The seventh national census data shows that my country’s population aged 60 and above has reached 264 million, and my country is entering a stage of moderate aging. In the public perception, when entering the stage of old age, everything seems to be “stagnant” or even “regressed”. However, Deputy Chief Physician Zhi Jiehua, Department of Gastroenterology, First People’s Hospital of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province believes that ten years after the age of 60, In fact, it is the “golden decade” of life.
1. After the age of 60 is the “golden decade” of life
Why 60 years old The next life is the “golden decade”? Deputy Chief Physician Zhi Jiehua gave three reasons:
1. No excessive psychological pressure: For the elderly after the age of 60, there is no work burden, and children are also Generally settled down, the “goal of struggle” in life is basically completed, and you can enjoy life freely.
2. More time that can be mastered by oneself: Retired old people naturally have more leisure time than young people, they can arrange freely, do what they like in the past but have no time to complete it thing.
3. Seeing the truth of the world: After a long journey of life, the understanding of many things and people is more transparent, and the mentality of the elderly will be more peaceful , and have a more inclusive attitude towards things.
Therefore, after the age of 60, as long as we want to, we can still live a wonderful life. The “Golden Decade” is worth cherishing by all. However, at the same time, we must also realize that after the age of 6, the human body will begin to “cliff” aging. It is not easy to live this “golden decade” well.
Second, aging means an increase in disease, and life expectancy is at risk
A study published in “Nature Medicine” by Harvard University shows that, When people are 34, 60, and 78 years old, the protein in the blood will change significantly, and the fluctuation of protein can directly affect the physical condition. After the age of 60, the human body will begin to “cliff” aging.
First of all, the primary manifestation of aging is the decline of physical function, the most obvious is the condition of the skin, the pigmentation on the face , Wrinkles begin to increase, which is related to the slow rate of skin metabolism.
Secondly, the decline of systemic organ function leads to an increased risk of disease, and most people will begin to develop various underlying diseases. Such as osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, lung disease, intestinal disease, etc.
Especially the following 4 diseases, which largely determine the life expectancy after the age of 60:
1. Cardiovascular disease: 60 After age, the prevalence of cardiovascular system in middle-aged and elderly people reaches 39%, and the mortality rate also rises sharply. Especially in the middle-aged and elderly, the possibility of myocardial infarction and sudden death is higher.
2. Fractures: According to relevant statistics, middle-aged and elderly people over the age of 50 in my country will suffer about 370,000 fractures each year due to osteoporosis, and the incidence rate after the age of 60 is about 370,000. sharply increased.
3. Alzheimer’s disease: According to statistics, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is about 7% among the elderly over 60 years old, which means that among 100 elderly people Seven people have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease also doubles with age, ranging from 65 to 10% and 80 years old to more than 30%.
4. Cancer: Data show that more than 50% of cancer patients are over 60 years old. High incidence of breast cancer and cervical cancer in women.
Third, after the age of 60, how to live longer?
Although we cannot avoid and reverse aging, we can change the state of our body after the age of 60 through our lifestyle. If you want to steadily pass the critical period of life, you cannot do without 4 things.
1. Adjusting the diet
The research team of Julie Mattison, a scientist at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in the United States, found that appropriate reduction of food intake can be beneficial to the elderly. healthier for people. The specific method is not to be too full at each meal, and to maintain a state of 80% full; when eating, you can drink a bowl of soup first and eat slowly; leave the table immediately after a meal, and don’t be afraid of leftovers .
Diet matching Avoid large intake of low-fiber dry foods, such as biscuits, potato chips, etc., eat more fruits and vegetables, and maintain calories.
2. Weight control
Zhang Qian, a nutrition expert at Beijing Tongren Hospital, said that the elderly should not be overweight or thin. Being overweight is easy to find “three highs”, and being too thin is prone to anemia, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, etc. For the elderly over 60, with a slightly fat body, that is, a BMI between 25 and 29.9, it is easier to withstand the damage of diseases and achieve the goal of longevity. BMI=weight (kg)/height (m)²
Therefore, the elderly must maintain a certain amount of muscle mass and exercise moderately, such as 150 minutes per week Oxygen, strength training twice a week, etc.; the daily diet should not be too partial, and carbohydrates and protein should be properly supplemented. Sufficient protein is more conducive to muscle building.
3. Peace of mind
A survey by the Chinese Gerontology Society shows that a hundred-year-old Among the reasons for the longevity of the elderly, 60% depends on the elderly themselves, and the first one is the mentality. Older people who are “cheerful and open-minded” also live longer on average.
Laughter is a “free skin care product”, laugh more and make yourself a habit. For some elderly people who do not like to laugh, they can watch comedies, jokes, etc.; they can go out more often and find that life is beautiful; they can also be with people who like to laugh.Let the smiles contagious each other.
4. Learn to prevent cancer
Middle-aged and old age is a period of high incidence of cancer, and the key to cancer prevention and treatment lies in “early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment”. ”, so early detection of abnormal signals is of great significance.
Older adults should be aware of their own physical discomfort, such as no pain, no itching, unexplained lumps or indurations anywhere on the body (skin, tongue, breasts, etc.); Retrosternal fullness, choking, esophagus pain when eating; Dry cough, blood in sputum, hoarse voice, etc.; Often bloody; irregular vaginal bleeding in women over middle age, or vaginal bleeding after menopause.
When any one or several abnormal manifestations of the above phenomena occur, you should be vigilant and go to the hospital for further examination in time. At present, there are many methods for tumor detection, such as common X-ray, ultrasound, immunology, endoscopy, CT examination, etc., all of which can help to make accurate judgments and intervene for discomfort as soon as possible.
As the saying goes, “Sixty knows the destiny”, when you reach the age of 60, you should pay more attention to health problems and learn more about disease prevention and control. The farther and farther you go on the road of longevity, the easier it is to walk.
References:
[1] “After the age of 60 is the “golden decade” of life, how to spend it? “. Health Times. 2022-04-14
[2] “[Heavy Review] Cytoplasmic DNA and Aging and Disease.” The Paper. 2022-03-15
[ 3] “After the age of 60 is a period of cancer outbreak, these 8 iron laws to stay away from cancer, you must keep! 》.The Voice of the Elderly.2017-12-08