What are the preventive measures for geriatric diseases?

In fact, the core logic of geriatric disease prevention has never been to rely on taking tonics or finding folk remedies, but to put risks in front and incorporate the three things of "preventing the progression of chronic diseases, preventing functional deterioration, and preventing sudden accidents" into every little daily habit. The threshold for doing it is not high at all.

Uncle Zhang, a 63-year-old man in our community, always felt that "if he doesn't feel well, he is not sick." Even the annual free physical examination for the elderly was too troublesome. Last year, our volunteers blocked the door and pulled him for a check-up, only to find that his fasting blood sugar had reached the pre-diabetes stage. He used to eat two candied date rice dumplings with sugar water every morning. If he delayed for more than half a year, he would most likely need to take anti-diabetic drugs for the rest of his life. I also want to mention this first. Targeted regular physical examinations are really the most cost-effective means of prevention. You don’t need to buy a high-end package worth tens of thousands of dollars. Just add bone density, postprandial blood sugar, carotid ultrasound, and common tumor marker screening to the basic physical examination. It only costs a few hundred yuan a year and can catch the signs of most diseases that are common in the elderly at an early stage.

When it comes to daily diet, opinions on the Internet are quite divided. One group says that the elderly should eat a light vegetarian diet to lower their blood pressure and blood lipids. The other group says that vegetarian diets are prone to protein deficiency and make them age faster. The actual situation we have come across is that there is really no need to go to extremes, as long as there are no serious liver and kidney metabolism problems. Make sure you have one egg, one bag of warm milk, one tael of lean pork or fish and shrimp every day, and add less half a spoonful of salt and half a spoonful of oil. It is much more reliable than eating boiled vegetables every day. After all, muscles are the "life-saving capital" of the elderly. If you supplement enough protein, sarcopenia will appear more slowly, and the risk of fractures will be reduced a lot if you fall.

Another question that people ask the most is whether to take health supplements. There is considerable controversy in this industry. Some nutritionists believe that as long as the diet is balanced, there is no need to supplement. Some geriatricians also suggest that the elderly can properly supplement nutrients. Our general advice to the elderly is to first draw blood to check nutritional indicators. If there is any deficiency, supplement it, such as confirming bone density. If you are low, take some calcium and vitamin D. If you are deficient in B12, take some supplements. Don't believe in those sky-high price health gift boxes that claim to "cure all diseases." Last month, an aunt came over and asked about "anti-cancer health products" that she bought for more than 3,000 yuan. We looked at them and saw that they were ordinary vitamin tablets. If they are useless, forget them. Some elderly people take supplements blindly and develop abnormal liver function. It is really not worth the loss.

Many people tend to overlook small daily details. For example, don’t sit up suddenly when you wake up in the morning. Lie down for 30 seconds first, sit up for 30 seconds, and put your feet on the edge of the bed for 30 seconds before standing. This small action can reduce the risk of postural hypotension and falling by 80%. Last year, Aunt Li in our community broke her femoral neck when she fell too hard after getting up at night. After lying down for three months, her cardiopulmonary function dropped a lot. Before, she could go square dancing every day, but then she struggled to even go downstairs to buy food. Also, don’t sit at home and be bored. A survey we conducted last year with the Geriatrics Department of the Municipal Hospital showed that the rate of cognitive decline of elderly people who go out to participate in group activities at least twice a week is 30% slower than those who watch TV at home every day. Playing chess, doing a square dance with an old friend, or even just chatting in the sun downstairs is better than being bored at home.

In fact, to put it bluntly, there are really no great secrets for preventing geriatric diseases, and you don’t need to copy other people’s health care experience. Eat comfortably, move easily, sleep well, and see a doctor every year to help you read the physical examination report and adjust your living habits. It is more effective than any expensive tonic.