Healthy Lifestyles for Seniors Topic Guide

Advance directives center around the principles of your right to die and death with dignity. A living will tells doctors what life-prolonging treatments to perform if someone has a terminal condition or is in a persistent vegetative state. Medical power of attorney is someone who makes medical decisions for you if you become unable to make those decisions for yourself.

Nutrition and diet is needed for health. Read dietary guidelines, dietary reference intakes, food guide pyramid, calories, carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. A healthy variety of food provides nutrients for health and weight management and weight loss.

Exercise has been shown to reduce one's risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce depression and anxiety. The Surgeon General recommends accumulating 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis.

Start exercising: Many exercise programs say you should talk to your doctor before starting. Certain people with certain medical conditions may want to check with their doctor before becoming physically active.

Obesity is simply the accumulation of excess body fat. It is much more than that, however. Obesity is a chronic (long-term) disease that is very difficult to treat. It takes 3,500 extra calories to gain 1 pound. To lose weight, you must eat 3,500 calories less than you need, say, 500 fewer calories per day for one week, to lose 1 pound.