[김용의 헬스앤]
Entered 2023.11.14 14:45 Views 5,747 Entered 2023.11.14 14:45 Modified 2023.11.14 16:33 Views 5,747 A couple in their 50s go through menopause side by side. There are many cases where people visit hospitals for large or small illnesses. We must take care of each other’s health to prevent health deterioration in old age. [사진=게티이미지]
Many people will laugh at the title and answer ‘of course’ my wife. It is widely known that women live longer than men. It is common not only in Korea but also around the world. In many ways, including sex chromosomes, genetics, smoking, drinking, and risk of accidents (adventurous nature), women are in an advantageous environment for longevity.
Among these, menopause cannot be left out. The inclusion of ‘50s’ in the title is related to this. Why is menopause, a difficult period for women, related to life expectancy? This is because, paradoxically, it becomes an opportunity to pay close attention to one’s health. Even women who neglected health care until their early 40s begin to take care of their bodies when they suffer from menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and sleep disorders. Find foods that are good for your body and exercise hard to gain weight due to a decrease in female hormones (estrogen).
Menopause is a watershed for elderly health… Men who can’t quit drinking and smoking
Men in their 50s also experience menopause, but the symptoms are milder than those of women. When depression, abdominal obesity, erectile dysfunction, etc. appear, people tend to relieve them with alcohol or cigarettes. As menopause passes without your knowledge, you continue to repeat the bad lifestyle habits you had when you were young. Health in middle age determines health in old age. If you do not pass this period well, you will eventually suffer from various diseases and shorten your lifespan. It is no exaggeration to say that a man’s healthy lifespan depends on alcohol and cigarettes.
They live 6 years longer than men… The period of illness is long
According to women’s health statistics released by the National Institute for Disease Control and Prevention on the 24th of last month, the life expectancy of women in Korea is 86.6 years, which is 6 years longer than that of men (80.6 years). It has been confirmed once again that women live longer than men on average. But ‘content’ is the problem. Women suffer from illness for a long time, so they are somewhat far from a healthy life expectancy. In the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2019-2021), only 30.9% of women evaluated their health as “good.” It was 6.1% points lower than men (37.0%).
The health of middle-aged and older women is greatly affected by the aftereffects of menopause. Among those with high blood pressure before the age of 60, there are more men who enjoy drinking and smoking, but this reverses in the mid-60s. After menopause, women have increased blood lipid levels that cause cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia. The prevalence of high blood pressure in women over 65 years of age is 66.3%, which is higher than that in men (58.5%). This year, among the 5.32 million elderly female population, 3.53 million have high blood pressure. There are a whopping 1.1 million more people than men (2.44 million).
The incidence of lung cancer and pancreatic cancer in women also increases significantly… A woman’s body under threat
Deteriorating bone health also threatens a woman’s healthy lifespan. When you’re young, you get up easily if you fall, but when you go through menopause, you’re prone to fractures. The prevalence of osteoarthritis in elderly women is 46.4%, which is three times that of men. The female incidence rate of lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, which have many male patients, is also increasing significantly. According to national cancer registration statistics released in 2022, there are 9,292 new female lung cancer patients. There is little difference between men and women in pancreatic cancer. There are 4,324 male patients and 4,090 female patients.
On the other hand, smoking and drinking, which harm women’s health, are increasing. The smoking rate among women by age is the highest among women aged 25 to 34 at 10.3%. Even if you quit smoking, it will take 20 years for your health to be the same as that of someone who never smoked in the first place. The sooner you quit smoking, the better. High-risk drinking rates are showing a significant increase among women aged 35 to 44. Women have a lower ability to decompose alcohol than men, so the aftereffects are greater.
Can men catch up to women’s life expectancy? Lifestyle habits are important in your 50s
Recent data shows that male life expectancy is gradually increasing. This is because the number of men who are diligent about taking care of their health by refraining from drinking and smoking and exercising is increasing. The day will soon come when the six-year lifespan gap between men and women will be narrowed to two to three years. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, women have more stress and depressive disorders than men. Long-term depression increases the risk of dementia and eats away at healthy lifespan.
If the mind and body are not healthy, the meaning of longevity disappears. It puts a burden on the family and becomes the seed of discord. What value should we give to a ‘long life’ that does not receive blessings and praise from those around us? You need to go beyond just being old and live a long, healthy life.
The story of a 95-year-old grandmother who writes a diary every day and memorizes the names of 30 mountains to prevent dementia that can burden her children is heartbreaking. Will I live a blessed old age? The age of 50 is a crossroads in terms of healthy lifespan. Let’s get up right now and do some walking exercise.
2023-11-15 08:17:39
#Husband #wife #50s #live #longer
