In honor of National Women’s Health Week, we thought we’d share a few health tips for women who receive Medicare. There are ways to feel good throughout your life – here are some steps you can take.
Keep moving
More than anything, it’s important to keep moving and to be outside when you can. Studies have shown that spending time outdoors increases brain function, memory, and overall well-being. Even just 30 minutes a day will do loads of good.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. Exercise can help in preventing falls, a common occurrence as one ages. Types of exercise you can try include Tai Chi, yoga, Pilates, walking, or really anything that you enjoy.
Melissa Lyon, Certified Pilates Instructor/Stretch Therapist of Memphis, TN, recommends maintaining flexibility as a key to preventing disease from setting in. The practice of Pilates has been a way for her to eliminate pain in her and her clients’ bodies, and even gave her the strength to battle a severe illness.
Enhance your diet
Eating healthy and natural foods can do a lot of good toward maintaining heart and overall health. Some good foods to eat include eggs and milk for nail health, fish for brain health, blueberries for healthy antioxidants, nuts for Vitamin E, bananas to lower blood pressure, and cinnamon to reduce blood sugar. Buy organic when you can – especially products that are usually filled with lots of unneeded sugars like ketchup. Supplementing your diet with Vitamin D, as recommended by your doctor, could help strengthen bones as well.
Regular checkups
Women should have checkups yearly. As long as you have Medicare Part B and use Medicare-approved doctors, Well-Woman Visits, mammograms, cervical cancer screenings (every one to two years), and bone mass measurements (every one to two years) are all included.
Mental wellness
Women should not be afraid to broach mental health concerns with their doctors. More women suffer from depression than we know, and older women sometimes continue to live with depression without getting help. Talk to your doctor, who will be able to point you in the right direction to get help. Medicare Part B covers depressions screenings each year.
Be prepared
Women should decide ahead of time who they would want to make decisions for them in the event they are incapacitated or unable to make those decisions themselves. Having things in writing will ensure peace of mind for you and your family. Advance directives can be prepared with the help of your doctor, attorney, or state health department.
Chat it up
Spend social time. Spending time with others can relieve stress and even increase longevity. According to the University of California, Berkeley’s Greater Good, Bryan James, an epidemiologist at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago, found that “someone with high levels of social activity has 43 percent less disability than someone who has low levels of social activity, and about half the rate of cognitive decline.” Spending time with family and trusted friends, or joining a class, book club, or other social community can make a big difference.
Exercise your brain
Increase cognitive function with activities that keep your brain working. Things like reading, playing cards, doing puzzles, playing with grandkids, watching movies, volunteering, scrapbooking, taking classes, and more can slow decrease in brain function and make life more fun.
There are lots of ways to care of your body and treat it well. Spend time some time doing something you love, like gardening, writing, painting, having quiet time, or anything that brings joy each day.
The new Medicare Plus Card saves you up to 75% on things not covered by Medicare
Medicare doesn’t cover everything. Luckily, those on Medicare can now start saving on out of pocket expenses like prescription drugs, dental, vision, hearing, and more. Over 1 million people have already received their free Medicare Plus Card.
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