Boomers are predicted to live longer. If we are so lucky to be one of them, it becomes even more important to stay fit and young at heart.
Life is not about the number of years we have left but about “What quality of life we will enjoy.”
4 facts about boomers health – some good and some bad:
-1- Boomers have the highest rate of obesity for their age, higher than any other generation.
I am sure we are aware of the relationship of obesity and the potential to develop a serious disease – especially these big five – diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer and depression.
(I recently learned of a test to determine if you too much belly fat – divide your waistline measurement by you hip measurement to determine a ratio. For men, if your number is higher than 80 you are at risk for many health issues. For women, the ratio is a factor of 85.)
-2- Boomers are more food conscious. How can we pretend that we don’t know recommended foods to eat and not to eat anymore. Between TV news, magazine and internet sources we are overwhelmed with many articles about this subject.
In addition, how many magazines in print and online are devoted to getting fit and healthy?
So with all of this information available, what is the missing piece to explain our over-weight America and our own personal challenges?
-3- Boomers are not as healthy as previous generation. Sedentary life style, prepackaged foods, fast foods, over indulgence are just a few possible reasons. This can be an alarming statement based on information readily available to us.
-4- Boomers are more active. With more time available, some boomers are committing to joining gyms, exercising and enjoying outdoor activities. So finally a good statistic.
Wherever you are on the health and fitness scale, It is never too late to make improvements. Remember, good health is not about our looks but about how we feel inside and out.
Working on our health and fitness is a critical investment we can make for ourselves when we consider the sky rocketing medical costs compared to scaled-down financial resources available as we retire.
I will have much more to say on these four and many more issues about health in upcoming posts but for now………..
Join me and commit to making one small change in your health routine. I will be writing about my commitment on the “Ourcommonjourney” blog page.
