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How can I maintain good health for the rest of my life?

Dr Irwin Ziment
Professor of Medicine,
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA

Q: I am 51 years old. I am in good state of health. A year back my blood reports showed: blood sugar, fasting - 170; PP - 240; cholesterol - 280; blood pressure - 145/100. I was advised to take Gluformin G1 two tablets daily; Tonact plus one tablet and Repease 50 one tablet daily. I was also advised to walk daily and control my diet. I sincerely followed the advice and am still doing so. I lead a very disciplined life and I do not drink or smoke. After returning from office, I walk inside my house and it has become a habit. The only problem is that I suffer from is stress. I get my blood tested every four months. The last report of early this year is: blood sugar, fasting - 95; PP - 127; cholesterol - 137; BP - 130/78. I am physically very fit but my sexual abilities took a u-turn. Will it be possible to maintain the same test results for the rest of my life? What is the biggest health threat for me in future? My father had similar trouble with diabetes and BP but he lived a healthy life with strict control and died at the age of 79 due to heart failure.

A:Good health depends upon having good genetic endowment and a healthy upbringing, factors that are historic and therefore out of an individual adults control. Carefully regulated diet and sensible but frequent exercise are the most important factors for ensuring a long and healthy life. However, even those with the best history and appropriate life style are still susceptible to accidents and to unexplainable diseases. The latter can often be helped by medications, which must be taken correctly. Stress underlies or exacerbates most conditions and a major effort may be needed to reduce stress or to develop a compensatory practice such as yoga. If one is doing all these things, and is still worried about health, then the very act of worrying may cause dis-ease.