Healthy Resolutions Men And Women Over 50 Can Actually Keep

Exercise more and stick to your diet. Weren't those the same resolutions you made last year? And aren't you 10 pounds heavier and more out of shape than ever? Odds are that you set unrealistic goals. Don't give up; focus instead on goals that are more attainable and much less overwhelming when you're a man or woman over 50.


1. Don't eliminate entire food groups.

Giving up sugary foods or eliminating all carbs from your diet may help you lose weight, but such goals are nearly impossible to stick to long-term. Instead, just limit your intake.

2. Take a multivitamin - and women, add calcium.

For an easy, inexpensive bit of dietary insurance, take a multivitamin every day.

And if you're a woman, add a calcium supplement, too. If you're between the ages of 19 and 49, you need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. If you are 50 years of age or over, increase the amount to about 1,200. It's an easy way to prevent osteoporosis and other bone problems that plague women as they age.

3. Add just one more serving of fruits or vegetables every day.

Most of us struggle to get 5 servings, yet health experts recommend upping our intake to get 9 to 13 servings daily. There's no way most of us are going to double our intake of any type of food (well, maybe chocolate). So set a goal of adding just one serving a day. And when that becomes a habit, add another.

4. See the doctor annually.

If you're feeling okay, it's very tempting to pass up having an annual physical. Who has the time, right? But many health concerns can be caught before they become health problems if you get the recommended age-specific and gender-specific checkups.

For most women, that means having a Pap smear and breast evaluation done annually. Pap smear screenings check for cervical cancer, which is highly treatable if caught early.

Both men and women should have their blood pressure checked annually, since high blood pressure is much more common than most people realize. Because you don't feel any symptoms, your heart and other vital organs can be negatively affected for years if you don't have this simple screening.

Men and women over 50 should talk to their doctors about having some sort of screening for colon cancer too, another common cancer that is much easier to treat if detected early.

Talk to your physician about other screenings you might need, based on your age, gender and family history.

5. Add more exercise.

Much like doubling your intake of fruits and veggies, doubling (or more!) your exercise on a daily basis is so unrealistic as to be laughable. If you're a couch potato now, don't set a goal of running 4 miles a day.

Instead, add minor amounts of exercise that add up. Take the stairs. Park further away. Instead of telling yourself you'll walk for an hour, walk for 10 minutes. Almost anyone can fit that amount of exercise into their day, even into their lunch hour. And experts say that 3, 10-minute exercise sessions daily would do most men and women over 50 a world of good.

Are All Vitamins Created Equal For Men And Women Over 50?

Men and women over 50 have read the reports and seen the news. Our soil is depleted and lacks the necessary nutrients and minerals that our bodies need. The environment is toxic and wreaks havoc on our health. Free radicals attack our immune system. The only solution seems to be supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to compensate for environmental deficiencies.


After hearing all of this, what do most people do? They take a trip to the local supercenter or pharmacy, grab bottles of a popular supplement, and then think their job is done. It is a safe bet, however, that many people are not considering if what they consume is nutritionally complete and balanced. Not all supplements are created equal.

Dr. Myron Wentz, Ph.D and founder of USANA Health Sciences has this to say in the company's "Health and Freedom" brochure: " I began testing health supplements in my analytical laboratory to measure their nutritional balance and their effectiveness in promoting and sustaining a healthy life. Many of the products I analyzed were not only nutritionally unbalanced, but had incorrect and misleading labels. My research proved many times that what consumers thought they were buying and what they were receiving were two different things."

What can men and women over 50 do to ensure they are purchasing supplements that are high quality and nutritionally balanced? Here are 5 tips to assist in this process:

1. Perform careful research! Don't just go along with the latest fads. A good book to purchase is "The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements" by Lyle MacWilliam, BSc, MSc. MacWilliam is a former Canadian Member of Parliament and a current member of the Legislative Assembly for British Columbia. His book carefully analyzes over 500 products available in the US and Canada. The products that are listed at the top are best in the market today.

2. Look for a company who invests significant time and money in extensive scientific research, has worldwide scientific alliances, and who puts quality first.

3. Check to see if there is a guaranteed potency. Yes, there are companies who offer this and who follow stringent analytical and quality control procedures. In other words, what you see on a product's label is actually in the product.

4. Make sure the company's products follow pharmaceutical-grade good manufacturing practices (GMP). This is a step above FDA regulations. This means a variety of government agencies conduct periodic inspections and require control of procedures, as well as documentation.

5. Lastly, look to see if the company's products provide a money-back guarantee. Believe it or not, there is a company that is so confident about its products that if offers a revolutionary one million money-back guarantee to some professional and world class athletes.

Follow the above 5 tips for optimal health in men and women over 50!