Hello Everybody,
I never really knew what the baby boomer generation was. But now, as we are hearing so much about it, I found out that in most countries it is the people born between 1945 and 1965. I am a little surprised by the dates. I understand a baby boom in 1946 - after all it had been a long war. But then there would have been a hiatus in 1950-1953 while young men went off on a military adventure in Korea, causing a baby slump. Where are the baby slumpers? And if we carried on booming for so many years why stop at 1965. The Summer of Love in 1967 would, no doubt have produced its very own baby boom. But that is all by the way.
An average, officially dated, baby boomer in his or her 60s will find the health problems of older people approaching fast, if they have not already arrived.
In Great Britain 69 percent of the baby boomer generation is overweight. This causes the usual problems of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. There is also osteoporosis in older people, particularly women, which can result in broken bones.
Nobody can avoid getting old - if they live long enough that is - but many of the illnesses of old age can be delayed, if not eliminated altogether. Illnesses resulting from obesity and smoking are two of the main killers of older people. So if these can be addressed many baby boomers will live longer happier lives.
Begin by giving up smoking. It is difficult and tedious, but dieing of lung cancer or a heart attack is not much fun either. Then consider your weight. To reduce it you will need to eat a more healthy diet and get more exercise. That is all there is to it.
Try to do 30 minutes exercise a day, every day. This is easily achieved with a brisk walk, but swimming, cycling, tennis or even gardening are all good. Whatever you do make sure you do it each day. Cut out eating junk food. Reduce saturated fats, sugar and salt. Aim for five portions of fruit or non-starchy vegetables a day. Avoid red meat and if you enjoy alcohol drink a maximum of one glass of red wine a day.
You will not become slim and fit overnight. If you lose a pound a week you are doing well. Just keep at your exercise and weight loss program and you will lose weight steadily. Of course there is no guarantee that after doing all this you will always be healthy. But you will be a lot slimmer and more active than that overweight 69 percent of the baby boomer generation. That is well worth achieving.
See you soon,
Peter Stockwell
02 February 2010
Photo. Redcorn Studios.
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