Feeling Great at 60 and Beyond

A Special Report from the Doctors Health Press Board

Do you remember how you felt at 40 years of age? How about 50 years of age? If you're in your 60s now and you're not happy with the way you feel, don't despair. There are some simple steps you can take to feel just as good as you did in your 40s and 50s -- or perhaps even better!

It really is possible to feel as good as you used to. All it requires is a little dedication and willingness to pick up a few new good health habits. It may seem like more trouble than it's worth to start doing something new at this point in your life, but if you're like most people, there are a lot of things for you to enjoy now that you aren't dealing with the daily stress of work and/or raising a family.

By making a few small changes to your diet and lifestyle , you could significantly improve your health. And most of these improvements should actually feel good -- they aren't really the kinds of changes that you have to suffer through.

Not at all, in fact.

For example, one small change you can make is to add some activity to your daily life. Another is to eat more fiber or to make sure you get plenty of delicious fruits and vegetables in your diet. What could be easier?

Physical activity is good for people at any age -- studies have proven this time and again. Just consider the fact that, to cite one example, among older adults, falls are a common cause of injury and disability. Physical activity, on the other hand, makes your bones and muscles stronger.

When your muscles are strong, you're less likely to fall. And if you do fall, strong bones are less likely to break. Maybe you're worried about your knees when it comes to exercising -- many people are. If that's the case, you might be interested in the results of the following clinical trial. Researchers at the Centre for Rehabilitation, Manchester University, UK, wanted to assess whether exercise had any beneficial effect for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. A total of 214 patients were divided into two groups. One group was prescribed a home-based exercise program and the other was assigned home exercises supplemented with class exercise programs. The researchers designed the home exercise program to increase lower limb strength and endurance, and to improve balance. The supplemented group also attended eight weeks of bi- weekly physiotherapy classes.

The researchers found that the home-based exercise program, combined with the supplemental physiotherapy classes, significantly improved the patients' knee movement and also caused a reduction in pain levels. So, in this case, not only was the exercise safe for the patients' knees, but it was actually beneficial.

And how about this? Regular physical activity is good for your brain, too. Recent studies have shown that people who get some exercise on a regular basis (such as walking) are better able to make decisions than people who aren't physically active.

Your Health and Mine