‘Live well, age well’ proper motto for senior citizens

If you have your health, you have everything, so the saying goes. Because “Live Well, Age Well” is the motto of Eastern Agency on Aging, we have some tips to help you do just that, and all in time for National Public Health Week, April 4-10.

Eat right and exercise. How many times have we heard that sage advice? But just how do we go about it exactly? For instance, which foods are best? Can you cheat a little and still be healthy? And how much exercise is enough?

First off, eating right. According to the American Public Heath Association, you should be eating at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day. It is not so hard when you think about it. Even I could do it (after the leftover Easter candy is gone.) Have an orange with breakfast, some berries as an evening dessert, tomato and lettuce on a sandwich or toss chopped vegetables in some soup or spaghetti sauce. It’s a piece of cake, so to speak.

Wash it all down with a cold glass of fat-free or low-fat milk, or add a slice of cheese to the aforementioned sandwich and your bones will thank you. Three servings of dairy per day are recommended.

Also, try to eat a minimum of three servings of whole grains a day, such as 100 percent whole wheat bread, crackers, brown rice and pasta. Not only are these foods fiber rich, but they are full of nutrients.

Round out this “menu for a healthy new you” with two or three servings of protein a day, and you could live forever. OK, that’s untrue, but you will feel better and may be able to stave off some illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.

But no matter how well balanced your diet is, you still have to move around.

“Older adults can live stronger and longer by eating properly and by exercising regularly,” said Val Sauda, director of outreach at Eastern Agency on Aging. “As a nurse, I am keenly aware of the health benefits of exercise and how it affects balance and muscle strength, not to mention systemic benefits. Poor balance can lead to a devastating fall which can result in a broken hip – and as many as one-fourth of older patients with a hip fracture die within a year.”

The best advice, said Sauda, is to start a new exercise program slowly and in collaboration with your doctor. Beginning with as little as five or 10 minutes a day, gradually increasing to 30 minutes most days, will make a world of difference.

As the weather continues to improve, options for exercise increase. Walking, gardening, and cruising the neighborhood on a bike are great ways to get in shape while getting fresh spring air into your lungs.

And don’t forget lifting weights. Strength training can increase muscle mass and improve balance in a very short period of time. Combine this with stretching for flexibility. Remember, check with your doctor first.

Also, take a look around your residence to see if there are things you can do to decrease your risk of falling. For a free pamphlet on “trip proofing” your home, call Eastern Agency on Aging and we will be glad to send you one.

Happy National Public Health Week.

Prescription drugs can go a long way to keeping you healthy, providing you take them correctly. But how to pay for them is the question of the day. Come to a free presentation 10 a.m.-noon Thursday, April 7, in the Eastern Agency on Aging conference room. Val Sauda will speak on “Managing your Prescription Drugs at Home,” and Stacie Sparkman will speak on the “Basics of Medicare D,” which takes effect Jan. 1, 2006. Call EAA at

941-2865 to register.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.