The Secrets to Healthy Aging

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Everyone hopes to live a healthy and long life, but caring about your health should not start when you’re older or once you’ve become ill. Having experienced this first hand during her 35-year career as a physician caring for patients of all ages including senior adults, Laura DeFina, MD, FACP, FAHA, President, CEO and Chief Science Officer at The Cooper Institute, says, “the optimal time to start focusing on your healthy aging journey is in childhood by learning healthy eating, exercise and lifestyle habits."

Cooper Aerobics Founder and Chairman Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, is the perfect example of this. From playing sports in his childhood to exercising regularly in his adult years and even today in his 90s, Dr. Cooper has made exercise a priority in his life, and it’s contributed to his good quality of life as he has aged.

With Dr. DeFina’s experience, she has determined two important facets of healthy aging people should strive for:

1. Your overall health perspective should be about wanting to age without disease, disability or memory loss.
2. Your life’s perspective should be about wanting an enjoyable, productive life and viable social life.

While exercise, nutrition and health care may look different at all ages, it is important to stay consistent at any age. Knowing the ins and outs of your health is essential to aging healthfully. Other than age, those who are sedentary—or someone who stays seated for a large majority of the day—and continue to have unhealthy habits are at higher risk for disease. So, staying active is incredibly important, as Dr. DeFina explains it, “with aging, the less one does, the less one does."

Visiting your primary care physician

Dr. DeFina recommends adults get annual physical exams, which is one of the best ways to detect an early health problem and receive the appropriate preventive care.

During your exams, it is important to discuss any active concerns you may have with your doctor so they can work with you to find the best solution for your health. “All adults should be self-advocates to ensure they receive the screenings and preventive care recommended to them,” says Dr. DeFina.

Here are a few examples of preventive screenings Dr. DeFina recommends to all adults:

• Cancer screening
• Cholesterol testing
• Cardiovascular risk factor assessments
• Immunizations
• Brain health including memory, depression and anxiety screening

For more information about which health screenings are recommended and at what age, read our “Are You Putting Your Health On Hold” article.

Seeing a geriatrician is also ideal for patients 80 years and older or who have multiple complex medical conditions. A geriatrician is defined by the Geriatrics Healthcare Professionals as a professional who aims to improve health, independence and quality of life for older people in a way that is patient-centered. The National Institute on Aging outlines services a geriatric health professional can provide:

• Address emotional concerns and provide support
• Evaluate in-home care needs
• Coordinate medical services
• Make home visits and suggest additional services

Not sure where to find a preventive care physician or geriatrician in your area? Visit sites like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

What you can do at home

Making healthier choices at home improves your likelihood of aging well. Staying active helps you stay fit for the long run and can decrease issues of dementia, later life depression and some cancers. You don’t have to be able to run a marathon to be fit. Simply being consistent with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week and two days of strength training can make a world of a difference when it comes to your health. To begin an exercise routine you can do at home or at the gym, watch our “Starting a Fitness Program” Exercise Move video and browse our Exercise Move library.

The Cooper Institute was the first to prove that “cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely related to cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.” Meaning the more fit you are, the lower the risk of heart disease and all cause death. Unique from other health and fitness research, the populations of people The Cooper Institute studies are generally healthy individuals. “Our researchers are able to look at benefits or risks of lifestyle choices and other factors on individuals who are not already ill,” says Dr. DeFina.

When looking for ways to determine what a healthy lifestyle looks like, it’s important to remember the 8 Steps to Get Cooperized™:

• Exercise most days of the week
• Make healthy food choices most of the time
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Take the right supplements for you
• Get a comprehensive physical exam
• Manage stress and prioritize sleep
• Control alcohol
• Do not use tobacco

Incorporating these 8 healthy habits is a great way to age healthfully, regardless of your age. For tips on how to Get Cooperized, visit our Health Tips section.

Learn more about The Cooper Institute and the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study by visiting cooperinstitute.org.

If you haven’t seen your health care provider in the past year, it’s time to schedule a check-up. To learn more about Cooper Clinic preventive exams and how an annual exam can help you manage and improve your health, visit cooper-clinic.com or call 866.906.2667.