Retirement can last for a long time—perhaps longer than three decades—and it’s going to be a challenge to make your money last that long, particularly if you’re not in good health.

Even if you are, issues will undoubtedly arise demanding the care of a doctor or, worse, a hospital.

The better your health, both mental and physical, going into retirement, the greater the likelihood that you’ll have fewer instances of problems and be able to come through them more quickly, recovering more thoroughly, than others might who are not in such good shape.

So, if you want to be healthy in retirement and thus forestall some of the potentially massive expenses connected to health care once you’re living off your retirement savings, it will pay to do a little prep work now, while you’re still working.

This can involve making sure you have all the obligatory checkups that might uncover potential problems while you’re still covered by your employer’s health care and/or wellness plans. But that’s not the only thing you can do to get yourself in better shape and possibly ward off problems in the future.

Since the possibility exists that the American Health Care Act could make it through the Senate—albeit perhaps with major changes to at least some of its provisions—it behooves everyone to do all they can to improve the odds of not needing care in a nursing home or assisted living facility, since one of the current provisions of the bill cuts Medicaid by $880 billion.

And since Medicaid is the means by which many seniors pay for nursing home care, it’s best to assume it might not be around to help you when the time comes.

And if you’re already struggling to keep up with medical premiums, bear in mind that another provision of the AHCA allows insurers to charge older people five times more than they charge younger people.

Instead, here are five suggestions that can help you prepare yourself to be as healthy as you can be in retirement, so that whatever the final version of medical care in this country turns out to be, you’re ready to face it head on:

5. Join a community.

Whether it’s a small informal group like a book club or knitting club, a biking, dance or martial arts group or something even bigger, grander and more strenuous like a Habitat for Humanity group, consider becoming part of a larger whole.

Especially if you’re planning on downsizing and relocating upon retirement, start investigating now and forge some links with your new location as far ahead of time as possible, since one issue that can weigh on seniors’ mental and physical well-being is feeling isolated.

Joining a community of some kind can help you feel connected, and if people you hang out with now can give you introductions to people in your new location, you’ll have a welcome ready and waiting when you get to your new home. Research has shown that the sense of belonging can help not just your morale but your mental sharpness and physical well-being—and you’ll have people you can turn to if you find you need help.

4. Cook.

Home-cooked meals can improve your health and help you learn how to stretch the budget at the same time.

And while you may feel you don’t have time to take on home cooking, you’ll be better able to control the quality of the food you eat while saving money on the cost of prepared foods. In addition, they can improve your family’s well-being, too—leading to fewer serious problems down the road.

Cutting down on additives and preservatives while controlling the amount of salt and sugar you eat will help you maintain a healthier diet, and understanding more about the types of foods available and the cooking process itself will enable you to put together more balanced meals at lower cost.

You might also be able to avoid doctor bills for food allergies, since you’ll be in control of what goes into what you eat.

Meditation can help you mentally and physically. (Photo: Getty)

3. Meditate.

Meditation has all sorts of health benefits. Health conditions from anxiety and asthma to high blood pressure, depression, chronic pain and even heart disease have shown improvement thanks to meditation sessions, and any improvement you can make in your mental and physical well-being can reduce the need for conventional medical treatment.

In addition, when meditation is coupled with such mindfulness activities as qi gong, tai chi or yoga, physical mobility improves and that’s a good thing to seek as you get older.

Yoga is a form of exercise that can help your body be strong and graceful as you age. (Photo: AP)

2. Exercise.

You might not particularly enjoy it, but exercise is helpful for lots of reasons. It keeps you limber, making it easier for you to get around as you age, and weight-bearing exercise—including some types of yoga—can be helpful in preventing the effects of osteoporosis.

The beneficial effects of exercise also affect mental well-being, and not just through the well-known “runner’s high.” But even those are not the only benefits it offers.

While even just walking will help with everything from stamina to weight control, there are the added benefits of commuting via bike.

If it’s feasible for you to do so, try and give it a shot—after all, in many other countries more people go to work on two wheels than on four. And don’t think that just because an area is hilly, you can’t manage it.

For hills, or when you get older, you can always add a push motor to a bike. That will enable you not only to commute even on steeper roads, but to run most of your errands via bike instead of car. That will not only save you money but keep you in shape as you age, lessening the likelihood that you’ll need the attentions of a doctor—at least for a while.

1. Educate yourself.

You need to know as much as possible about your retirement savings—both the investments and the type of plan—so that you can plan ahead and use that money to best advantage once you retire.

At the very least, you should know the type of tax treatment each of your retirement accounts qualifies for, so that when the time comes to start withdrawing money you can do it in the most advantageous way possible.

There are two good health-related reasons for being aware of the tax treatments of retirement accounts: first, so that your money will last longer in retirement and cover more health care expenses—meaning you’ll be less tempted to forego necessary medication—and second, if you’re confident about what you have and how to use it, you’ll spend less time worrying about it—and less worry is a good thing for your health.

Instant Insights /

5 cheap ways to get healthy before you're old enough to retire

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