It’s not just age catching up
Here’s how to stay out of the healthcare system, one slice at a time.
Clinic pattern
The stories that stick with me aren’t always the dramatic injuries. It’s the slow creep of tiny decisions that pile up:
Skipping a walk because you’re tired at the end of the day.
Grabbing takeout because cooking feels like too much.
Relying on a pill because it seems easier than changing a habit.
For a while, you can get away with it. And doing this every once in a while is fine. And honestly, it's a nice break, if it's the exception.
Why ten squats matter (and don’t)
But then it catches up to you. In your 30s it feels like “I'm just getting older.” In your 40s and 50s, blood pressure inches up, so there’s a prescription. It helps. Until it doesn’t. Add diabetes. More meds. Side effects. More doctor appointments. Costs climb. And because you feel lousy, trying to exercise feels defeating.
By the 60s and 70s, the snowball can turn into crisis: a stroke, a heart scare, or just the realization that even groceries-to-cooking-to-cleanup feels like climbing a mountain. At that point, the healthcare system runs your schedule and your wallet.
And the numbers show how common this reliance becomes. Nearly 9 in 10 adults 65+ take at least one prescription medication, compared to 3 in 4 in their 50s, about half in their 30s and 40s, and just 4 in 10 under 30. More than half of adults 65+ take four or more prescription drugs. That’s the snowball effect in real life. One pill at first, then another, then another.
The hard truth: it’s tougher to claw back once you’re deep in that cycle. But here’s the good news: you still have control right now.
As one example, do 10 squats (or sit-to-stands) after a meal.
You might be thinking, Is that it? Ten squats?
No.
And that’s the point. Ten squats alone won’t feel powerful, just like one late night or one drive-thru doesn’t ruin you. It’s never the one thing. It’s the accumulation, in both directions.
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