Establishing and maintaining good health is an ongoing process that you need to take charge of. It is important that you are proactive in managing your health to avoid preventable illnesses and to catch other medical conditions early.
Screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. You can get some screenings, such as blood pressure readings, at your doctor’s office. Others, such as a colonoscopy, will require you to visit a specialist or hospital.
Take preventive medicines if you need them. Aspirin can be useful for preventing heart disease in men 45 or older—see a doctor to decide whether taking it is the right option for you.
It is wise for older men to get flu and pneumonia shots annually. For a full immunization schedule for adults, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/adult.html.
Other tips to stay healthy at any age:
- Be physically active and make healthy food choices.
- Get to a healthy weight and stay there. Balance the calories you take in from food and drink with the calories you burn off by your activities.
- Be tobacco-free. For tips on how to quit, go to smokefree.gov.
- If you drink alcohol, have no more than two drinks per day if you are 65 or younger. If you are older than 65, have no more than one drink a day.
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