So many of my patients come into the office and joke with me about how the so-called golden years aren't so golden. It got me thinking about how we can remove the tarnish and shine up that precious metal that is life in the later years.
Sure, growing old can be a drag, especially if you are feeling tired and sore. Wouldn't it be lovely if we could gain the wisdom of age without the aching joints, the weaker eyesight, the forgetfulness, the sagging flesh, and the increased risk of illness?
I am totally convinced by so many of my patients who live inspired lives that aging does not have to be a drawn-out death sentence and that our golden years truly can be golden. Research shows that we have more control over how our bodies age then previously thought. In fact, scientists studying the lives of identical twins separated at birth and reared apart are convinced that only one third of the aging process is influenced by our genes.
It appears the number of candles on your final birthday cake is largely up to you. The determining factor is a healthy lifestyle and attitude. Scientists have looked hard at long-lived populations such as the Japanese living on the islands of Okinawa (home of the world's largest populations of centenarians, with almost 600 of its 1.3 million inhabitants living into their second century). The common denominators for their incredible longevity and amazing quality of life are summed up as follows: Eat healthy, don't smoke, and exercise more.
Statistics show that by the year 2030, one in five Americans will be older than 65. In fact, we will have more people over the age of 65 than we do under the age of 15. Another fact is that the number of people over 100 doubles every decade. There is no question that we are living longer. Having longevity and living into the triple digits is wonderful as long as your quality of life is good as well. There is no question that as we age, we lose muscular mass, strength, flexibility, and bone mass. These losses can in turn lead to loss of mobility and independence. These facts may sound discouraging but they can be countered by exercise. Regular participation in aerobics, strength training, and balance and flexibility exercises can prevent chronic illness and have you literally tap dancing into the triple digits.
Having an understanding of what happens to our bodies as we age gives us the ability to take steps to counteract the affects of aging. If we are fortunate, a regular exercise routine can make our physiological age a number of years younger than our chronological age. A healthy diet with regular exercise along with a positive attitude can help delay the onset and slow the progression of many of the age related changes that occur within our bodies, which can help us lead an independent life and feel younger at heart.
Evidence shows that with every increasing decade exercise becomes more important in terms of quality of life, independence, and being able to participate in a full life. I believe the key to keeping fit is to start slowly and build gradually as your ability and strength improves. Most important is simply to start, no matter what your age. Muscles begin to shrink and lose mass as we age. Exercise can increase the strength and size of these muscles. In addition there is a decrease to the number and size of muscle fibers and exercise can increase muscle fiber size and reaction time. There is no question that a decrease in the ability of the heart muscle to propel large quantities of blood occurs with age but cardiovascular exercise can increase our cardiac output and create a stronger, more efficient heart muscle. As we age it is also evident that our metabolic rate (our body's ability to convert food to energy) decreases. Exercise stimulates our metabolic system and increases our levels of good HDL cholesterol. Loss of bone mass is another facet of aging that can lead to osteoporosis. Resistance exercises are shown to increase bone density and this can, in turn, decrease the chance of osteoporosis in people of all ages. Aging also increases the risk of arthritis due to the degeneration of cartilage, which provides cushioning to the joints between the bones. It is important to keep the joints mobile and the muscles surrounding the joints strong to provide extra support.
Incorporating an exercise routine as we are aging will significantly improve our overall health, energy levels, and vitality. I suppose that is why Dr. R. Butler, former director of the National Institute of Aging, is quoted as saying "If exercise could be packaged into a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed beneficial medicine in the nation."
Dr. Anderson is co-author of a senior's specific fitness program. To obtain information on this great program log on to www.impowerage.com.