Detecting Diseases When You're Over 40

The body is an amazing piece of hardware. It performs diagnostic on itself, 24/7, nonstop.

The slightest difference in operation is usually a sign that something has changed --- and it takes quite a bit of looking into. Sometimes we fail to notice these signals, but they’ve always been there, helping us in detecting diseases. There are different means of talking about diseases, but this is more focused on self-checking yourself.

Here are some tell-tale signs that something’s wrong --- and hopefully you spot them in time.

Unexplained weight change – Should you have an unbelievable shift in weight, from either losing/gaining weight too quickly, it is a sign that helps in detecting diseases. If you’re on a diet, it could mean that it’s working all too well, and maybe a little restraint is needed. But if you’re eating the same volume daily and still experience a sudden shift in weight --- you may be sick. A suddenly-bulbous stomach could be an indicator of fluid building up inside the abdomen.

Paralysis, difficulty breathing, weakness, tingling, pain, numbness – Any of these could help in detecting diseases --- an underlying cause might be present. It could be signs of a stroke, or a heart condition that you’re unaware of. Think back --- did you eat a little too much oily food? Did you start taking new medicine? Consult your physician --- it could be high blood pressure, or a blood clot inhibiting blood flow.

Unusually black, tarry stools – These may instantly scare you, but before jumping to conclusions that it’s a cancer, black, tarry stools are usually from internal bleeding caused by ulcers. Do you get stomach aches when drinking milk or soda? Ask a doctor for ulcer cures, because you’d have to stop the bleeding first. After you get that sorted out, plan out meals that are lower on acids, and maintain a proper schedule for eating. There are also some antacids that act as a cure for ulcer, which thicken the lining of the stomach.

A sudden, sharp headache – In detecting diseases, sudden pain where there was none is a big indicator of a disease or illness lurking just under the surface --- a sudden sharp headache could be a sign of bleeding in the brain. Although very unlikely, brain aneurysms can happen. Getting that treated just in time could be the difference between living to tell the tale … and otherwise.

A lump – Never rule out a lump. A lump is, in detecting diseases, one of the most obvious signs that something has changed. Depending on which part of the body develops the lump, it could either be serious, or benign. Should you notice an unusual lump in your body --- consulting a physician is always the best option.

Should you feel like you are detecting diseases on yourself, remember to keep emergency numbers by the phone.

Habits that put you at risk

Here are so-called lifestyle choices/habits that are dangerous to your health.  But you knew that already, so here’s what’s topping that list.

It could be one of those bad habits you might’ve picked up from youth, or something that you’re taking too much of, without realizing that it’s doing the body harm.  If you are guilty of any of these, and find that it’s too hard to quit, remember, health is a commitment not only to yourself, but for your family.

Smoking.  Think about it, other than probably making you look cool when you were younger, what else is smoking good for?  Every time you puff on a cigarette, you are inhaling about 400 different toxic substances, most of them carcinogens.  Cigarettes are just bad for your heart and lungs --- unless you want an intervention, give yourself and your family the gift of quitting the habit. 

Alcohol.  Alcohol is a twisted wonder --- enough of it will provide you with pleasure, but abuse the drink, and you’d have a lifetime of troubles.  While it’s been proven that a moderate amount of alcohol is actually good for you, but remember, alcohol is a depressant; however fun a night of drinking is, there’s no guarantee that a smile will still be on your face once it catches up in the morning.  Excessive drinking also puts you at risk for several types of cancer, heart damage, high blood pressure and heart damage.

No exercise and improper eating habits.  Lack of activity and an unbalanced diet is a killer.  If you’re always substituting junk foods for proper meals, combined with hours in front of the computer, you are more likely to become overweight.  Eating mostly processed foods may lead to type-2 diabetes, and having more weight puts you at risk of many types of cancer and heart disease.

Breaking the rules you make.  By far, this is the most important habit that’s affecting your health today.  Every time you say, “just another bite/sip/stick,” you’re putting your life at risk once again.  The first step of any life-change is acknowledging what areas in your life you want to change.  Next is coming up with the proper regimen, remembering to set aside time for exercise and planning your meals.  The third is sticking with it.  But if you keep telling yourself to do better next time, then what’s the point?  Sticking with a lifestyle choice can give you something that lasts longer than the cheap thrills of a bad habit.

5 Most Common Age-Related Diseases

Reaching your 40’s is no easy feat; bad health choices, bad habits, bad diets aside, the potential for age-related diseases is the biggest hurdle of our age.

By the time you get to your 40’s, a headache isn’t just a headache anymore --- it could already be a symptom for some disease your grandfather might’ve had, and an afternoon’s rest wouldn’t entirely cure you from that.

For your pleasure (and our caution), here’s a little preview of what not taking supplements, not exercising and not eating right might bring:

Type II Diabetes – Have you noticed ants flocking around the toilet after you’ve just pee’d? Have you been gaining / losing weight unusually? Then you might have Type II Diabetes. When the body is unable to process the sugar and carbohydrates in food, it might be a sign to be cautious. Excessive thirst, urination, sweating, unusual digestive problems and your vision starts to blur --- might be the symptoms of Type II Diabetes. Fret not, if you are in your 40’s, it’s just the onset of the illness, and a visit to your physician is in order.

Alzheimer’s Disease – Is the most common type of dementia. It is incurable, degenerative and most often, terminal. Are you becoming absent minded? Do you feel disoriented a majority of the time? Do you often get mood swings? These are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease. These symptoms are often mistaken for “old age,” but if you notice that your memory loss is too bad to ignore, seek a physician for an opinion.

Degenerative Arthritis – Over time, the cartilage in-between the bones break down, causing massive friction between the joints, which causes pain. Sometimes spurs or even a new bone develop where the cartilage used to be, these are extremely painful, and may even lead to a joint not moving ever again. Keeping a healthy weight in your 40’s can help ward off these effects. See your physician for the ideal weight for your age.

Heart Disease – Chest pains and shortness of breath are often tell-tale signs that something’s wrong with the heart. There might be blockage, or high-blood-pressure-dut-to-an-unhealthy-diet might’ve thrown your body off its balance. Exercise, supplements and proper dieting can prevent this.

Destructive Eye Diseases – These vary from glaucoma, to cataracts, but Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) progression is wildly dependent on a person’s nutrient intake. A supplement with the combination of Vit C, Vit E, Beta Carotene and Zinc have 17%-20% chance of slowing down the progression.

There are other, scarier age-related diseases that aren’t mentioned here, but all stem from a lifestyle of excess and lack of nutrients. Get some tests done and visit your doctor to confirm your deficiencies. Get that fixed and you might just find that these are the ways on how to help yourself.

Crucial Vitamins and Minerals for People Over Their 40's

It’s shocking that a number of people over their 40’s don’t realize how many diseases and conditions can be caused or even exacerbate by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

I mean, in your 40’s, it’s pretty easy to give up. It’s always easier to choose fast food rather than make up complicated nutritionally-balanced meals. This won’t be about making the best possible meal combination for you; this article is about how to help yourself.

Free radicals, when left unchecked, cause oxidation damage, which, in turn causes damage to healthy cells in the body. For that, eating fruits and vegetables are the best. They contain beta carotenes plus vitamins A, C and E. These vitamins are crucial in helping to keep the cells healthy. Take note of daily recommended dosages for your age on these three vitamins --- they’ll help you feel and look younger. When you stop cell damage, you reduce the risks for developing heart diseases and some cancers.  

Vitamin D is also important --- this is the vitamin that assists the body in the absorption of calcium. Rather than stay out in the sun to catch some rays of it, you could consume dairy products instead.

There are studies that have found that a lack of Vitamin K is linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Before you forget, grab a few leafy green vegetables to get your dosage of Vitamin K. These include: spinach, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli and brussels sprouts. Avocado and kiwi are also great sources.

Dr. Linus Pauling, two times Nobel Laureate, said "one could trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency".

As important as vitamins are, there are also several minerals that are crucial for people our age.  

Calcium --- as milk commercials would have you believe, it strengthens the bones and teeth and helps nerves function correctly. A glass or two of milk, or a bowl of your favorite cereal would give you what you need.

Zinc is also important --- it helps keep the immune system working well. Without zinc, the carbon dioxide outflow won’t happen fast enough to keep humans functioning properly.

Potassium regulates the body’s water balance and sodium. As anyone would tell you, too much salt is bad --- having a less than optimal amount of potassium can and will result in fluid retention, which is bad for the body overall.

There you have it --- the most important vitamins and minerals for people in their 40’s. As they say, prevention is better than –insert-cliché-here. If meal planning is beyond your means, try and get a health regimen figured out with a physician. There’re usually all-in-one supplements that help keep these things in check.

More info about Nutrition and Age-Related Diseases

Healthy habits for those in their 40's

When you’re older, you tend to realize that every feature about prolonging health on a magazine or television special almost always leads back to diet/exercise combo.

Old age may be quite a gift --- but along with that gift comes the many health problems and brand-new health risks for you. Proper diet and exercise? Those are a given. Here’s a few more tips that’ll probably double what you may consider to be “old age.”

6 Glasses of Water a Day – Six?! Wasn’t it eight? Water cleanses the body and helps the heart to function well. It wards off potential kidney and bladder problems. You’d have to drink at least six glasses a day, since you get 2-3 cups of water from your meals.

Take Supplements - Fish oils, alpha-lipoic acids and acetyl L-carnetine will help in maintaining your energy. 

Take a walk – Daily, if possible. Instead of starting up the car and wasting gas, try walking down the block if your errand is within walking distance. This light exercise reduces the likelihood of diabetes, cancer, depression and dementia.

Be happy – Play with your kids! Watch funny movies and shows. Getting angry increases the risk of congested arteries.

Visit your doctor – In our age, we should look after our health. We may feel okay most times, but let a professional be the judge of that. Follow any health suggestion / precaution by your doctor.

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Loud, proud and over 40? Here's the forum for you! > Over 40 VS The World

40: Time to get serious about your health

We love living an unhealthy lifestyle because it needs no effort AT ALL. Eating fatty foods, high dosage of sugar, infinite number of junk foods and the list goes on and on. But if you reflect on this particular sign below, we all know that being 40 years of age is not bad start to have a healthy lifestyle.

Do you get angry when your husband or wife drink a lot or eat unhealthy foods? Look at it this way, think of how hard you can change yourself and you will realize how impossible it is to change others.

Here are 3 serious yet simple tips that can jump start yourself to a healthy lifestyle:

1. Exercise – It’s easier said than done as always. If you don’t have the energy to exercise, procrastination always sinks in. Hey! Walking is also a form of exercise. Walk around the block for a set of time everyday and avoid using your car when going to nearby places. Save the environment and save yourself.

2. Eating habit – This is one of the hardest habits to control. I have to admit I am a slave of this habit. When hunger kicks in, this is where I don’t procrastinate. Avoid dining out and going to eat-all-you-can buffets! That will kill you faster, believe me. Also, drink vitamins everyday.

3. Attitude – believe me or not, this is a serious health factor. When you are always grouchy and unhappy, it will affect your internal organs normal function. I am pretty sure you had experienced being depressed and unable to eat or so mad that you can’t digest your food normally. Well, that is an evidence that it does affect your health.

Even if you are now at the 50th mark, it is not yet too late. Nothing is too late unless life ends. In fact, if you are 50, you are just 10 years away from when your life started!

3 ways to make the most out of your 40's

Being 40 isn’t for the weak of heart. Think about it: your kids are growing up, your younger colleagues at work speak and act a little more cautiously around you, you tend to forget things, your eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be.

On top of that, you’d have to deal with how people react to these things like it’s your fault! Like you wanted the memory loss, the bad eyesight, the rebellious streak your kids are developing, etc.

Those concerns serve no greater purpose other than for you to stress yourself over nothing. If you raised the kids right, even if they rebel, they’ll seek the path which makes their parents proud. Your younger colleagues aren’t ignoring you on purpose, they’re being respectful; to which you can always ask to be part of their jokes, you might’ve picked up some by your 40’s! The health thing? If you live a healthy lifestyle, dieting, work-out, you won’t have to worry about that. What you should worry about? Being ordinary.

Why should you be? You made it this far, it’s time to make the most of your 40’s! Here’s a few ways how:

Create a Masterpiece
You might’ve had distractions before you got to complete that book, that painting or that sculpture --- now that that’s all out of the way, it’s time to make the world a better place after you’ve gone through with it. Not enough time? Try and start up a blog --- that’s what I did, and it’s a great way to release stress. Remember: when you make something, it’s a way of living forever; it might be remembered or referenced long after you’re gone!

Take Up Sports
Know what? If you’ve spent much of your youth playing sports, chances are, those old reflexes are still there, and probably at a more optimal condition than the rest of the people your age. If you’re not too sure, try running or golf. Remember to consult a doctor before trying a certain sport, like jumping off a cliff and hang-gliding.

Love Thy Family
Spend as much time with your family as you can. If ever you were a young parent like I was, and have made it this far, with family intact, consider yourself lucky. Make Sundays into grand family gatherings, lunch at your home. It’s a good way to impart parts of yourself to the younger members of the family.

Midlife Crisis Is A Disease --- Only If You Let It

We’re always at a crossroads. Depending on where you’re looking from, you’re either x-years-old or x-years-young.

If we have a so-called “mid-life” --- why are we flipping over it? Doesn’t it denote that there’s still half a life to live with? If you encounter midlife crisis in your late-30s or 40s, wouldn’t that signify that you still have 30 or so more years to make up for everything? “Life starts at 40,” you’ve heard of it, right?

There are three principal causes of midlife crisis: denial, blame and isolation. Midlife crisis becomes a disease Let’s take a little look at how this age-related disease could potentially damage the remaining half of a midlife crisis sufferer’s life.

Denial a.k.a. “No, I’m not *that* old yet!”
What is often denied is often true. You weren’t born yesterday --- literally. You’ve been through good times, tough times and you’re still alive, so why deny that? When a person is suffering midlife crisis through denial, he/she might as well be suffering from delusion. Usually a person in denial utilizes various extravagant means to keep themselves feeling young --- this includes trying to re-live “glory days” --- binge drinking like in college, spending thousands in cosmetic surgery, --- you get the picture. Denial is a disease in and of itself.

Blame a.k.a. “It’s all you’re fault!”
You’re always older than the minute before. Everyone continues to age, whether they like it or not; So why place the blame on someone else? When you barrage your parents for getting you born in the 50’s or 60’s or when you start berating your wife and kids because their hassles add up to your own personal stress, then you are indeed suffering a condition. Instead, why not own up to it? Take responsibility --- repeat this to yourself in front of the mirror “I’m old because I make myself feel old. I could feel young by engaging in age-appropriate activities that help me feel even more healthy or youthful.”

Isolation a.k.a. “Leave me alone / Kill me NAO!”
Frequenting an area of the house by your lonesome for long periods of time a day is self-destructive. Sitting out alone in the basement or garage will make you crazy. Think about it --- prisoners dread isolation; when you’re all alone, you think --- when you think, you tend to rationalize negative scenarios about your present or future. In your midlife, you’ve probably made some friends, right? Plus, family’s always there for you.

There you have it. Don’t let the symptoms get to you. You’re better than that. Now go and LIVE the following half of your life!

Does life begin at 40?

Why would life start from 40?

Haven’t you done enough “living” by then? Is it the reality or just another cookie-cutter statement spewed from the mouths of those who don’t know?

Truth is, the older you get, the more you know. You tend to see that life has a pattern --- not that it wasn’t always there; but the joys of youth tend to dampen its presence. To the young, it simply doesn’t compute that someone over 40 was young once --- they expect memory loss, vision problems, and other assorted diseases that, in their mind, is exclusive to a certain age range.

Time to bust the myth: here are the reasons why true living starts in your 40s.

Teen:
As a teenager, you are more concerned about the little things. The bully that was older and bigger than you, the opposite sex starts looking attractive, while at the same time, you felt like the hideous creature from the lagoon, with the breakouts and all. You start feeling like your needs cannot possibly be understood by your parents (though they’re older and they were kids once) and that attending the prom/the game/the party was more important than anything. You didn’t have any money, and you played by your parents rules.

Twenties:
Okay, so the breakouts have let up, the dread of defending your thesis is history. The amount of freedom you had was always outweighed by the amount of responsibility --- taxes, relationships and work is a juggling act on a tightrope. If you’re fortunate enough, you may get married, and have children. Or maybe you spend the rest of your twenties trying to be somebody at work or in a relationship.

Thirties:
You’re happy with a family. Your parents become a lot more frail, it’s your turn to look after them. Your time will be spent in PTA meetings, school plays and watching the game. Oh, you’re happy, no doubt --- it’s just that you’re living for others now.

Forties:
You have a whole lot more to care for, your kids are all grown up and can take care of themselves. The list of things that won’t surprise you anymore grows longer and longer. There’s nobody to prove yourself to anymore --- you’re still the same person, with much wiser thoughts. Maybe your body’s older --- but that’s no reason to stop enjoying yourself --- it took four decades but now you have all the time for yourself to discover what excites you –doesn’t that sound like the right time to start living?