Oxstones Investment Club™Follow your own trends
The next time you have a blood analysis, enter all your numbers (HDL and LDL cholesterol, blood sugar, BP, and so on) into a tracking app, such as Daytum or TallyZoo. Or if you already keep these vital stats in a file folder at home, invest a few hours into organizing them. This will make it easier to spot spikes and dips.
“A trend line is always more meaningful than an absolute number,” says James Scala, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist and the author of more than a dozen books on thwarting disease through diet. “For instance, weight and blood sugar are two key components of adult-onset diabetes, and they usually trend together. By tracking them over a period of years, you’ll be able to alert your doctor and act more quickly.” (And while you’re at it, make sure you know the top 10 questions every man must ask his doctor.)
This straightforward approach works for any important health measure. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that tracking health stats in this way prompts people with chronic health problems to ask their doctors new questions, seek second opinions, and reconsider treatments.
Hire a nutrition know-it-all
You have a doctor, a dentist, maybe even a cardiologist, but you may be overlooking one of the most useful advisors of all: a nutritionist. Poor eating habits and obesity are starting blocks of disease, so diet advice is key.
“I recommend a certified nutrition specialist [C.N.S.],” says Scala, a former nutritionist for the U.S. Olympic ski team. “Compared with a registered dietitian [R.D.], a C.N.S. has an advanced degree from an accredited university, has extensive up-to-date training in nutritional therapy, and will have passed a rigorous board exam. Generally speaking, these professionals are the most qualified.” (R.D.s can also pass the C.N.S. examination if they have the right credentials.)
“Consult a C.N.S. whenever you get a physical or have blood work done,” Scala says. Discuss the results just as you would with your family doctor, especially if you’ve gained weight or noticed something abnormal. “If your blood pressure is high, for example, your doctor may just prescribe a pill, even though 85 to 95 percent of cases can be controlled by diet,” says Scala. (Your blood can reveal critical details about the running condition of your entire body. Here are 7 essential blood tests you should have.)
Be a quitter who wins
If you’re a tobacco user, you should be investing the largest part of your health portfolio toward finding a way to kick the habit. No other action you take will yield a greater effect on the quality and quantity of your years. It’s that simple.
“As a radiologist for 30 years, I used to see the arterial damage in smokers well before they even realized their habit was having any detrimental health effects,” says Dr. Fogel. “Any investment you make in quitting smoking will have enormous health payoffs.” (If you’re still puffing, it’s time to kick ash for good. Start with these five proven strategies to help you quit smoking.)
Indeed, a large study published in the Lancet suggests that smoking can cut more than 10 years off your life. But if you break the habit before age 40, you can cut the excess mortality associated with lighting up by about 90 percent. So it’s never too late. According to an American Cancer Society report, the stop-smoking treatment that can be most successful is a combination of individual cessation methods (nicotine replacement, prescription meds) with counseling (one-on-one, group, or even telephone). Check out additional strategies in this month’s Metro Grades.
Move to a health haven
While U.S. housing prices continue to rebound, bargains are still available. But why not think beyond such traditional retirement havens as Florida and Arizona? The Milken Institute, a nonprofit think tank, has identified metropolitan areas in which men have the best chances of “aging successfully.” See the lists below (in descending order).
LARGE METRO
1 Provo, UT
2 Madison, WI
3 Omaha, NE
4 Boston, MA
5 New York, NY
6-7 Des Moines, IA (tie)
6-7 Salt Lake City, UT (tie)
8 Toledo, OH
9 Washington, DC
10 Pittsburgh, PA
SMALL METRO
1 Sioux Falls, SD
2 Iowa City, IA
3 Bismarck, SD
4 Columbia, MO
5 Rochester, MN
6 Gainesville, FL
7 Ann Arbor, MI
8 Missoula, MT
9 Durham, NC
10 Rapid City, SD
These cities ranked highest in an analysis of 78 quality-of-life indicators that included health care, cultural opportunities, and transportation convenience. See how your hometown ranks on a 359-city list: Go to successfulaging.milkeninstitute.org. (Men’s Healthannual statistical report card reveals which city ranks as America
‘s top metropolis for men. How does your hometown stack up?)
Find your escape hatch
The tiny republic of Singapore has one of the world’s most competitive economies, surveys show. As a top plastic surgeon there, Ng Chin Lin, M.B.B.S., F.R.C.S., has seen the effects of chronic stress on her male patients’ faces. “Stress is one of the biggest premature agers of men,” she says. “It leads to such unhealthy behaviors as smoking and yo-yo dieting, which stretches skin and causes sagging.”
To ease anxiety and preserve your looks, Dr. Ng suggests devoting time and money toward cultivating a hobby you love.
“Not only is it a way to ease the stress of daily life and be healthy, but it’s also a little-known secret to looking younger,” she says. (Keep stress whipped into submission all day long by following these 19 ways to live a stress-free life.)
Take off your shoes
Visit a podiatrist to minimize your risk of hip, back, and knee problems. “If you don’t have a good foundation–if you have flat feet or high arches, for example–then the joints in the rest of your body will be stressed as they try to compensate,” says Andrew Shapiro, D.P.M., a podiatrist based in Valley Stream, New York. Over time, this can result in tendinitis, arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and joint pain, he says.
Shoe inserts called orthotics can help correct many of these imbalances and support your tendons and ligaments. While a custom pair from a podiatrist can cost up to $750, it’s still cheaper than knee or hip surgery later. (What your hand says about your manhood, the link between your lips and brain, and more: 10 crazy body connections explained!)
Cozy up to your community
According to the Longevity Project, a landmark study that tracked 1,500 individuals for 80 years, the most important predictor of a long life is a strong social network. “It’s important to do things that tie you to ongoing social or community groups,” says Howard Friedman, Ph.D., a distinguished professor of psychology at UC Riverside and a researcher with the project. This could involve volunteering, supporting a local charity, or doing work with a religious or political group, he says. These activities bestow a sense of fulfillment and belonging that fights loneliness and depression, two markers of deteriorating health for men. (Looking for a cause that’s worthy of your time? Start with these 3 guy-friendly charities.)
Find a workout that isn’t work
Not surprisingly, the Longevity Project found that consistent physical activity is linked to longer life. The surprise was that regimented “exercise” was not the key. The classic scripture of spending 30 minutes four times a week breaking a sweat is “good, up-to-date medical advice but poor practical advice,” Friedman says. Instead, find active pursuits you enjoy, and invest in the instruction and equipment necessary to do them well. Rather than forcing yourself to descend into your dank basement to run on a treadmill, take lessons in surfing, rock climbing, and other sports until you find one that replaces miles with smiles. (Here are five reasons to consider bike riding as workout alternative—on those warmer days or every day (if you’re not a victim of winter weather)).
http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/men/9-investments-with-healthy-returns#3
Tags: aging successfully, blood analysis, Daytum, healthy lifestyle, invest in yourself, live a long life, Longevity Project, nutrition, nutritional therapy, physical activity, quitting smoking, retirement havens, TallyZoo, tracking app