What do YOU do to stay healthy?
 

Rather than hijack another thread in the much feared political forum I am starting this here. Much of the talk about health care reform mentioned "Preventive Care".

What do YOU do to protect the God given physical plant through which you experience life--your body?

"God given physical plant". I like that rshoffer.

That is a very good question. In over 5 years of posting (mostly woodworking forums) I have never talked about preventive care. Well, in the 80's and 90's I was a jogger and I did isometric exercises for all my muscle groups. I had to eliminate jogging because of my heels but now I do at least 1 hour a day power walking and I still do my isometrics with my Bull-Worker.
As for internal care...I take vitamins in the morning and really try to eat "healthy food." My diet consists of plenty of fruit and vegetables and I rarely eat beef.
The only prescribed medication I take daily is 10MG of a statin to help control my cholesterol. Oh yea...I quit drinking over 3 years ago because I couldn't control it.

I have crappy genes !!
 

With a family history of diabetes, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, low I.Q, osteoporosis, etc.......... I do everything within my control to stay healthy. So far it's working ! Almost 71 and I don't have to take any prescribed meds!

I lowered my own high cholesterol by diet alone, exercise minimally, weigh less than 130# size 10, never smoked, drink once-in-a-while to be sociable; I DO NOT eat any red meat, dairy, deli-food, processed products, junk food, soda pop, and I don't feel deprived! . I love to eat out a lot - mostly Thai food, and am very selective! WORKS FOR ME ! :pepper2:

Well, it sure sounds like you didn't inherit the low IQ. You go girl!!!!!:beer3:

Tell me doctor ??????
 

WHILE TAKING MY YEARLY PHYSICAL LAST WEEK I ASKED MY DOCTOR ..??

DOC' I SEZ, IF I QUIT SMOKING , DRINKING AND RUNNING AROUND WITH WOMEN , WILL I LIVE TO BE 100.........
HE SCRATCHED HIS HEAD AND SAID ,
WELL NO, BUT IT WILL DAMN SURE SEEM LIKE IT........

HE IS THE SAME WONDERFUL DOCTOR THAT IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THE OPERATION , FOR $10.00 HE WILL TOUCH UP YOUR X-RAYS.....

FIT AS A FIDDLE FUMAR:highfive:

Let's see:

- The pack-a-day stopped 'cold turkey' in 1973.
- 40 lbs went away a couple years ago (again) and hopefully will stay gone.
- Down to no more than two $1.75 margaritas a week.
- Have almost eliminated fried foods (and that hurt!).
- And thanks to my two terriers, there's a mile walk every morning and another mile-plus every evening.

And whenever I want to go back to old bad habits, a stroll by any hospital or chronic-care facility usually scares me back to reality.

What do I do to stay healthy.
 

Honestly it's too late. I have a very bad family history. I have all the bads except "C." I take a ton of pills every day. My numbers are great. My doctor says that my body doesn't care why I have good numbers as long as they're good.

I also get some regular exerscise.

Yoda

Held togeather with glue.

I wish I could say I discovered a "magic pill" to help with this but alas, watching what I eat and daily exercise is what keeps me healthy. About 10 years ago I lost almost 80 pounds and have kept it off- again through watching what I eat and exercise. I don't deprive myself (life is too short!) so if I want a piece of chocolate I have it, the difference is that I stop at one or two pieces, not half the bag :)

Great topic!
Me and the wife, hit the gym for 2-3 hours a day at least 4-5 times a week. She is power-walker on treadmill, I run 2-3 miles. The she does light weights for toning and an hour of aerobics. I do weights and resistance exercises.
We also drink a ton of water, limit red meat and fried. And when shopping read fat grams and carbs.
We both go once a year for our routine physicals.

Army Guy

I try to eat healthy and am thinking about getting a juicer. Does anyone have a juicer? If I get one, I want it to be a good one.

I go regularly to ALL the doctors for checkups.(GP,OB-GYN,Oncologist,Surgeon who did Cancer surgery, dentist, eyes)

I eat "colorful" food. A variety of fruits and vegetables make up 3/4s of each plate I consume. I try to minimize fat and eat a lot of fish, lean meat etc. in the protein department.

I do NOT take supplements except for Vitamin D recently prescribed by GP. I do almost all of the work in my life by myself. I cut our large lawn here in Ohio and maintain our house of 4500 square feet. I should say we. My husband is always sharing tasks. We are now painting the interior of this house to prepare it for sale and have removed wall paper and skim coated.

I stopped smoking many years ago and stopped drinking in the last ten years because I too felt it was becoming out of hand.

I try to get some sun and fresh air and I try to walk as much as possible. The walking and exercising increase when I am at The Villages because the house and yard aren't as much work.

I made the best health choice of my life in marrying the kind and caring and funny and wonderful husband of mine 49 years ago. He relieves all kinds of stress. Add to it our life companion daughter who is also fun, and easy company and makes us smile at least 100 times a day.

I try to surround myself with positive people who really like me despite all of my irritating ways and I try to keep my mind healthy by reading and playing games and sparring politically with my adorable college age granddaughter.

I need to lose weight and I am working on it.

Of course throw into the mix the genetics I inherited and the possibility of just bad luck. I would like to live to be 200. There is so much left to know and learn.

Grandfather
 

When my grandfather turned 100 my sister and I sat down and interviewed him so we would have a record for our children. He lived to be 102 and was healthy up to 1 week before he passed away.
One question we asked him was how he lived to be 100. He said "you know people worry too much today" also "you eat too much of that bread that is filled with air" and "meat that is filled with chemicals". He always went out to the farms and bought good meat, eggs and vegs. He was a Sheriff at the turn of the century, said he never shot anybody as in those days when you said you would shoot them you did and they did not want to be shot. He was a kind and gentle person, never raised his voice and ran a very large farm and did not drink. Did smoke a pipe. We spent out summers working the farm, eating fresh food, playing in the barns and milking and drinking milk from the cows. We use to laugh that it was a miracle that we were still alive.
I guess our life style today is to worry about things cannot change and not paying attention to the stuff they put in our food??

Inspiration
 

Wow, you people are inspiring! I really liked Graciegirls testimony to her wonderful husband. Mine is also a great guy and huge help to me.
I like all the healthy lifestyle and eating choices. I try to eat well but have been falling down on the exercise lately. One thing I continue to do is yoga which I love and hope to continue in TV. The two separate months that we spent there (renting), we had a lot of company and seemed to act like we were in vacation mode the whole time, eating and drinking. I have intentions of not doing that once we're living there. Of course we will go to Mallory or elsewhere for cocktail hour sometimes but not as often. Did any of you have a hard time not feeling like you were on vacation all the time?

Well rshoffer...you started a good thread here on preventive care. Now what do you do to protect your God given physical plant? Come on now...inquiring minds want to know...:beer3:

This is a great post! I keep up with doctor appts and dental appts (I believe dental hygiene has a lot to do with preventing illness). I buy a lot of fruits and steam or saute a lot of vegetables. My bad - I do still love a cheeseburger now and again and a good margarita. I have joined the water aerobics here and like to walk in the pools and swim. I am looking at what other exercise I might enjoy. I take vitamin D, magnesium and baby aspirin. I have been diabetic for at least 40 years but take oral rx only for it. I love to laugh - love funny books, movies, and good company.

I am throwing this right back at you. What do you do Mr. rshoffer????:undecided:

OK, here goes... first remember my avocation is personal training and I maintain active certification thru the International Sports Science Ass. I engage in vigorous physival exercise at least an hour a day... typically cross training with 3 days a week of weight lifting.
I have a very regimented process of nutritional supplementation and specialized whole foods that hes evolved since I was 22 (1972).I weigh 10 lbs les than I did at age 18. My main reference guide for this comes from The Life Extension Foundation at www.lef.org .
I get a minimum of 7hrs sleep a night but do better with 8.
Always buckle my seatbelt
Love my wife and my dog
I have never smoked (well, a little pot in college----'the 60's'
A family history of alcoholism has always caused me to respect alcohol... I drink a glass of red wine nitely
Get an annual physical and an array of lab tests that I request based on my years of studying this

I have trouble relaxing--- I am a "Type A" and a bit driven (My nickname in my psychiatry residency was 'DATSUN'--- remember the commercial?). When we lived in Pa we heated our home and domestic hot water with wood. It was an elaborate system and since we lived in the woods---free heat. To me a relaxing way to spend a Saturday was cutting, hauling, splitting and stacking firewood. Gotta work on this

So that's basically it

The reason I became a "health nut" was during my first year of medical school both of my parents died (breast Ca and ruptured aortic aneurysm) and it was a major wake up call... I am trying to stay 1 step ahead of my genetics.

A reminder---- there is definitely a downside to overexercising... there is no such thing as "superhealth" that is achieved by hours and hours of daily exercise. The body responds to that kind of stress by producing xs cortisol-- a hormone that , in xs, is not good for you.

My next goal is to turn the damn TV off at night and stop watching Beck, Bill-O, Keith O and Hannity...

In good health

Impressive....We have alot in common. Also..thanks for the link. I was reading their top-10 list of supplements and realize that I take most of them.
Isn't it amazing how we try to strive for immortality. They say us Boomers are supposed to redefine retirement. Imagine...65 year olds rock-climbing... We will have the nicest looking bodies the funeral homes ever seen. LOL

I set a new goal every night.

Tomorrow.

Yoda

I knew someone who used a juicer and seemed to drink a lot of carrot juice and eventually her skin turned ORANGE!!!! True story!!!!

RShoffer and others:

What is the best, healthiest beverage to consume? Other than water. Been drinking a lot of diet coke or diet root beer, and they both contain Aspartame. Need a healthier choice. Would like a taste other than flat water.

Gene

There's orange juice with less sugar on the market now which is tasty and nourishing. Also I enjoy cranberry juice diluted as it's much too sweet otherwise.

Pomegranate is probably the healthiest juice drink. The good stuff can be expensive. I don't know if aspartame is healthy or not although there is tons of literature that says it is not. I have been using products that contain Spenda.

water !
 

I only drink plain water - but if you need some enhancement....... how about a squeeze of lemon ? A tiny bit of sugar? A squeeze of fresh orange? Make a large pot of herb tea with honey & let it cool, refrigerate!

Aspertame, high-fructose corn syrup, ETC. - - artificial flavors, ETC -- all nasty stuff :cus:

GIgene,

We have developed a liking to Propel."It is a vitamin & antioxidant enhanced water beverage with great tasting natural flavors.

Gene.

A good many people from Cincinnati would say beer.

Try the green tea... available at Sweetbay and Publix... comes in diet too.

It's called carotenemia-->anything in xs is probably not healthy.

rshoffer, I am impressed! We have definitely got to meet when we get down there. You can teach the wife and I a thing or two! Being in the Army was my wake-up call. In my 50's I am in better shape then my 20's!!!

Army Guy

You go girl. I have diabetes and must take 10 different pills each day. I work out with weights and walk about 8 hours each week. Probably 30 pounds overweight because I just love food. I can't imagine what I'd look like without the exercise. :icon_hungry::icon_hungry::icon_hungry:

Army? Did you know that RSHoffer has M.D. after his name? He is pretty smart.

The hardest thing to teach... you, being Career Army, already know... that is personal discipline. A health and fitness strategy requires a lot of personal committment and discipline. Anyone can be taught how to use a treadmill, lift a weight, create a diet.

Yep, when you are settled we can do some training together. Be forwarned... training in The Villages regional fitness centers will be an adjustment for you...

Have not tried it yet myself, but I hear there is a new bubbly green tea!:pepper2:

morning after morning after morning
 

I believe in breakfast. When I went to work, had I not had breakfast, I would have turned into an ax murderer by about 10:30 AM. But my Cheerios kept me cheery throughout those mornings at work. Still do.

Cheerios, no sugar, topped off by walnuts, skimmed milk, and whatever fruit is in season or half a banana. Lately it's glorious blueberries every morning.

Cheerios on most mornings, and I eat them while I sit here in front of this computer and write stuff. So sometimes I spill my cereal and make my geriatric dog happy. (She sleeps beside my feet. She is 15. She used to exercise a lot.)

Anyway, I start my day with a virtuous breakfast. But, alas, my virtue does not always remain intact. Sometimes I am a weak woman. I give in. One of my weaknesses is ice cream. But I do not roll over for just any ice cream. It has to be Graeter's. (Cincinnatians know it.) I really do limit my Graeter's. I only allow myself to have it after I go to the hairdresser to have my roots done. Graeter's is close by the hair place. (My hair grows really fast.)

So I have my little routines it seems.

About those juicers someone asked about. We have a Breville Juice Fountain Elite. (Mr Boomer thinks it is a power tool and so he makes the juice most times.) But I gotta tellya, when I read the question about juicers, I thought, "Hey! That's right. We have a juicer."

Juicer juice is really good. We used to be in that routine. Need to get back to it. Thanks for the reminder.

(Barb, I saw an orange baby. He liked only sweet potatoes and carrots. But he is not orange anymore. He's fine.)

I do some exercise. I like water aerobics a lot. That's my favorite. And I like the elliptical. But I could do better. A lot better.

Boomer

I have a Juiceman Jr. started using it a month ago. I make the "green drink" 3 stalks celery, handful of spinach, one cucumber, about 1 in. of ginger, one apple. I swear my skin has tighten up. I have one glass of green juice every morning and now that I like it so much I have tried different recipes for a glass in the evening. The cravings are gone and I honesty do not feel "hungry" any more. Wish I had realized the benefits of juicing years ago. Oh yeah, to clean the mesh screen, I use the kitchen tool sold to clean silk off of corn. They are usually yellow with white plastic tips. Its terrific. Less than 1 minute and the mesh is completely clean. Five minutes the whole juicer is clean.
Enjoy..

Juiceman
 

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