10 steps for health

10 steps to a long life
YOUR HEALTH
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DR GITA MATHAI


As we grow older and mature, the habit of reading the newspaper too grows. Everyday we find a wealth of information on health in newspapers, books and magazines, and wonder: what do we really need to do to stay fit?

1 Body weight

Body weight is a dynamic equation between the calories consumed and the level of activity. At all ages, we need to maintain our BMI (body mass index) — which is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the height in metre squared — at 23.

Obesity (BMI over 30) is associated with a host of diseases like arthritis, diabetes, hypertension and cancer. It can be tackled by reducing the food intake and increasing the amount of exercise.

Being “size zero” with a BMI of 20 or less (underweight) may be fashionable if you are a model, but actually it’s a sign of ill health. It is associated with menstrual irregularities, poor pregnancy outcome and weak bones. Such a condition is often due to inadequate food intake. Correction of the diet will cause a weight gain. It may also be due to caries in the teeth, diabetes, thyroid problems, malabsorption, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

The number of calories needed a day varies from person to person. For weight loss it is 20 calories / kg, maintenance requires 30 calories / kg and for weight gain it is 40 calories / kg. These are approximate values and need to be adjusted according to activity levels.

2. Heart disease

Heart disease now affects men even in their thirties. Women are protected by their hormones till menopause. After that there is no difference between the sexes. You can take charge of your heart by not smoking as well as preventing exposure to second hand smoke. Include at least an hour of walking, jogging or running every day. Reduce stress with yoga or meditation.

3. Diet

The diet should be rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fibre and fish (in the case of non-vegetarians). Snacking on readymade foods high in saturated fat and sodium is unhealthy.

4. Exercise

The current recommendations are an hour of aerobic activity like jogging, walking or swimming and 20 minutes of stretching or yoga every day.

5. The big C

Prevention and early detection of cancer can increase the lifespan considerably. Correct weight, regular exercise, a healthy diet, not smoking, and drinking in moderation contributes to the prevention of cancer. Hepatitis B immunisation protects against liver cancer, and HPV (human papillovirus virus) vaccine against cervical cancer. Regular “pap smear” tests, breast self examination and mammography detect cancers early in women. For men over 50, colonoscopy (in high-risk individuals) and PSA (prostate specific antigen) test should be regularly done.

6. Injuries

In India, over 80,000 persons die in road accidents annually, over 1.2 million get injured seriously and about 3,00,000 disabled permanently. Many motorbike accidents can be prevented if both the rider and pillion rider use crash helmets. While travelling in a car, everyone should use seat belts, not just on the highway but even for short distances within the city.

In the house, falls can occur on staircases and in bathrooms. These areas should be well lit. In addition, bars should be fixed in the toilet so that older people can grasp it firmly for support.

7. Master health checkups

A physical examination should be done every year, recording the height, weight, blood pressure, general condition of the heart, lungs and abdomen. The eyes and teeth should also be evaluated annually. Routine master health checkups offered by laboratories often have tests that are not required for a particular person. Some of the “package deals” may be unnecessarily expensive. It is best to go to your physician and do the tests you require. Some tests like haemoglobin, blood sugars and a lipid profile have to be repeated every year.

8. Chronic disease

If you have diabetes, kidney disease or some other chronic ailment, adhere to your diet and take your pills regularly. Keep all your follow-up appointments and do the blood tests on schedule. Complications of disease set in when patients are non-compliant.

9. Immunisations

Older people need influenza injections in September-October. The vaccine protects against the strain causing “flu” that year. When there is a pandemic (as there is this year of swine flu), that particular vaccine should also be taken. For those over 65, pneumococcal vaccine needs to be taken as a single dose.

10. Health supplements

Bone loss occurs in older people, in both men and women. Calcium supplements (around 1,200 mg a day) are needed to prevent this.

Tonics and protein supplements are not needed.

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in