Retirement in wellness or illness

If we can expect to live for another 20 - 30 years after leaving full time work, it seems blindingly obvious that we need to get serious about our health.

Toast to good health in retirement. Picture: Contributed

MOST of us eventually discover that we are not bullet proof and If we can expect to live for another 20 - 30 years after leaving full time work, it seems blindingly obvious that we need to get serious about looking after our health if we want to enjoy these years.

Our health in our 60s - 70s and beyond is dependent on 3 factors -

• Good genes *Good lifestyle * Good luck

There's not much we can do about our genes. However, there's a lot we can do about our lifestyle, even if we're in our 50s, 60s or 70s.

If we want to give ourselves the best chance of good health in later life, we need to take responsibility for our health and adopt a strategy of seeking "wellness" rather than just treating "illness" when we get sick.

This means regular exercise, a well balanced diet, a positive attitude and an ability to manage stress. A healthy lifestyle also helps the brain perform better and reduces the chances of dementia.

Unfortunately, a lot of us pass the responsibility for our health to the medical industry. This involves a less healthy lifestyle and seeing our doctor when we get sick. It therefore becomes your doctor's responsibility to treat the illness by prescribing drugs or medication.

Of course nothing is guaranteed because the third factor is good luck. Fit and healthy people get cancer, have serious accidents and catch nasty diseases. There's not much we can do about good or bad luck.

The only thing we have any control over is how we respond to whatever fate throws at us.

Our book "How to stay Healthy, Active and Sharp in Retirement" has lots of helpful information. It's available from our web site at www.mylifechange.com.au