What Should I Watch Out For When I Get Over 40?

When you get over 40, there’s this obvious risk of getting any disease. Some are even surprising --- the people who have don’t ingest toxic substances suddenly getting sick?! If we ourselves have a drink or a smoke from time-to-time, how safe are we? What should we look out for?

Tobacco smoke – This is the silent and deadliest killer. The media has informed us repeatedly that cigarette smoking is bad for the health --- I mean, even the packs of cigarettes themselves have the warning --- so how could it still creep up on us? If you’re over 40 and you still smoke, then maybe it’s time to quit, or even lessen the number of cigarettes you light up daily. If you’re not a smoker, remember: second-hand smoke is oftentimes more dangerous than first-hand smoke. Better stop hanging out with friends who smoke, or walking through smoking areas --- it’s toxic!

Alcohol – We can make up all the excuses like red wine being good for the heart, but alcohol is still alcohol --- have too much and it’ll haunt you for the rest of your years. You could claim that you’re not an alcoholic, that, instead, the alcohol follows you, but you should take responsibility when you drink. When you’re over 40, binge drinking is harder to recover from, and is harder to escape. If you have an alcohol problem, it can contribute to higher triglycerides, cancer or heart disease. Enroll yourself in a program if you can’t handle it on your own, or, better yet, condition yourself to drink less.

Weight – When you’re over 40, it’s harder to notice that your metabolism has slowed down to a crawl. You may claim that it’s just the beer weight, but any additional weight is just added load to your heart. Plus, chances are, if you start gaining weight, it means that you might possibly have higher blood pressure, higher blood cholesterol, and a higher risk for diabetes or a heart condition. It may also signify inactivity, are you moving less? Join a weekend exercise class, or jog before going into the morning shower --- it’ll do your body good, too, with the endorphins.

More info about your health? read other blogs posted here or go to over40andfighting.com