Health Tips for Women 50 or Older

Many women report being more liberated in their 50’s and feeling more in control of life. Women love to share tips, so here is a list of the most popular tips for staying healthy for women aged 50 or older.

Most women reach 50 and have achieved quite a bit towards career goals or motherhood goals. They feel a real sense of achievement and have discovered a new freedom with fewer obligations they can explore what interests them. They can have more fun with hobbies or volunteer work, or memberships in community organizations.

One freedom women realize around this time in life is the freedom from menstrual pain and discomfort as they enter the time of menopause. Now they can enjoy all of the days of the month! The health concerns for menopausal women are that their skin will be thinner and become dryer. Taking good care of their skin becomes a daily regimen if it wasn’t already.

You may notice changes in the appearance of your skin - wrinkles and or age spots. These appear as a result of sun exposure during your younger years. Your vagina will become drier too in response to lower estrogen levels. Use a moisturizing cream for your face and a lubricant for your vaginal dryness.

Women’s metabolism slows from age 35 on and you may notice a decrease in your energy level. Lean muscle also changes to fat, unless you maintain an active lifestyle. You may notice this extra fat around your arms and at your waistline.

Some health-related age changes will not be felt but will still occur in your body. These changes are: bone loss, an increase in heart disease and stroke risk because of an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol. Have your blood pressure monitored on a regular basis to stay on top of this silent change. Your health care professional will also monitor your cholesterol levels periodically.

Declining estrogen level also can have an effect on your brain. This is the cause of “hot flashes”, short-term memory loss or word recall, and trouble sleeping.

Another condition that tends to flair up for women in their 50’s is hypothyroidism (low thyroid). This can cause you to experience fatigue, depression and weight gain.

As women age the risks for certain conditions increase too; such as diabetes, bladder infections, Diverticulosis, hiatal hernia, and also breast and colon cancer.

To help you beat these risks and stay healthy the following health screenings should be discussed with your healthcare professional:

1) Pap smear test for cervical cancer

2) Clinical breast exam

3) Mammography

4) Blood pressure checks

5) Weight monitoring

6) Cholesterol monitoring

7) Sugar testing for diabetes

Thyroid test

9) Colorectal cancer screening

10) Dental exam every 6 months

11) Eye exam every 2 to 4 years

12) Skin exam for skin cancer yearly

13) Bone mineral density exam (BMM) if you have had a fracture

14) It is also important to keep up with your immunizations: influenza, tetanus, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.

Women should take charge of their healthcare at any age. Taking an active role in their preventative healthcare will help you to feel more in control of your life.

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