And yet, we need not accept this state of affairs as inevitable. Greg Webster, Director of Primary Health Care Information for the Canadian Institute for Health Information told the Globe and Mail (link) in late January: “We may erroneously expect that, as we get older, we will get sicker, but the data show that is not necessarily the case…We maybe need to change the mindset that aging means illness.”

What’s the difference between those who live out a health and active old age and those who don’t? It doesn’t require obsessive hard exercise or fancy diets?it’s about common sense: a healthy, balanced diet with reasonable portions; moderation in the use of alcohol and stimulants; abstinence from smoking; some form of exercise, but this can be as simple as going for a walk every day and taking the stairs when you can; good primary health care with a physician who monitors your health and helps you stay out of trouble by spotting problems early, and perhaps delaying or preventing their onset altogether. In short, pretty much what your mother always told you.

Keywords: treatment, healthcare, obesity