Neither tired, Nor retired
Your Health - Dr. Gita Mathai
When India gained independence, its population had a life expectancy in the 30s. Today, barring unforeseen events, we can expect to live to our 70s. This transformation has been facilitated by better nutrition, education, hygiene, and immunisation against many diseases.
Unfortunately, our social system has not kept pace with the changing times. Though healthcare is theoretically provided free by the government - and there are government insurance schemes covering admission in private hospitals - it is woefully inadequate. The burden of elder care usually falls on the 30 per cent working adult population. Shrinking nuclear families, women in the workforce and global migration of the educated, has resulted in a dearth of caretakers, leaving the elderly to fend for themselves.
All of us get older, and as we do, oxidative stress damages our cells. The telomeres in our chromosomes grow shorter and suffer mutations. Though these changes occur in everyone, they are greater, and faster, in people who smoke, drink (anything more than the equivalent of a glass of wine a day) or are obese. These factors shorten the lifespan by as much as 10-12 years. By tweaking your lifestyle and making it a healthy one, the sunset years can be comfortable, and hopefully, disease and pain free.
Until the age of 30, nature protects us by making our muscles grow and remain strong. After that fat slowly infiltrates the muscles at the rate of around 5 per cent every 10 years. This accelerates after the age of 70. Muscles begin to sag and lose their strength. Balance is affected and falls can occur. Bones become weak and osteoporotic, resulting in fractures even when the injury is mild.
As you grow older, fatigue sets in easily with a desire for a mid-morning or afternoon nap. This can lead to insomnia and sleep that is not refreshing. Popping sleeping pills regularly is not the answer. Instead, avoiding a siesta can often solve the problem.
In India we retire young at 58 or 60 years. The brain starts to deteriorate rapidly once its synapses and electrical pathways are not used. Five per cent of the brain cells die every day. This is trebled if they are not used or were abused with chemicals, alcohol and nicotine.
Studies show that there is less deterioration in the brains of those who do yoga regularly. So, attend a yoga class, learn the basic movements and practice a minimum of three times a week. Learning poetry or the scriptures by heart also boosts brain cells.
Exercise is important to maintain muscles and prevent age-related deterioration. Weights of 1-2 kg should be held in both hands and movements like that of a school sports drill repeated 20 times. It is worthwhile to go online and see how all groups of muscles can be exercised. Follow this up with eye and breathing exercises. Flexion, core strengthening and balance exercises are also necessary.
Make sure you have adequate carbohydrates and proteins in your diet and 4-6 helpings of fruits and vegetables daily. This will provide protective immunity by boosting flavonoids and antioxidants. A protein shake a day is beneficial too.
Adults also need immunisation. Pneumococcal vaccine should be taken after the age of 65 as well as the Herpes zoster vaccine. A yearly flu shot between September and March is also necessary.
Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and lipid derangements should be kept in control with regular diet and medication. Residences need to made "elder friendly" with bright lighting and railings. Supporting bars should be embedded near the toilet and bathing areas to prevent falls and fractures.
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
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