Dental Health and Diet
9. "I floss...occasionally."
Flossing can significantly help prevent gum disease, a common dental problem of over-40 women. And inflamed gums can actually lead to heart disease down the road. A 2006 study in the Journal of Periodontology found that people under 60 with advanced gum disease (marked by bone or tooth loss) are at greater risk of developing coronary artery disease. The two may be related because they're both inflammatory. "Gum disease is inflammatory, which is similar to plaque buildup in the arteries of the heart," says Brett Kessler, DDS, of Denver. In another study, the pathogens most frequently found in severe chronic gum disease were also found in coronary vessels.
Once you're in your 40s and 50s, regular flossing is more critical: You produce less saliva to wash away the bacteria that cause gum disease. And some prescription drugs, like blood pressure meds, also diminish saliva output.
If for no other reason, preserve your gums to protect your smile: More adults over 40 lose teeth to periodontal disease than to cavities.
10. "My diet is healthy, so I don't have to be strict about portions."
"I see women every day who think that if a food is healthy, they can eat as much of it as they want," says nutritionist Katherine Tallmadge, RD, author of Diet Simple. Depending on your size and activity level, you should eat 1,700 to 2,100 calories a day to maintain weight, and 1,500 to 1,800 to lose. To get a handle on serving sizes, measure and weigh your food at home until you develop an instinct for the right amount. Keeping a food journal will also lay bare your true habits. "Leave a notebook in your kitchen to record what you eat within 15 minutes of doing it," she says. "Particularly at this age, those little details can be the difference between losing weight and not losing it."
