Healthy Living: 8 Things Women Should Do After Age 40
For women, 40 is very far from 22 – most of the things women do easily in their mid 20s might me very hard to do after age 40. The change in age might end up causing change in metabolism, depression, increase in stress and more. however, these are the basic things you should do after age 40
Eat Breakfast Regularly
Nutritionists agree that eating breakfast is essential to keeping weight down and calorie-burning metabolism up. In one study, women who ate a big breakfast lost 21% of their body weight after 8 months, compared with 4.5% for women on a low-carb diet who made breakfast their smallest meal. The healthy-breakfast eaters continued losing over time even though they ate more total calories, while the low-carb group started regaining weight after 4 months.
Kick-start your metabolism
Strength-training for 6 months can increase your resting metabolism (a study on men showed a boost of 7%), so you’ll burn more calories even when you’re sitting on the sofa.
Avoid/Quit Smoking
According to reports, smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the US, with one in five deaths related to the hard-to-quit habit. Smoking affects women both inside and out and it is linked to aging and increased risk of heart disease and many types of cancer.
Get more calcium and vitamin D
Both are essential for strong bones, but many experts feel current benchmarks are too low. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that women in their 40s get 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D every day from foods like fortified milk or salmon, along with supplements if needed. Some nutrition experts suggest getting up to 1,000 IU a day for optimal health.
Don’t miss medical checkups
In addition to an annual physical and gynecological checkup, Dr Brasner recommends being savvy on health screenings. She says, “Women should know what screenings are recommended for their age group. This information can be provided by their physician or found online.” The medical specialist also advises that women prepare a list of questions for their healthcare providers and get answers for all of their health concerns.