In your 40s? Here`s how to stay healthy!

Salome Phelamei

As we get older, our metabolism decreases and this is true particularly for men after the age of 40.

Maintaining a healthy body and staying in shape is the best way to defend oneself against cancers and other diseases.

Hence, making healthy choices like eating right, getting enough sleep and staying active throughout the day can help boost your metabolism and shed off those unwanted pounds thereby avoiding certain diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and different types of cancer.

No matter how busy and demanding your work may be, 40 is the right time to evaluate your well-being to keep yourself fit and healthy in the long run.

Below are a few tips to stay healthy in your 40s:

Increase your fiber intake: Try sticking to a diet packed with nutrient-dense food like lean protein, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains. As your metabolism slows down, eating fiber-rich foods while cutting down on calories will help boost your health.

According to health experts, high-fiber diet can also moderate the release of glucose into the bloodstream, which might reduce the risk of getting the disease by up to 60 percent.

Muscle up: As we age and starting at age 40, our muscle starts to shrink and starts losing about 1 percent of muscle mass per year. Decreased muscle mass can lead to a slower metabolism. Our body also become less flexible as we grow old.

Hence, daily exercise, yoga or Pilates can help improve both in maintaining muscle mass and flexibility.

Know your family history: As you reach 40, it is important to find out about your family health history because genetic factors can play a vital role in your risk for certain health problems.

Eye health: Your vision can start to decline on reaching 40. One should get regular eye check ups to slow down vision loss.

Apart from glasses designed for reading as well as distance to see clearly, wearing sunglasses can prevent further damage because too much exposure to sun can increase cataracts.

A condition known as age-related macular degeneration, also called AMD, is a leading cause of vision loss in individuals, over 50 years of age.

Routine health exams: A routine health checkup or screening procedure should be maintained as per the doctors' recommendations. Depending on your family history, your overall health and personal risk factors, screening procedures, routine tests and physical exams may vary among individuals.

Doing so will help assess the risk for medical problems, screen for various diseases and encourage a healthy lifestyle.