January 6, 2021

6 Steps To Good Health For Women Over 50

Health Checklist for Women Over 50

6 Steps To Good Health For Women Over 50. We all want to be healthy and God willing, live as long as possible. And while obviously there are some things beyond our control, like family history and accidental deaths, there are still many things we CAN CONTROL to achieve what we want – and that is good health.

So to help, we’ve made a Stay Healthy Checklist For Women Age 50 and Older. Try to stay on top of the daily activity health tips and the screening tests schedule as your body will thank you 🙂

STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE – Get up to 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Brisk walks, swimming, dancing, mowing the lawn, or an exercise program.
EAT A HEALTHY DIET – Daily meals should include generous amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat milk products. Limit foods that are high in fat, salt and added sugar.
STAY A HEALTHY WEIGHT – Keep in mind that the calories (or energy) you consume must be burned off with activity so you don’t gain weight. The average woman needs to eat about 2,000 calories per day to maintain her weight, and 1,500 calories per day to lose one pound of weight per week.
DRINK ALCOHOL MODERATELY – Sorry, but women should have no more than one drink per day and men no more than two. If you are older than age 65, have no more than one drink a day.
BE TOBACCO FREE – Tobacco use is a leading cause of heart disease and cancer. Need Help quitting smoking – check the TOOLS & TIPS QUIT SMOKING LINK
PREVENTATIVE SCREENING TEST –

PREVENTATIVE SCREENING TESTS

Blood pressure – have it checked at least once every 2 years. 140/90 is a good pressure to be around
Cholesterol levels checked – a good cholesterol level for 50 year old women are: normal total cholesterol level for adults without heart disease is less than 200 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol level of 60 mg/dL and above is considered protective against heart disease, while a level less than 50 mg/dL for women or 40 mg/dL for men is considered a major risk factor for heart disease
Type 2 Diabetes test – if you have family history of diabetes, are overweight or obese, have high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, make sure to have a blood glucose test to measure long-term blood sugar control.
Breast exams – yes, this means a mammogram. If you have family history of breast cancer, you should start the exams in your 40’s. If you’re at a higher risk for breast cancer, have the exam every year. Otherwise every 2 years is good.
Cervical cancer test – this is the Pap smear, which should be done every 3 years.
Colorectal cancer screening – should be done once you reach age 50. Consider either a) colonoscopy which is done every 10 years, b) a stool test which is done yearly, or c) a sigmoidoscopy which is done every five years and then the stool test every 3 years.

Now that you know what needs to be done – take these 6 Steps to Good Health and please don’t wait any longer to call your physician.