medication-induced illnesses, etc.?

By "reasonably good health," I mean being able to function completely autonomously, not having severe chronic health issues such as severe diabetes, severe heart disease, etc., (excluding cases of any of these that are hereditary) and having enough physical strength to engage in physical activities like workouts, long walks, or perhaps even running.

Obviously, I know that any posts in this thread are not supposed to replace professional advice or doctor's visits. I'm just interested to know what has helped other people to maintain or regain good health over the long term.

Thanks in advance!

I used to try to weightlift a lot and I was with some success looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in my youth.

But in retrospect I would have rather advised people not to try to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in their youth , but rather more like Bruce Lee or Sylvester Stallone.

Later years will be self-explanatory with exception of course made to hereditary afflictions that might interfere with that down the road.

Basically what I'm trying to say is keep active and flexible which is good for the mind and body or they end up like me right now where just about any activity is a pain to do but then again I've been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis for which I fear my struggle will be for the rest of my life, but it's still good advice to keep moving regardless of pain or discomfort. Easier said than done of course.

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

Ah, so many things…

• Live attentively
• Befriend yourself
• Listen to your body
• Distinguish your needs from your wants
• Minimise your wants
• Trust in yourself
• Be patient and forgiving; both with self and others
• Rejoice in the blessings of another
• Do not dwell in the past
• Do not fret about the future
• Do not obsess and/or stress about any of the above
• Trust life

 

[Secret Chief]

Regular exercise.
Good, balanced diet.
No drugs (legal or illegal).

 

[bobhikes]

If you are in your mid-50s or older, what advice would you have for someone in their 20s or 30s so that they could increase their chances of maintaining reasonably good health in the long term, setting aside individual factors such as hereditary susceptibility to certain health issues, accidents, medication-induced illnesses, etc.?

By "reasonably good health," I mean being able to function completely autonomously, not having severe chronic health issues such as severe diabetes, severe heart disease, etc., (excluding cases of any of these that are hereditary) and having enough physical strength to engage in physical activities like workouts, long walks, or perhaps even running.

Obviously, I know that any posts in this thread are not supposed to replace professional advice or doctor's visits. I'm just interested to know what has helped other people to maintain or regain good health over the long term.

Thanks in advance!

Its rather simple and everyone's been told it before.

1) See your doctor yearly and listen to what he tells you
2) Eat Right
3) Exercise

I can tell you whenever I followed these rules, I was my heathiest and happiest. Life gets in the way, and I would stop doing them and guess what problems would arise.

The only exception was the beginning of Covid, I was in good practice, but my wife caught covid and gave it to me and it took me awhile to get back on track.

 

[Secret Chief]

See your doctor yearly and listen to what he tells you

In the UK you can only ask for a doctor's appointment if you are ill. And there is such a strain on resources the preferred pecking order is:
1. pharmacist. 2. nurse. 3. doctor.

 

[ChristineM]

These are points i tell my children.

Eat healthily. Reduce salt and sugar intake
Watch your weight.
Don't smoke.
Exercise daily.
Drink plenty of water, stay hydrated
Limit alcohol consumption.
Sleep well.
Take vitamin supplements.
Cover up in the sun.
Prevent mosquito bites (use repellent)
Wash your hands after using the toilet.

Only recently started with these for twins.
Follow the traffic laws. Drive safely.
Until you're sure use a condom and get tested often.

if in doubt see the doctor

 

[Firenze]

Stay away from carbonated drinks. The phosphorus will destroy your bones. At 55 I was told I had the bones of King Tut - after a simple fall that broke 7 ribs and collapsed a lung. Since I hated coffee and tea, all my caffeine came from sodas.

 

[bobhikes]

In the UK you can only ask for a doctor's appointment if you are ill. And there is such a strain on resources the preferred pecking order is:
1. pharmacist. 2. nurse. 3. doctor.

That's a shame building a good relationship with a Doctor is probably one of the best health aids. I know in the US the Doctors are getting harder to see. All our insurance's pay for and recommend a physical every year. Do you not get physicals in the UK.

 

[Secret Chief]

Do you not get physicals in the UK

No. (Assuming you mean a "check-up"). Hard enough to see a doctor if you're ill.

 

[rocala]

Do you not get physicals in the UK.

Yes, they are called autopsies.

 

[Father Heathen]

I'm 44, but my advice is not to take your health and fitness for granted and it's never too early to start eating healthier and living a more active lifestyle. The older you get, the harder it's going to be to maintain, and poor habits will start catching up to you eventually. Also an obvious one; avoid hard drugs and hard drinking.

 

[bobhikes]

No. (Assuming you mean a "check-up"). Hard enough to see a doctor if you're ill.

Wow, I guess socialized medicine is not the way to go. Is that just a UK thing or all of Europe.

 

[Secret Chief]

I guess socialized medicine is not the way to go.

The National Health Service has been seriously underfunded (deliberately, to drive people to the private sector) for a decade by the tories and is also being privitised by stealth, little by little. Then we had the great idea to leave the EU and guess what, we lost a load of health service staff.

 

[PureX]

The National Health Service has been seriously underfunded (deliberately, to drive people to the private sector) for a decade by the tories and is also being privitised by stealth, little by little. Then we had the great idea to leave the EU and guess what, we lost a load of health service staff.

Greed never sleeps. And it poisons everything it touches.

 

[Father Heathen]

The National Health Service has been seriously underfunded (deliberately, to drive people to the private sector) for a decade by the tories and is also being privitised by stealth, little by little. Then we had the great idea to leave the EU and guess what, we lost a load of health service staff.

Trust me, you do not want a privatized, for-profit healthcare system. It's a predatory racket. Many an American have been driven either into debt or into the grave because of it.