Health and Wellness, Baby Boomer Style
It has taken me 57 years to get to this point in my life. The good news is that I made it to this age and can order off the senior menu at Denny’s (although I can’t imagine why I would want to). The bad news is that I stop short every time I see myself in a mirror; in my head I am still the dark haired, brown eyed gal who was always raring to go. Where is the world did all this salt and pepper hair come from?
We baby boomers are in a truly unique position in American society. Due to the anticipated shortfall of the Social Security system and the prevalence of Alzheimer’s in older adults, we are expected to become a huge drain on the American economy over the next 20 years or so. I have news for the naysayers, we baby boomers have lived through wars in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq (and probably some others I do not remember; darn these senior moments!). We have thrived despite setbacks in our personal lives and fortunes. We constitute a vast number of people who have no intention of going quietly to the end of our days. We are a force and we plan to stay healthy and active for a long time to come.
If we baby boomers want to emphasize health and wellness, I must point out that we are going to need to make some changes in the way we live. Let’s begin by assuming here that I am ‘average’ with cholesterol too high, osteoporosis knocking at the door, a urinary system effected by having borne three children, etc. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it; and yet I am an active, 57 year old who thoroughly enjoys life and desires to continue enjoying it for a long time to come.)
Let’s take a look at a couple of my life choices and see what changes I need to make. Let’s look at one of my food choices first. My favorite food is the good old American hamburger, add bacon and jalapenos but no cheese. Want fries with that? You bet I do! And I like them swimming in catsup. This particular meal is a cholesterol nightmare and a cardiac event in the making. Knowing that I need to monitor my cholesterol intake, I must now answer an important question: Do I really need to eat hamburgers and fries regularly or do I want to be healthy and active for a long time to come? Alas, it looks like it is time for a change. Hey, I am a baby boomer. I am not easily defeated by life’s trials and tribulations. I can handle only eating a burger and fries occasionally.
Smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol will also greatly effect my health and wellness efforts. I do not now nor have I ever smoked. I wanted to when I was a teenager because I thought it looked cool, but I could never get past the horrible coughing when I took a puff off a cigarette (let me point out here that we did not know smoking was so bad for us back in the day). I was also never a heavy drinker, but I do not drink at all now. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 19 years and cannot mix alcohol with one of the medications I take unless I have a death wish (this is a VERY easy choice to make). Life works in mysterious ways. Because I never did these things, I do not need to stop doing them. Fellow baby boomers, if you smoke and drink alcohol excessively, the Baby Boomer Health and Wellness Plan (I am giving it a name!) dictates that you put out that cigarette and exchange that bottle of hooch for a bottle of water.
How about it? Are you up to a challenge? I will use this blog to begin to discuss one particular health and wellness issue we face, fading memory and the ’senior moment’. Just remember that we can handle whatever comes up. After all, we are baby boomers and we are here to stay!
