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- Keep moving. The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests every adult get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. Sessions should be at least 10 minutes long.
- Eat like an Aegean. Follow the Mediterranean diet pattern of mostly plant foods, limiting animal protein to fish and poultry, using olive oil as the principal fat and use wine in moderation.
- Eat like an Aegean. Follow the Mediterranean diet pattern of mostly plant foods, limiting animal protein to fish and poultry, using olive oil as the principal fat and use wine in moderation.
- Mind your body mass index. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes 20 times and substantially boosts the risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and gallstones.
- Lift a glass, but only one. Alcohol's effects become more insidious as women age because the body's water-to-fat ratio declines over the years.
- Don't run up a sleep debt. Medical evidence suggests we need seven to nine hours of sleep daily, but more than 60 percent of women regularly fall short of that goal.
- Be your own best advocate on health issues.
- Keep connected. Older women who remain socially active live longer and healthier lives than their solitary counterparts.
- Avoid stress. Find techniques to reduce stress and its effects.
- Use supplements selectively. Experts agree the best way to get nutrients is through food. Only calcium and vitamin D, essential in preserving bone density, are recommended supplements. And that includes 1,200 mg of calcium and 1,000 mg of vitamin D.
But what makes this Harvard report special, to my mind, is the notice is pays to usually overlooked midlife health concerns, including wrinkles and hair loss.
As Dr. Robb-Nicholson notes, the report won't tell you how to get the best treatments for serious conditions, but it will help you determine the conditions for which you are at greatest risk and help you avoid them.
