Turning 50? Watch Out For These Health Problems

Turning fifty is a massive milestone. Half a century – it can feel almost unreal. So many benefits come with joining the over-fifties club: from greater wisdom to more freedom. But one of the downsides of reaching this age is your greater susceptibility to health problems.  

It’s a natural part of aging and not one that you can wholly avoid. But there are a few things you can do to live healthier as you reach a more dangerous age for your health.

So what are these health problems that could sneak up on you, and what can you do to help your health?

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common issue in adults over fifty because, as you age, your blood vessels get less flexible. The issue with this is that more pressure is put on the system that pushes your blood around your body.

High blood pressure can be controlled using medication, but the best option is to prevent it through lifestyle changes. For example, a better diet that helps you lose weight will reduce your blood pressure and regular exercise. In addition, if you have any harmful habits, like smoking, giving these up will reduce the strain on your blood pressure. Similarly, if you lead a stressful life, try to learn to deal with stress or remove it from your life, as stress is a big factor in blood pressure.

Hearing Problems

Joining the older age club means you will probably run into some hearing problems. As you age, your ears deteriorate – unfortunately, this is just a fact of life. But for some, this deterioration will be stronger than others. Many factors can play into this – genes, disease, and the kind of job or lifestyle you’ve lead can lead to this. For example, those who have worked in loud workplaces, like those in construction, are likely to have more worn-down ears.

Hearing problems can be fixed by hearing aids or other treatments. To find out what is best for you, it’s best to ask your audiologist.

Vision Issues

Another problem age brings on is issues with your vision. Vision can deteriorate at any age – in fact, it often becomes a problem for most when they are children or teenagers. However, there is one specific type of vision issue that affects more people over fifty. This problem affects reading things that are close to you. For example, you might find that you struggle to read a book or the menu at a restaurant. This is very common and can often be fixed with glasses.

However, there are some more serious diseases to watch out for. Glaucoma is the umbrella term for a group of issues that cause problems with your optic nerve. There is also cataracts, a condition that clouds your eye’s lens. When you visit the optician, you should have regular tests for these conditions. If they are caught early, you should be able to find ways to keep your health up.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is a common issue for adults over fifty. Heart disease is mostly caused by plaque building up in your arteries. These plaque deposits start in childhood and get worse as you grow older. The risk of heart disease is particularly prevalent between the ages of sixty and seventy-nine, so acting on reducing your risk while in your fifties is smart. Try to make your lifestyle more healthy, with regular exercise and a balanced diet. Remove as many fatty and processed foods from your diet to reduce the amount of plaque in your arteries.

Bladder Problems

Bladder problems happen to many adults and are nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. These could be caused by a variety of things, not limited to but including:

–   Muscle weakness

–   Thickening tissue

–   Nerve problems

–   An enlarged prostate

The best way to avoid this, or to lessen the impact, is by making lifestyle changes. For example, your risk decreases with regular exercise, and the demand on your bladder is reduced by drinking less caffeine and lifting fewer heavy objects.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition affecting your bones. When you have osteoporosis, your bones become weaker, making them more susceptible to fractures. The best thing to do to reduce your risk is to keep your bones strong and healthy. To do this, ensure your diet is rich in calcium and vitamin D, as these work to increase bone strength. Then, ensure you are doing regular exercise – especially the kind that is weight-bearing. These kinds of exercises include jogging, dancing, and climbing stairs. By doing this, you should keep your bones strong.

Cancer

Cancer is a risk to everyone, but the risk is higher as you age. In fact, your risk doubles between the ages of forty-five and fifty-four. Your genes are a big factor, and you have no control over these, but you can change your lifestyle choices. Regular exercise and a balanced diet will help you reduce your risk, as well as giving up harmful habits, like smoking. Try not to spend too much time in the sun, as this could increase your risk too.

Back Pain

Back pain is very common amongst older people. It can be caused by several things, the most common of which include:

–   Smoking

–   Being overweight

–   Lack of exercise

–   Diseases (such as cancer or arthritis)

Back pain is an annoyance for any over-fifty, as it restricts your movement and can cause a lot of pain – we do use our backs a lot! To avoid any serious back pain, make sure to manage these factors spoken about earlier. Manage your weight, get frequent exercise, reduce or remove harmful practices like smoking from your life, and get lots of calcium and vitamin D to keep the bones in your back strong.

Keep healthy

A lot of these health issues’ risks can be reduced with a healthy lifestyle. The number one tip for people in their over-fifties is to get regular exercise and a balanced diet. This is the best way to protect yourself from serious problems.