Consultation content on geriatric disease prevention knowledge

There is no need to wait until the age of 60 to start preparations, and there is no need to rely on sky-high-priced health care products to achieve results. If you do these four things: "intervention 10 years early, dynamic adjustment of living habits, targeted regular screening, and personalized adjustments for each person," you can avoid more than 80% of the risks of common geriatric diseases.

Don’t think this is a cliche. I have been doing health education for the elderly in the community for almost 6 years. I have seen too many problems that could have been avoided. They were caused by people’s wrong understanding of “senile diseases”. Last year, I met a 58-year-old Uncle Wang. His physical examination showed that 70% of his coronary artery was blocked and he needed a stent. After asking about his medical history, he found out that he stayed up late every day to socialize in his 30s. He had high blood pressure for six or seven years and never took it seriously.

Nowadays, there is a lot of controversy about physical examinations on the Internet. Some people say that physical examinations are a waste of money and cannot be cured after being diagnosed. Some people say that tens of thousands of complete physical examinations are needed every year to feel at ease. In fact, both of these statements are correct, but they target different groups of people. The general recommendation in the field of public health is that people over 60 years old with no underlying diseases should have a basic physical examination once a year - that is, routine blood tests, liver and kidney function, blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipids, electrocardiogram, and abdominal ultrasound, plus 1 to 2 tests for family medical history. For example, if an immediate family member has had gastric cancer, get a gastroscopy, and if there is a family history of osteoporosis, check the bone density. There is no need to add those "cancer prevention packages" that cost thousands. However, if you already have basic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, the requirements of clinicians are much stricter. It is best to measure blood sugar 2 to 3 times a week, glycated hemoglobin to be checked every 3 months, and blood pressure to be measured at a fixed time every day, rather than once a year at the frequency of ordinary people.

Speaking of daily care, I encountered a particularly unfortunate example a while ago. After listening to a health class, 64-year-old Aunt Zhang said that elderly people must eat a vegetarian diet to be healthy. She didn’t touch any meat for half a year, and her albumin was so low that she fainted and was sent to the emergency room. This is also a point that is particularly controversial nowadays: Should the elderly be absolutely indifferent? In fact, nutrition has long stopped advocating a vegetarian approach to elderly care. The so-called light diet means less salt (no more than 5g per day, about the amount of a beer cap), less added sugar, less fried dishes, and more high-quality protein. You can eat eggs, milk, lean beef, and fish. If your teeth are not good, just stew it until it becomes chewy. There is really no need to make yourself unable to keep up with nutrition for the sake of "health preservation." There is also the "Walking 10,000 Steps a Day" that has been popular for a long time. I just treated a 70-year-old Uncle Li last month. In order to rank first in the number of steps on WeChat, he walked 15,000 steps a day. In the end, the fluid in his knees hurt and he could not go downstairs. In fact, the old man with bad joints does Tai Chi at home, does 10 minutes of seated Baduanjin, and even wipes the table and mops the floor. The amount of activity is enough, and there is really no need to compare steps with others.

There is also the question that people ask the most, "Are health products useful or not?" This has to be said objectively. You don't need to beat them to death with a stick, and don't boast about them. For example, people often buy deep-sea fish oil. If you can eat deep-sea fish, such as salmon and cod, 2 to 3 times a week, there is no need to take extra supplements. ； If you rarely eat seafood, taking some regular brand of deep-sea fish oil to supplement Omega 3 is indeed good for blood vessels, but there is a prerequisite: it cannot replace prescription drugs such as antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering drugs. I have really seen too many elderly people think that "the medicine is only three parts poisonous", stop taking antihypertensive medicine after taking fish oil, and end up having a stroke and being sent to the hospital. This really should sound the alarm: any health care product that claims to be able to cure high blood pressure and diabetes is a liar, without exception.

After doing consultations for so long, my biggest feeling is that it is useless to preach to the elderly. It is better to integrate small habits into daily life. For example, sticking the box of antihypertensive medicine next to the toothbrush cup and taking it right away after brushing your teeth in the morning is 10 times more effective than calling your child to remind them every day. ； Before cooking, scoop out the salt you will eat for the day into a small plate in advance so that you don’t accidentally add too much. ； Carry a thermos bottle when you go out for a walk, and don’t wait until you are extremely thirsty before drinking water. Persisting in these inconspicuous little things will be more effective than eating many expensive health products.

In fact, having said all that, there is really no universal formula for the prevention of geriatric diseases. You see, you are also 70 years old. Some people climb Xiangshan Mountain every day and are still very energetic, and some people get out of breath after taking only two steps. Someone else’s health regimen may be harmful to your health if applied to you. If you are really not sure how to make adjustments, it is much more reliable to ask a family doctor in the community directly than to read all kinds of unknown health remedies in short videos. After all, the best prevention is to feel comfortable and have stable indicators during every physical examination.