40 and over: the aches and pains
of getting older!
So, you recently turned 40, and the phrase "over the hill" is ringing in your ears. If that weren't enough, you may have noticed that your body has been behaving strangely since you hit the big milestone, too.

It seems to take you longer to recover from physical activity. Your joints ache on cold mornings. You have to ask coworkers and family to repeat what they just said. And your stomach acts up when you eat your favorite spicy foods.

What on earth is going on? Not to worry. You probably don't need to rush headlong to the doctor or clinic. Odds are, the changes you're experiencing are just part of the normal aging process.

Some Common Complaints
Constipation
Have you noticed that it's been taking longer for nature to take its course? Relax — digestive tracts slow down as people age. A more sedentary lifestyle and many common heart and diabetes medications can also affect regularity.

The solution: Exercise — any kind — will help speed up the gastrointestinal process. Eat more bulk food, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. And drink plenty of water — at least eight glasses per day.

Heartburn
Heartburn occurs when stomach acids creep up into the esophagus. While not directly linked to aging, it does seem that heartburn occurs more frequently after age 40.

The solution: Think small. Eating more frequent, smaller meals helps reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces. Drink plenty of water to wash stomach acids back down from the esophagus. Some people report that sleeping on a slope - by using a wooden slab or blocks under the headboard of their beds - helps keep stomach acids where they belong.

It's Crunch Time
One of the best things a 40-year old can do is get in shape. The biggest barrier to getting in shape after your mid-30s is psychological, according to Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Physical Fitness at Tufts University. In fact, she says, you can lose fat and build muscle in your 50s and beyond and end up stronger than you were in your 20s. And exercise, as everyone knows by now, plays a key role in preventing many health problems as you grow older.

Metabolism and muscle
If you do nothing to develop muscle, you'll find about 10 percent of your muscle mass gone by age 50 - and worse, replaced by one to one-and-a-half pounds of fat per year, says Michael Richardson, MD, an internal medicine specialist in Charlotte, NC. A pound of muscle burns about 35 calories a day when you're resting, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. You don't need to lift weights intensely to get health benefits; work with a qualified exercise specialist to develop a lifting program that's right for you.

Bone-building
Now's the time to protect your bone mass to help prevent weak bones later in life, for men and women. With exercise, 1,500 milligrams of calcium, and adequate vitamin D, you can hang onto your bone mass and actually build more, too, according to Chandra Curry, MD, a cardiologist in Illinois.

Other health and fitness concerns
Balance
As you can imagine, impaired balance is largely responsible for falls in older adults. Improve your sense of balance by standing on one foot while performing ordinary tasks like brushing your teeth or doing dishes.

Flexibility
Bodies tend to become stiffer after age 40, so stretching becomes more important. With less flexibility, your range of motion is limited, making everyday activities more difficult and painful. Find simple stretches that target your major muscle groups.

Thirst
Age brings with it a decreased sense of thirst, starting around 40. Don't wait until you feel as if you need a glass of water. Drink eight every day, and aim for 12 on days you exercise.

Keep a Watchful Eye
It is true that your body becomes more prone to several serious diseases as you grow older. It's important to see your doctor for annual checkups and more often if you're at risk for certain diseases. You'll want to be especially vigilant for signs of the following:

Breast cancer
Women's risk for breast cancer rises in their 40s, making it more critical to perform breast self-exams regularly, according to Edgar Del Castillo, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist in Illinois. The more often you check your breasts, the more likely you'll be to detect abnormalities such as lumps. Of course, a mammogram every year or two, or whenever your doctor recommends, is another way to detect breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages.

Prostate problems and prostate cancer
Some men's prostate gland starts to enlarge at about age 45 because of the presence of more prostate cells, say experts at iHealth.com. Because the urethra (the tube that urine passes through to leave the body) passes through the prostate gland, this enlargement can make it difficult to urinate, empty the bladder completely, or control urine flow. This condition affects at least 14 percent of men in their 40s and 40 percent of men in their 70s.

Prostate cancer is becoming so common that it's passing lung cancer as the number one cancer among men. It can have many of the same symptoms as an enlarged prostate but may show no symptoms at all. Regular doctor's exams are the best way to detect prostate cancer. The best defense:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day
• Don't smoke
• Avoid drinking excess alcohol

There's no one type or amount of exercise that's exactly right for everyone. That's why you need to see your doctor to find out what's best for you and at what level you should start, if you're just beginning a program.

Bottom Line:
You can't stop getting older, but by paying attention to your overall health and fitness, how much you age is up to you! While some physical complaints warrant a visit to the doctor, most age-related aches are just part of the normal aging process. Make a commitment to your overall health and fitness and you'll be surprised at how young you can feel.

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