Health Concerns

Keeping Our Health as We Age – Lifestyle Changes Today are a Gift to our Golden Years

During our senior years, we should look forward to enjoying time with family and friends. New adventures and opportunities are available to us, and we should be able to embrace every moment. Keeping our health as we age is an important – and reachable – goal. Start today and give yourself the gift of good health in your golden years.

Lifestyle is the cause and cure of many chronic diseases and conditions that can limit us later in life. Fortunately, low-risk, low-cost changes to our lifestyle build the basics for continued health.

By making lifestyle changes now, we can set ourselves up for strength and vitality in our retirement.

At Lifestyle Medical, we focus on four foundational pillars of health – nourishment, movement, resilience, and connectedness.

The stories I’d like to share with you show how small changes in these areas have led to dramatic improvements in the quality and enjoyment of life. All names have been changed for privacy.

Debbie’s Story

As a retired healthcare professional, Debbie was looking forward to spending time with her family. However, her health was preventing her from enjoying life to the full. She had been diagnosed with spinal stenosis and suffered from hypertension and chronic back pain. Debbie had to use a walker as a result. Debbie’s doctor also identified her as having high cholesterol, diabetes type 2, and a significant risk of heart disease.

Debbie did not want her health to stop her from enjoying retirement but recognized she needed guidance to make the changes.

With support from Lifestyle Medical, Debbie started by focusing on nutrition. She followed our nourishment principles of plant-based whole foods. As she improved her diet, Debbie found that she could reduce her medication. She lost weight and began to enjoy time with her grandchildren again.

When she hit a plateau, Debbie focused on building her movement and exercise. She incorporated twice-weekly strength and flexibility sessions as well as daily walks. Remember, the best exercise is always the one you enjoy!

After these simple changes, Debbie saw more amazing improvements. She is confident, is no longer using her walker, and feels like an athlete.

Michelle’s Story

For Michelle, 76, her recurring major depressive disorder, anxiety, and insomnia were impacting other areas of her health. She was experiencing chronic pain and had multiple medical problems including heart conditions. Michelle’s goals were to reduce her medications, reconnect with her family, and increase her quality of life.

Supported by our team at Lifestyle Medical, Michelle made changes to her approach to resilience, as well as incorporated nourishment and movement. Resilience focuses on managing stress, improving sleep quality and quantity, and practicing mindfulness.

With guidance from her doctor, Michelle set meditation goals to work on resilience. These mental exercises were simple, positive, and repetitive. They focused on deep breathing, gratitude, and release. After setting a routine incorporating meditation and our 9 core strategies for sleep improvement, Michelle says she is now “sleeping better than I have in decades”.

For all these changes, connectedness is key in achieving outcomes. It is one of our pillars of health because a connected community provides support to make lifestyle changes that stick.

Anna’s Story

Anna, 72, had been making amazing progress with changes to her lifestyle. She had achieved her goal of no longer taking medication. She had her diabetes under control. She was enjoying life again.

But when unexpected events interrupted her progress, the Lifestyle Medical community stepped in to help her maintain her forward movement. We understand that life happens. As well as medical professionals, nutritionists, and her primary doctor, Anna was supported through our communities, group sessions, and other resources.

Today, Anna is doing well and is loving her retirement.

Mark’s Story

Mark also made the most of our connected community to experience dramatic improvements in his health. These changes allowed him to take the holidays he had always planned with his wife.

Before becoming part of the Lifestyle Medical community, 73-year-old Mark was obese – 330lbs at his heaviest – and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, diabetes, and suffered from severe dermatitis. He had been to specialists and doctors all over the country.

Mark took on board the four pillars of health and underwent an incredible transformation.

He made changes to what and how he ate, increased his exercise, practiced recommended resilience strategies, and took advantage of our connected community. Mark learned how to cook with our classes and could share his experiences with others on the same journey in our group sessions. Lifestyle Medical provides a built-in community. This article offers 15 more ways to widen your circle of connectedness.

Within 6 months, Mark lost 43lbs. He is now in a healthy weight range. He no longer needs to take medication for his diabetes; it is in full remission. The dermatitis that had plagued him for years is now almost entirely cleared. Mark was able to go on his dream holiday with his wife.

The stories I’ve shared with you are all real people who have made small but fundamental changes to their lifestyle. These changes have empowered them to enjoy retirement fully.

We are more than a typical doctor’s office. We believe in real relationships and in enabling people to take real control of their health.

Will you still have a zest for life in your retirement?

Start today. Take the first step and contact us at (951)742-7324 or [email protected] for your free appointment.

By Ryan Herring, MD, MPH Dr. Ryan Herring utilizes a whole person approach in primary care to restore health and optimize wellbeing. He is originally from Central Illinois where he attended college and medical school at the University of Illinois. He completed residency training in Preventive Medicine at Loma Linda University.