Over 60? Stop Doing This Now, Say Experts
Turned 60 this year?
Congratulations! You're entering the best decade of your life. Your 60s are a
decade that will bring you some freedom from your worldly duties and give you
the opportunity to pursue passions you put on hold while managing your
full-time family and work responsibilities. As a geriatrician, I like to tell
my patients that their newfound freedom does, however, come with its own set of
responsibilities. If this decade of your life has a theme, I recommend making
it self-care. Investment in your physical and mental health and stopping
certain behaviors and habits during your 60s will give you enormous rewards in
the decades ahead. I give my own patients the following advice. Read on to
learn what it is—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss
these Sure Signs You May Have Already Had COVID.
1. Stop Using the Salt Shaker
"Excessive dietary salt
intake has been linked to elevated blood pressure in research studies.
Additionally, older adults are more sensitive to blood pressure fluctuations
with dietary salt intake, including reduction in blood pressure with dietary
salt reduction. As elevated blood pressure is a risk for heart attacks and
strokes, please do yourself a favor and get rid of the salt shaker from your
dining room table," says Dr. Syed.
2. Stop Drinking Ginger Tea Latte if You Are on This Medication
"Most people don't realize
that foods and herbs can have chemical ingredients which may interact with
their prescription medications. For example, ginger, garlic, turmeric, ginkgo,
green tea, and chamomile can all interact with the blood thinner warfarin and
affect blood levels," she says.
3. Stop Procrastinating About Completing Your Advance Directives
"The COVID-19 pandemic has
highlighted the unpredictability of human life, so it is never too early to
complete your advance directives. Your loved ones should know what your values
and goals in life are, so that they can keep them in consideration when making
emergency decisions," says Syed.
4. Stop Using Over-the-Counter Medications With the Label “PM” on Them
"The word 'PM' on
over-the-counter pain medications, sleeping aids, and medications for sinusitis
generally indicates that one of the ingredients is a first-generation
antihistamine. These antiallergic medications are associated with episodes of
confusion, dry mouth, dizziness, and falls in older adults," she says.
5. Stop Watching TV in Your Bedroom
"Sleep specialists recommend
getting TV out of your bedroom to improve your sleep hygiene. Avoid watching TV
or using your smartphone or tablet up to an hour prior to bedtime, to improve
your sleep quality," she says. And to get through this pandemic at your
healthiest, don't miss these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
