Invest In Your Health

Americans are a smart bunch. We know that by leading a healthy lifestyle, we can prevent many diseases in every stage of life.  The Healthy People 200 report shows us that adult heart disease, cancer, and stroke deaths are on the decline, yet diseases caused by lack of nutritional health, such as obesity and diabetes, are on the rise. 

What you do for your health today has a significant impact on your health down the road.  Adulthood can be classified into 3 different stages: Early Adulthood, Midlife Adulthood and Old Age Adulthood. Each stage requires specific focus in regards to health, in order to lead you healthfully and happily into the next.

Early Adulthood begins in your 20’s. Your body has reached maturity in this stage, so the focus in your Early Adulthood stage is to maintain your healthy weight and habits, while avoiding gaining excess weight and body fat. In your 20’s your body adapts quickly, making this the easiest stage to make lasting changes.

 While you may have reached maturity, both men and women’s bone density continues to develop into their 30’s.  To maintain your bone density, fitness and nutrition must be your focus.  Strength training and weight baring exercise are  the sure fire way to strengthen your bones.  Bones stick to a “form follows function” philosophy, which means the more stress you put on your bones, the stronger they become.  In order to keep those bones strong, you must also consume adequate calcium, which helps bones become denser, which is harder to do n later stages of life.

In order to avoid excessive weight gain, muscle mass must be maintained or improved.  Muscle burns more calories than fat at rest, so the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn, preventing weight gain.  Strength training should be performed at least 2-3 days a week, working all major muscle groups, being sure to allow one day of rest in between to allow your muscles to heal and grow stronger.
 

Alcohol consumption is introduced in the Early Adulthood stage, and learning to consume alcoholic beverages in moderation is a must to preserve your health down the road.  Alcohol is the definition of empty calories: it provides calories, which can cause weight gain, but offers little other nutrients to benefit your health.  In addition to adding to your waistline, alcohol puts stress on the liver, and has a depressive effect on the central nervous system.  Women are advised to limit their alcohol consumption to 1 drink per day, while men are advised to limit their alcohol consumption to 2 drinks per day.

Heart disease is a major concern, especially for women, and this is the stage to ensure it never develops.  I high fat diet, or smoking causing plaque to build up in your arteries, restricting blood flow. When one of these blockages becomes complete, heart attack and stroke can occur.  Blood supplies oxygen to all your organs, so keeping arteries clear of blockage is imperative.  To reduce your risk of heart disease, avoid smoking, eat heart healthy fats and Omega-3’s, which are found in walnuts, kale, salmon and flaxseed, and keep your cholesterol in check.

The next stage of life is the Midlife Adulthood stage, and begins in your 40’s and 50’s.  In this stage, your body composition begins to change and your risk for cancer increases.  Your metabolism starts to slow, causing weight gain and excess body fat.  The good news is, if you continue to workout and eat healthfully, you can stave off that weight gain and maintain your metabolism, while you may find it is more difficult than it was in Early Adulthood. 

An increase in excessive weight put you at risk for diabetes, gallbladder disease, stroke, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and back problems, not mention the toll it takes you mentally and emotionally.

Remember: the more muscle mass your body has, the faster your metabolism.  Since muscle gain is more difficult during this stage, which is why it is so important to focus on strength training and proper diet in Early Adulthood.

A decrease in estrogen also causes bone density to decrease, increasing your risk of osteoporosis and fracture.  Strength training is so important in the stage to ward off increasingly brittle bones.

Cancer is always a big risk, due a lot to our ever increasingly more processed diet. Other culprits of increased cancer risk are: obesity, a high fat diet, consuming charred food that contains carcinogens, and consuming low levels of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Processed foods are pumped full of chemicals and preservatives that breakdown cells, which are believed to cause some cancers. To reduce your risk of cancer eat whole, non processed foods, and watch your fat intake and maintain a healthy weight.

Old Age Adulthood is the culmination of all your hard work.  If you lead a healthy lifestyle up until now, you are reaping the benefits of taking care of your body. 

The sooner you start the easier it will be to maintain your healthy lifestyle. As we enter each stage of life, your body is less responsive to healthy changes, which makes turning back the clock that much harder. 

Bottom Line: It may seem complicated, but the simple fact is, if you eat right, exercise, and don’t smoke, you can stave off disease and illness as you age, while keeping a slim, toned physique you can be proud of.

References

Judith E. Brown Nutrition Through the Life Cycle 3rd ed. Thomson, Australia, 2008

Mahan LK, Escott-Stump S. Krause’s Food and Nutrition Therapy Saunders, St. Louis. 2008