8 Health Goals to Set for Yourself If You're Over 50

Congratulations if you’ve clocked 50 or are about to attain the ‘golden jubilee.’ You have lived for half a century, which is no small feat.

I would say that you’re at a crossroads; looking back at your yesteryear, you would see the nostalgia; if you’ve not done so well, you still have a whole lot of years stretched ahead of you.

You could probably live to be 100 if you decided to live a deliberate or willful life and bade the reckless living of yesteryears a final goodbye.

Unlike your yesteryears, you’re more susceptible to age-related health issues, which can cut short your dreams of living beyond sixty or outrightly make life unbearable for you.

However, setting health goals for yourself if you’re over 50 can be the trick to living a fulfilling life above 50 while remaining active with no help from others in taking care of yourself.

8 Health Goals to set for yourself if you’re Over 50

1. Stay Active

Getting older doesn’t mean slowing down in physical activities; rather, increasing your physical activity is the key to living to a ripe old age.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a weekly two-and-a-half hour of physical activity for people who are fifty years and above to help reduce the likelihood of developing terminal illnesses like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and more.

Physical activities involve household chores like doing laundry, washing dishes and gardening, caring for your pets or walking your dog if you have one, and doing moderately intense exercise activities like brisk walking, jogging, squats, mountain climbers, plank, and more.

Physical exercise is essential in building strength and preventing muscle degeneration due to decreasing use as you age.

2. Go the Mediterranean Way

If ‘you’re what you eat,’ then one of the health goals to set for yourself at 50 is, ‘abandon junk foods and eat right!’ Eating right means giving up on food with high-fat contents, red meat, and cutting down heavily on processed foods in general and going the Mediterranean way.

Your meals should be heavily plant-based, consisting more of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, whole grains, and legumes, which are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber content.

Also, you should substitute red meat for seafood, fish, poultry, or plant-based proteins like legumes. Diary and wine should be consumed in moderation.

Fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances play very beneficial roles in brain health by reducing the risk of developing brain-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and also protect you from terminal illnesses like heart diseases, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

3. Do Health Screening Yearly

At 50, it is time to pay close attention to your health because your body and immune system have seen better days; your body is beginning to get weary, and your immune system isn’t as effective as it used to be ten years ago!

Hence, you become susceptible to terminal illnesses like cancer, heart disease, stroke, brain disorders, and other ailments.

Research has shown that you’re more likely to get cancer after crossing 50!

Therefore, one of the eight health goals to set for yourself if you’re 50 is regular health screening once yearly, which should include a combination of the following, depending on your gender.

Breast cancer screening
Prostate cancer screening
Colorectal cancer screening
Cervical cancer screening
Skin cancer screening
Eye check
Regular blood pressure check
Pelvic examinations
Type two diabetes
Cholesterol levels

Regular health screening ensures you’re not caught unawares, giving you a better fighting chance to overcome any health issue that might crop up if detected early enough.

4. Pay Close Attention to Your Bone Health

Although bone mass degeneration is a very slow process, it becomes rapid after crossing 50, especially in females, due to slow calcium loss.

Hence, you’re more likely to suffer bone fracture due to loss of bone mass.

Aside from regular checks, you should increase calcium intake in your diet and also add strength-building exercises to your health goals to keep your bones strong.

5. Take Care of Your Oral Health

Caring for your teeth is the key to living a long and fulfilling life.

The advent of fluoride toothpaste has significantly improved humans’ lifespans.

Therefore, you must use the right oral products and develop oral hygiene habits to prevent oral health issues. Some of the oral hygiene habits you can develop include:

Brushing correctly in the morning and before going to bed
Cleaning your tongue to avoid buildup of plague and mouth odor
Using fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash
Regular flossing
Cutting down on sugary and acidic foods
Drinking a lot of water
Eating crunchy fruits and vegetables
Drinking a lot of water daily
Visiting your dentist twice yearly.

6. Sleep 7 – 9 Hours Daily

Poor sleeping habits, which culminate in you getting less than 7 hours of sleep daily, can increase your risk of developing age-related diseases and terminal illnesses.

It can also result in poor cognitive abilities, mood swings, and reduced focus.

Aside from reducing the risk of developing terminal illnesses, getting enough sleep promotes brain functions by improving your mental abilities.

Hence, it is essential that you get at least seven hours of sleep daily and a 15-30 30-minute nap during the day. Here are some suggestions that can help improve your sleep habits

Stick to a realistic bedtime routine
Maintain low light area in your bedroom
Use comfortable mattress and pillows
Try not to bring in television and other ‘screen’ devices, including phones, into your bedroom.
Cut down heavily on caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco use
Exercise regularly.

7. Cut Down On Salt Intake

You’re more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and other related illnesses if you consume more than 1500mg of sodium daily.

Hence, you should reduce your salt intake by cutting down on processed and packaged food and trying out herbs and spices like thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano, ginger, turmeric, and more as alternatives to common salt.

8. Take Vitamin Supplements

Increasing your vitamin and mineral intake should be one of the eight health goals to set for yourself if you’re 50 because vitamins help the body work properly by playing critical roles in body metabolism, growth and development, and replacement of worn-out tissues. You get enough vitamins from your diet; however, you should talk with a dietician or consult your doctor for recommended vitamin and mineral supplements.

Conclusion

Keeping your brain sharp and active is the key to enjoying life after 50.

Hence, at 50, it is time for you to learn a new skill, play more games, read books, and associate more in addition to setting and achieving health goals, which should include eating right, taking care of your oral hygiene, doing regular health checkup, and engaging in enough physical activities to keep you active.

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8 Health Goals to Set for Yourself If You’re Over 50