How can Midlife Women Live Longer?

How long do you want to live? 80, 90, 100? But the real question is," how can we live longer?". To live longer entails keeping our bodies in good health, in good shape, nurturing our spiritual growth, and caring for our family. According to data, a woman turning 65 today can expect to live on average until 86.6 years of age. I stumbled upon on internet a life expectancy calculator, this calculator computes the additional life expectancy of a person. This is how it works: I input my date of birth then it calculated that I will have an additional life expectancy of 33.6 years! Wow!

The truth is there are several factors that contribute to the increase or decrease in life expectancy. These are:

1.  Current health - are you in good health? suffering from an ailment?
2.  Lifestyle - are you a smoker? drinks excessively? does not exercise? parties too much?
3.  Family history - is there a member of your family who has cancer, diabetes, hypertension?

Creative Common License, Ladies and Gentlemen: the Allergy by Pierro Fissore, Some Rights Reserved, taken on May 13,2012   https://www.flickr.com/photos/pierofix/7194299450

Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, not exercising, not eating enough veggies & fruits, will lead to shorter life expectancy. To live longer entails keeping our bodies fit and healthy, nurturing our spiritual growth and being with our loved ones. It is not enough to say I want to have a long life, we have to be responsible and disciplined to maintain a healthy lifestyle. "Health is wealth" and we see the wisdom of these words if we are lying in our hospital beds and alone in our room. A simple walk in the park is no longer possible if you are too weak to even take a stroll or go out to bask in the healthy heat of the sun. A sumptuous lunch or dinner spread before us won't be enticing anymore if you are too ill to eat. If we are sick, our surroundings look bleak and grey. 

While there is time, let's look after our health and we may live well until eighty. Stay healthy enough to enjoy your golden years, while no one can predict how long one will live, a healthy lifestyle is a key to long life.

Medical screening tests are a great way to stay in the top of our health. I have compiled a list of important medical tests for midlife women to have.

1. Blood sugar - by age 45 everyone should get a fasting blood sugar test and then have another one at least once every 3 years.

2. Breast exam and mammogram - clinical breast exams and mammograms are important to detect early signs of breast cancer.

3. Blood pressure - lower blood pressure is a key in longevity. If your blood pressure is over 130/90, this is a risk factor, you have to drink regularly your maintenance medicines, eat healthily and exercise to add years to your life.

4. Cholesterol profile - this is a simple blood test that can save your life. High cholesterol levels can lead to heart attacks and stroke diseases that claim lives every 40 seconds.
5. Pelvic exam and Paps smear - these two exams are screening tests for early detection of cervical cancer and other abnormalities in certain female organs.
6. Diabetes screening - this screening should be taken by women with high-risk factors such as obesity and family history of diabetes.
7. Eye examination - this is important to check common eye problems like presbyopia or the natural ageing of eyes, glaucoma which could lead to blindness and macular degeneration which is the leading cause of severe, irreversible vision loss in people over the age of 60.

These medical screening tests will dent our pockets but these will ensure that we are in good health and prevent illness and ailments which will pauper us and make our remaining lives dreary. If you are working and has health insurance, contact your health provider to learn what laboratory screenings are covered by their company. I have saved a lot because of my health insurance from Maxicare. Inquire from your local government what laboratory screenings they offer for free or at discounted prices. You can check with local drugstores because from time to time they offer medical screenings at low prices.

The right kind of foods will give us long life. Check on the food that you are eating. Eat foods that will help you live longer. Try eating more of these foods:

1. Fruits and vegetables
2. Skinless poultry
3. Fish
4. Low -fat dairy products like yoghurt, cheese & milk
4. Whole grains.

To live a long life, one must not just be healthy in body but in mind and spirit as well. Remove all negativity from your well being. Upon waking up in the morning, the first thing you should do is to pray. Offer your thanksgiving to the Lord for a night of peaceful sleep and for another new day He has given us. If we start our day with prayers, we are at peace and we feel ready to face the challenges for the day. Exercise even for about 15 minutes, simple stretching and bending will do. If the weather is fine, you can go out even just in your front porch or yard to be able to breath fresh air. Take a quick bath to feel fresh and clean. Think of good thoughts about your self, about others. Try it, it would make all things better and lighter.

At the end of the day, we may ask ourselves, "why do I want to live longer?" My answer to this is, I want to live longer because I have a mission to take care of my family. I want to be able to guide and support my children. Whatever age, a child is, whether she's 10, 20. 40 or 50, we still need our parents. Just knowing that they are there, is enough to give us courage when the time comes we have none of our own. That is the reason too, why I want to be healthy and strong because I want to be a pillar of strength for my family. At the same time, my love for my family is my main motivation to live a healthy life.

Why do you want to live longer? Express your self and comment below.

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Middle life is beautiful.

Till next time. God bless.