Make your later years, quality years: Five keys to making health last

By: Jane-Diane Fraser

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(NC)—Is gardening, volunteering or even adventure travel on your must-do list for when you finally retire from that 9-to-5? Canadian baby boomers plan full, active lives in their later years. But disease and disability will cut short those dreams for many.

The alarming fact is that in reality, statistics show boomers should expect to spend their last 10 years in sickness.

“Your golden year dreams may turn into nightmares because of ailing health,” says Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson. “People need to understand that our lifestyle decisions today can make a huge difference in how we live out our later years.”

Will you grow old with vitality?

Dr. Abramson emphasizes that up to 80 per cent of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable.

She suggests focusing on five key behaviours:

• EXERCISE: Physical inactivity results in nearly four quality years of life lost

• NUTRITION: Eating a poor diet results in nearly three quality years of life lost

• REDUCING STRESS: Experiencing excessive stress results in nearly two years of life lost

• BEING SMOKE-FREE: Smoking results in two and half years of life lost

• AVOID EXCESSIVE DRINKING: Unhealthy alcohol consumption results in two years of life lost

“By addressing these controllable behaviours, Canadians can grow old with vitality and capture their dreams,” says Dr. Abramson. “Say no to sickness and yes to a future filled with vitality and promise.”

Find out how you can make changes today that will make health last for tomorrow at makehealthlast.ca.

Take a personalized risk assessment, get tips on areas where you can make improvements and set goals for a future, healthier you.

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