It may be difficult to change deeply ingrained unhealthy habits in the later years of life, but such a change can still bring a positive effect on your health and lifespan. — dpa
You're a decades-long smoker. You can’t resist Danish pastry and fatty dishes are your favourites.
As for exercise ... well, you’ve never really liked breaking a sweat.
It’s undisputed that a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of many medical conditions, including high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, diabetes and lung cancer.
And conversely, that unhealthy habits, such as little exercise, poor nutrition, tobacco use and alcohol consumption, increase the risk.
But what if you already have health problems and your bad habits are deeply ingrained?
You may think it’s too late to change.
Wrong, says Munich-Neuperlach Hospital’s Centre for Acute Geriatrics and Early Rehabilitation chief physician Dr Brigitte Buchwald-Lancaster: “No matter how old you are, doing something for yourself brings benefits.”
Fully reversing illnesses in old age is hardly possible, of course, ”but it’s not at all a matter of reaching a state of complete health,” she says.
You can add years to your life by overhauling old habits, e.g. by eating healthier foods and portions.
The Mediterranean diet’s effect on life expectancy is well researched, notes German Geriatrics Society (DGG) president Dr Rainer Wirth.
It’s based on lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, high-quality oils, and little meat.
“A 20-year-old who switches to it gains about 10 years of life, and a 60-year-old about eight,” he says.
And even an 80-year-old who changes over can still squeeze out another three years, he says.
This is the statistical average; for an individual, it could be more or fewer.
ALSO READ: Eating healthy like the Mediterraneans
You can also extend your life by giving up smoking, says Dr Buchwald-Lancaster.
Pointing to American studies, she says that people who have been heavy smokers all their adult lives, but quit between the ages of 55 and 64, can gain four years on average.
Healthier habits in old age can not only give you extra years, but also enhance the quality of your life.
“After you stop smoking, for instance, you’ll feel better and be better able to taste things,” Dr Wirth says.
“The likelihood of chronic bronchitis lessens in just a matter of months.”
What’s more, lung function improves and the risk of cardiovascular (heart) diseases drops, even in old age.
ALSO READ: Five alternative therapies to help you quit smoking
Taking off excess weight can be an effective pain-killer.
Without carrying that “rucksack” of surplus kilos around with you all day, you’ll put less strain on your knees and other joints, alleviating aches.
A healthy lifestyle, which includes regular exercise, can also help you preserve your independence and stave off the need for care in old age.
“You don’t have to be a super athlete,” says Dr Buchwald-Lancaster.
“It can suffice to take a daily half-hour walk.
“If you do nothing though, your muscles will atrophy.”
This makes you less steady on your feet and increases your risk of falls and bone fractures.
“And it’s often a fall that sets a downward spiral in motion,” she warns.
“An older person can then no longer live independently at home.”
It’s important, however, that your expectations be realistic.
”If you have severe chronic illnesses, it can naturally be difficult to see the point of making changes aimed at enhancing life quality,” Dr Wirth says.
“But I believe that for anyone still living halfway independently at home, a change in lifestyle will improve the quality of their life.”
It’s hard to break old habits like quitting smoking, making dietary changes and getting in daily exercise.
“You can’t work on three or four things at once,” says Dr Wirth.
Doing so would increase the likelihood of not carrying them through, and reverting in frustration to previous patterns of behaviour.
Tackling one thing at a time is more sensible.
“Each component is highly effective in itself,” Dr Wirth says, and recommends setting small, measurable goals.
You could use a pedometer app on your smartphone, for example, to track the number of steps you take each day, working your way up from, say, 2,000 to 5,000.
ALSO READ: Working on one area of health can help improve the others
It’s easier to stick to a resolution to get more exercise if you’re with like-minded people.
You could join a callisthenics or aerobics group, or take part in an exercise programme aimed at reducing the risk of falls.
The goals that you set for yourself depend on your overall state of health.
Any major lifestyle changes should be discussed with a doctor.
“Overly restrictive diets, for example, aren’t really recommended for the elderly any more, as there’s a risk of malnutrition,” Dr Buchwald-Lancaster says.
Weight loss results in a loss of muscle mass as well.
ALSO READ: The problem with eating less in old age
It can be better to eat more protein, which plays a big part in maintaining muscle, and hence, mobility.
Having a healthy lifestyle means taking care of your emotional well-being too, she adds, for instance, by regularly getting together with people whose company you enjoy.
“Activity and social participation are important for mental health,” she says.
And now could be a good time to get yourself a pet, as studies show they can be beneficial to their owner’s health.
“People who care for a pet have better cognitive function, are more mobile and have fewer cardiovascular illnesses,” she says.
For some people, a dog is the best motivator to take walks every day.
Even if you don’t feel like it, Fido will make sure that you go on your rounds together. – By Ricarda Dieckmann/dpa
