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4 Questions You Should Start Asking Your Healthcare Professionals Once You Hit 50

<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Your telomeres are getting shorter with each passing year&period; This means your genes start to wear out&period; It is why your skin starts to sag when you get older and why the other common signs of aging begin&period; The good news is that you have the potential for a long&comma; vibrant and healthy life if you keep ahead of any medical issues that might be headed your way&period; Here are four question you need to ask your healthcare team when you reach 50&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;"><img class&equals;"aligncenter size-Correct-Size wp-image-16475" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;medusamagazine&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2017&sol;09&sol;4-Questions-You-Should-Start-Asking-Your-Healthcare-Professionals-Once-You-Hit-50-640x522&period;jpeg" alt&equals;"4 Questions You Should Start Asking Your Healthcare Professionals Once You Hit 50" width&equals;"640" height&equals;"522" &sol;><&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">When Should I Get a Colonoscopy&quest;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">This is a big one&period; It usually takes years for polyps to develop into cancer&period; If you have some&comma; a colonoscopy will bring them to light—literally&period; A gastroenterologist can see the tissues of your intestinal tract all the way over to your appendix and small intestine with a tiny camera built into a thin and flexible tube&period; You will be in a twilight sleep&comma; so it will not be uncomfortable&comma; and you will not remember the procedure&period; The actual procedure only takes a few minutes&period; It is the fasting and laxative prep that are the worst part&period; Keep in mind that this procedure can save your life&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">How Are My Blood Sugar Levels&quest;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">As you age you may gain a few pounds and lose a little muscle mass&period; This can lead to a metabolic syndrome that can take you down the road to Type 2 diabetes&period; Your doctor or nurse practitioner should be checking your glucose levels with routine blood tests at least once per year&period; If you have any symptoms of diabetes&comma; such as increased thirst&comma; increased urination or tiredness&comma; your doctor should investigate further&period; Prediabetes begins with blood glucose levels rising&comma; but you may not have any symptoms at all&period; Catching the problem early can lead to complete reversal of Type 2 diabetes&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Do I Need a Statin Prescription&quest;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Your lipid profile includes your overall cholesterol level along with things such as high-density&comma; low-density&comma; very high-density and very low-density lipoproteins and triglyceride levels&period; If your cholesterol is out of whack&comma; it increases your risk of cardiovascular disease&period; That means a higher risk for strokes and heart attacks due to the waxy fat commonly known as cholesterol&period; You need cholesterol&period; Your body makes it&comma; and you also get it from animal products&period; If it is too high&comma; a statin drug can help bring it down&comma; reducing your cardiovascular risks&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Should I Lift Weights and Exercise More&quest;<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">It is not all about getting bigger around the middle&comma; but the fat that increases your waistline is the worst&period; The other problem is losing muscle mass&period; Your muscles burn more energy than fat&period; They even burn energy at rest&period; If you lose muscle&comma; you are more likely to put on fat if you do not cut back on calories&period; More fat leads to metabolic issues&comma; including diabetes&period; Weight-bearing exercises are the way to maintain or even add to muscle mass&period; Regular exercise burns calories&comma; keeps you flexible and is great for your heart&period; For getting the best healthcare answers for your age group&comma; consulting a healthcare professional with a gerontology degree will give you the best benefits&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify&semi;">Even if you feel great&comma; you should ask about all the routine tests you should have for your 50-and-over age group&period; The age is not a hard line&period; If you are younger than 50 but have symptoms that are troubling you&comma; get checked out now&period; Many things can be fixed&comma; especially when discovered early&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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