HOUSTON – Learning to love your age starts with good health. Here are some medical recommendations to start once you turn 50 in order to maintain good health.
VITAMIN D
Do you know how sometimes there's conflicting advice on whether to take vitamins?
Well, by the time you're 50, doctors say vitamin D is indisputable. It helps you absorb calcium, slow osteoporosis, strengthen your immune system and possibly protect you from hypertension.
CANCER PREVENTION
At 50, your risk for some cancers goes up and with the rise in colon cancer, doctors want you to schedule a colonoscopy if you didn't already start.
This is also when women should be getting mammograms every year. Your doctor will tell you when you can switch to get them once every two years.
BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION
By 50, 50 percent of people have high blood pressure, according to Dr. Jonathan Aliota, an interventional cardiologist from Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.
Therefore, now is a normal time to begin taking medication for high blood pressure.
“The point is we have to treat it to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke," Aliota said.
CHECK BLOOD SUGAR
Due to similar cardiovascular concerns as well as protecting your vision health, you should also get a test for diabetes.
Your doctor can make the diagnosis with a simple blood test and if it's normal, you may not need another for three years.
TREAT MENOPAUSE
In women, the average age of menopause is 51, according to Dr. Megan Pallister, an OB-GYN from Kelsey-Seybold clinic.
If your symptoms are intolerable, she said it's time to say something.
"There are over the counter things like Estroven, St. John’s wort that people think they need to treat depression and mood swings and hot flashes for menopause but I would definitely talk to your doctor to determine what's best for you because there are hormone therapy which is the traditional route of treating hot flashes and night sweats and there are other options that may not be hormonal therapy but may be prescription based," Pallister said.
