Who Needs A "Fountain Of Youth"? 7 Great Tips For Self-Renewal
Ponce de Leon couldn't find it. Alexander the Great couldn't find it. F. Scott Fitzgerald could only imagine it.
Human beings have been searching for the Fountain of Youth since the beginning of recorded time. Yet to date, despite the booming, multi-billion dollar anti-aging industry's claims, a recent study published in Scientific American flat-out warns consumers, "there is no truth to the fountain of youth."
"Fifty-one scientists who study aging have issued a warning to the public: no anti-aging remedy on the market today has been proved effective."
Resveratrol, a substance found in red wine, might just make these scientists eat their words someday, but the elders among us might not be around to give it a try.
In January, a story on CBS' 60 Minutes called resveratrol "the fountain of youth in a glass of wine". Since then, the media has been buzzing with stories about resveratrol. It's been featured on Dr. Mehmet Oz's TV show, in the New York Times, on CNN, and NBC. You've probably seen ads all over the internet for products claiming resveratrol as the main ingredient, all intended to grab the consumer with promises of slowing down the aging process.
According to researchers at The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State Univeristy, resveratrol has not proven effective in humans due to its rapid metabolism and elimination, giving it low bioavailability in the human body. But the products keep coming to market and billions of dollars will be made.
In case you've been on another planet for the past few months and haven't tuned in to the buzz about it, resveratrol is a substance found in red wine with high concentrations in the skin of the grape that appears to protect the grape from invading bacteria and fungi.
Researchers believe it might also have the potential for extending life in humans by preventing a number of age related diseases, such as damage to blood vessels, lowering "bad" cholesterol and preventing blood clots, all of which are factors in heart disease, a major cause of death among people over 70.
Dr. David Sinclair, a Harvard medical school researcher, spearheaded the research on resveratol. In 2003, while studying the genetic components of aging, Sinclair discovered that resveratrol could mimic the effects of calorie restriction, CR, extending the life span of yeast by 70%.
Later testing showed resveratrol slowed aging in roundworms and fruit flies. Other studies in Italy showed that large doses boosted the life span of short-lived fish by over 50%.
Most research on resveratrol has been conducted on animals, not people. Research on mice has indicated it might help protect them from obesity and diabetes, both strong factors in heart disease. Mouse studies also hinted at resveratrol's ability to induce basic metabolic changes, similar to those of CR.
But here's the kicker: according to Mayo Clinic studies, to get the same dose of resveratrol used in mice studies, a person would have to consume 100 to 1000 bottles of red wine a day! Now you can see why companies are trying to convince consumers to take their product instead. But save your money! No matter how convincing the pitch, the scientific jury is still out on whether or not resveratrol works in humans.
So clearly, that glass of red wine you're having with dinner tonight isn't going to turn back the clock. But Sirtris Pharmauceuticals, a Cambridge, Mass. biotech startup, co-founded by Sinclair and Dr. Christoph Wesphal, is gambling they're on the right track in their research with resveratrol. If you're interested in their theory about how resveratrol works, read more here.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, let's face it. We're all growing older. Until the elusive fountain of youth is discovered, and we can pop a pill to recover our youth, how can we stay young in spirit even as the body grows old?
While there are no magic bullets, scientists and health experts agree there are certain lifestyle choices and behaviors that help keep the body fit and mind clear. Eating a plant-based diet, restricting caloric intake, stoping smoking, daily exercise, yoga, and meditation are a few well known paths to extending health and well-being into old age.
These methods may help prolong a youthful body, but what about a youthful spirit? How do we attend to the being part of human? I'd like to suggest another avenue to accessing the fountain of youth. Eckhardt Tolle wrote a book about it called The Power of Now.
Human beings are not oriented to "Be Here Now," as Ram Dass counseled back in the 60's. If we were, we would discover that life begins anew in every moment. Each breath is a doorway to discovering something new, no matter how many years have piled up on the calendar.
Aside from the physical challenges of aging, the spiritual challenge is to find within ourselves the ability for self-renewal. Or as Dr. Stephen R. Covey calls it in his perennial best selling book, The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, Habit #7, "Balanced self renewal or sharpening the saw." Growing older is not the same thing as growing old. One has to do with chronology. The other has to do with attitude.
Old happens when we stop being curious about life. When we lose our appetite for adventure, and settle for a life that's familiar, we've already started the trek down the backside of the mountain.
Before the economic crisis, people could expect to retire at age 65, and perhaps live out another 20 or 30 years. Today, because of economic necessity, more and more people continue working well beyond the age of retirement. How do we stay inspired and motivated when the body says "slow down" and the bank account says "keep going?"
Maybe the magic button we're looking for is the one that when pressed, responds with a resounding "Yes!" How do we find that "Yes!" button? How do we continuously renew our lease on life and expand our potential for truly being alive all the way to the finish line?
Here are 7 ideas for self-renewal :
1. Consider yourself a student of life- consider that what you already know is like a drop in the ocean compared to what there is yet to learn. What is there for you to learn right where you are, wherever you are? What can you learn about the things you think you already know? When we believe we already know all there is to know about any thing, learning stops and decay begins.
2. Spend time in wonder- Rediscover the beauty of flowers, sunsets, music, art, children, literature. Have you looked at an orchid lately? Or a Bearded Iris? Have you watched how free and spontaneous children are? Have you been to an art museum lately and pondered the great masterpieces? Have you watched the sun set over the ocean or behind the mountains and waited for that last moment of daylight to slip out of view? Have you looked up into the night sky, pondered the stars and considered how small you are, yet you're the center of everything?
3. Let yourself be moved- Allow life to transport and expand you. Let it open you, touch you, move you to tears. Let yourself feel the pain of unmet longing, unshed tears. Go ahead and shed them. Let the tears remind you you're alive. Let them clear away the veil of doubt and cynicism and give a new window from which to experience the wonder of life. Be moved to tears at the magic and mystery of it all. Life is so much bigger and grander than you can possibly imagine.
4. Extend love- Love is who we ARE. It's what we came to give and receive. Holding back on giving love doesn't mean you'll have more to give. Love doesn't work that way. In fact, you'll have less. The more we give, the more we have to give. I have a feeling that love must be one of those magic ingredients in that ever elusive fountain of youth.
5. Focus on contribution- Find a cause and serve it. Find a need and fill it. Find a community organization, a church, join a support group, volunteer at a hospital, help clean up the environment. There are endless ways to serve and endless needs to be served. A life lived focused solely on one's own comfort and convenience is simply too narrow, too small for the life you came to live. You came to live a larger life, to touch other lives besides your own.
6. Learn your unique song and sing it- Here's a miracle: There is no other you and there never will be. Yours is a song that only you can sing. If you don't sing your unique song, if you don't bring your voice to the choir, the universe is missing a voice in the grand chorus of beings. Find your voice, however long it takes. Find the portal to your full self-expression. If your song is best sung in the kitchen cooking, cook your song. If your song is best sung in the garden, garden your song. But whatever the case sing it, cause you're the only one who can.
7. Expect miracles- Life is a continuous mystery unfolding. You have never been who you are this very moment. Step into the mystery, get your feet wet. Miracles are waiting to be discovered. Expect them and you'll find them, sometimes in the most unlikely places. Remember, the Chinese symbol for "crisis" = danger plus opportunity. Look for the opportunity inside crisis and you might just find a miracle.
Here's a brief video from Stephen Covey about celebrating your 80th birthday. Who do you want to be when you're 80? What do you want people to say about you on your 80th birthday?
I'd love to hear your ideas for staying young at heart, for keeping your passion for life alive. When you face challenges, how do you keep going while maintaining your sense of joy and aliveness?
Please share your thoughts and ideas below. I endeavor to reply to as many comments as possible, so check back here if you want to read my reply. And while you're here clicking buttons, select the Become A Fan button to receive automatic updates each week. For personal contact, I can be reached at www.judithrich.com.
Thanks so much for being here!
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Dr. Judith Rich is a writer, speaker, corporate consultant, personal and executive coach. She is writing her first book, When The Shift Hits The Fan: How To Thrive In Uncertain Times. Her website and personal blog, Rx For The Soul, can be found at www.judithrich.com.
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I have just stumbled over your column and it came at a very good time for me. After many years and many abuses, and as I approach 60, I made a life change. No...I left him a long time ago!! Anyway, over the years due to stress, family problems, and low self-esteem (my excuses), I gained a lot of weight, and in addition used alcohol to self medicate. Three weeks ago I had a revelation, and quit drinking and went on a diet, hoping to lose 100 pounds. Some who know me, question doing both at the same time, but actually, I have had little difficulty doing without the 6 pack of lite beer I consumed every night, and the large amount of food I ate. I have worked to find the right foods and balance for myself, binge eating for several days as my body adjusted to no alcohol, but gradually my appetite has diminished and I have settled into a veggie, protein, oatmeal, liquid anything, way of life. Reading your column has brought back memories of how I used to be, before I lost myself, and given me renewed faith to find myself again. Thanks, for reminding me to be positive and loving, and you are right, age is not measured in years but in how you live life. My students will appreciate the new me, hopefully.
Dear craphappens,
Maybe, as part of your makeover strategy, you might want to consider a new online handle. Just a thought........ in the meantime, congratulations to you for taking your life back. It's true that crap happens, but what's more important is how you deal with it. It doesn't have to be one's identity.
I'm happy to hear you're turning a corner and heading down a new road. Stay in touch!
Best to you,
Judith
And... I'm not giving up the red wine just yet!
Probably you'd have to be a goddess to be able to handle those 100 to 1000 bottles a day that are needed for it to really help. Not for everyone!
Ah yes, but some can't hurt! A few glasses, feet up, watching the sun go down... very renewing!
Love the post and love your list, Judith!
If I may, I would add "Explore" and "Create" to the list as well... perhaps they are subcatagories... As a student of life one must explore: Surf the library. Try a new cuisine. Get a passport. Travel, travel, travel! And, as we spend time in wonder (I love this part of your list), let the beauty we see inspire us to create: Write a poem. Make a collage. Paint a chair with all the colors of a Monet Water Lily. The act of creating is such a healing, vital, enlivening thing.
Yes, athenasword!
Thanks for the wonderful additions. I've been away all weekend and just got back to my computer. So nice to see your comment here.
You're so right about explore and create. To me, that's part of being a lifelong learner. Seeing the world with beginner's eyes. But let's name it as it deserves to be named.
And who knows, that glass of red wine probably has other health benefits as well, so why not have a glass now and then!
Best to you,
Judith
Banish the word "should" from your life. We are programmed to think of all the things we should do rather than the things we want to do. What a shame if we fill our life with things we don't want to do! Try it for a week and see how freeing it really is. Also, be a skeptic in all things. Every day we get advice on what we should (again, that word) do to be younger or successful or rich or ...... Mostly the advice we get is wrong as your article shows again. Listen to your own body and your own heart and ignore all the advice you get bombarded with every day. Every person is different and has his or her own path.
In other words, "don't should all over yourself"......
Good advice, Homosapient. Whether or not something lives as a "should" is totally within our interpretation. Turn our "shoulds" into "get to" and see the difference in your experience.
There really is power in words. Our words help shape our experience. For example: "I have to or I get to". Which place would you rather be coming from? Who decides how we see the world?
Thanks for this comment......
Best to you,
Judith
I will follow the lead of dame marjorie chardin to die on my 80th birthday.
See Kari Henley's Profile
Judith!
Sigh
so that glass of wine just is not going to cut it, hmmm?
There is not enough Botox, HgH, or stimulants to replace a healthy attitude about growing older.
I feel sad so many of us do not welcome aging as a time to revel in wisdom, to share our knowledge with others, to be in service and to feel honored by younger generations for our contributions.
The boomers have a job to do: put a war on ANTI-aging!
Let those who came alive in the 60's find their passions, as you mentioned in your list, to remain vibrant, happy and determined to redefine the meaning of "getting old"
You certainly exemplify that every day!
Nice job
kari
Dear Kari,
Yes, happiness is truly an inside job and thus, so is self-renewal. I really do think that appreciating the wisdom gained with age is key to staying young. Maintaining an attitude of discovery, as you pointed out in your wonderful post on curiosity a couple of weeks ago, keeps one "on their toes".
The journey into breast cancer is a path of new discovery for me these days. It's not one I would have consciously chosen, but it's the one I have, so I choose it. Just had another biopsy done this morning, this one done by MRI. That was quite an experience! One more milestone down before surgery, hopefully coming up soon.
My curiosity is at a peak with all these new developments in my life. Meanwhile, there's the book, also wanting to be birthed. Life is anything but boring!
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, Miss Kari.
Love to you,
Judith
Consumer Lab, the recognized independent authority on supplement and over the counter drug testing, evaluated the major brands of resveratrol recently and found many lacking in content and quality. None of the newer companies, most of which use some form of the word resveratrol in their name, agreed to have their products tested. The highest potency products that passed their evaluation were Biotivia’s Transmax and Bioforte. Bioforte was also the lowest price per mg of active ingredient. The test was open to all brands. The results are on the ConsumerLab web site. Also,in tests done by the University of Bologne, Italy it was found that almost 80% of all so-called resveratrol products contained either no trans-resveratrol or less than ten percent of the label claimed amount of this essential compound. Any new discovery that catches the fancy of the public also attracts the schemers and crooks as well.
Dear jamesinraro,
Great! I was hoping someone would comment on resveratrol. Thanks for the info on the specific labs. Yes, my research also showed that no current brand on the market contains enough of the compound to be effective. Since resveratrol has not been tested on humans yet, any product making claims for its effectiveness is duping the public.
Thanks for your comment,
Judith
Judith,
Another great post! I am 52 and have 3 kids under 12. THAT keeps me young and I recommend it.
James
James,
Thanks for the recommendation, but that's one I'll have to take your word on. You're right, though. And how lucky your kids are to have YOU for a dad! And their mom ain't too bad either. Say "hi" to Riv for me.
Love
Judith
See Ed and Deb Shapiro's Profile
Hi Judith- Another winner of a blog- Thanks
I always have felt that to be young is to be willing to go with the flow. To be interested in what the younger generation is about. To have a happy attitude. To be kind and respectful of others.
It's when we are always irritated and down and complain and negative that you are aging by wearing yourself out.
Essentially treat yourself well and think of others. Be your own best friend. as a woman once said to her teacher, "I have no friends here!" the teacher replied, "be a friend."
Lovingly,
Ed
Hi Ed,
How timely your comment! I'm getting to practice going with the flow more and more these days as I make my way through the healthcare system with Bella Coventina. Does mean I'm getting younger?
I was inspired to write this article by a dear friend who lived to age 91 and was always exclaiming wonder at everyday things. She remained curious about life right up to the end. She taught me much about growing older without growing old.
Thanks for stopping by. I always feel your smile!
Love,
Judith
Dear Boyaca,
I hear you, and, just speaking from personal experience, sometimes the body and mind burn out on the things we've always done and need to create new possibilities. I think your idea is to stay active and keep involved. I couldn't agree more. Retirement today is being pushed down the road so more people are going to keep doing what they've been doing.
My point here is how, in the face of necessity or otherwise, do we renew ourselves from the inside out? If we can't afford to retire and the soul and spirit yearn for renewal, what avenues do you choose to bring freshness to your life?
I'd love to hear your thoughts about that. Meanwhile, thanks much for dropping by and for sharing your thoughts.
Best,
Judith
I'm under the shower, singing my song. And getting my feet wet, too. The only thing in danger is my laptop. Still looking for that 'crisis'-symbol on my chinese keyboard.
Dear Diog,
So, my friend, what exactly IS your song? What are YOU all about?
I love your sense of humor. Your comments always put a smile on my face. Another way to self-renew!
Best keep that laptop on dry land, huh?
Check back and let us know about the song part.
Best,
Judith
Yes, I must admit that putting a smile on your face was actually part of the plan. Maybe that was the opportunity opened up by the 'crisis'. (I finally found the key on my chinese board).
There is a song, and it can heal. But as you write in no.6 it's unique to everybody and we must each sing our own - otherwise the universe is out whack.
Always fighting off the temptation and danger of locking ourselves in our ways.
Thinking we understand ourselves or others is like walking in cement - it may work for a while, but it doesn't serve the purpose, and it has unintended consequences.
We ain't seen nothing yet.
See Anne Naylor's Profile
Brilliant, Judith! And I love your 7 ideas - they are just wonderful.
When I was giving early retirement seminars, I discovered several things. One was that often people do not reach a peak of fulfilment in their lives until their 70's. These days it may be nearer 80's. Another that people who lived to 100 attributed totally different causes to their longevity - for some eating meat every day, for some being vegetarian, for another smoking, etc
It seems that what is really important is having a personal philosophy - knowing what is true for you and living up to it. People are living longer. So how do we fulfil our years in the most enjoyable and meaningful ways? People used to think retirement: golf, gardening and a round the world cruise. It is not enough. There is a whole other economy that starts around 65 and the world will benefit from it in many ways.
Thank you for your most inspiring post. I very much appreciate the creative ideas you offer.
With warm love and blessings to you,
Anne
Dear Anne,
I love the idea of having a personal philosophy and living by it. Great addition! Why didn't I think of that???? It is absolutely crucial to self-renewal..
You have led a most interesting life, teaching the things that really matter. What a gift and a blessing you are! I want to be like you when I grow up!
Thanks, as always, for your great contributions to what goes on here on the Living page.
Much love and appreciation to you my dear friend,
Judith
I basically agree that living a long healthy life is about taking care of your mind and body. However, there is an interesting report done by NBC Dateline line that linked drinking herbal tea as a key ingredient to living longer and healthier. And not just any herbal tea - but organic, fresh and locally grown. That is the difference. Now heavy metals and pesticides are showing up in herbal supplements and products everywhere. One study put it as high as 33%!
http://www.prlog.org/10235925-nbc-reports-drinking-herbal-tea-leads-to-longer-healthier-life.html
Dear bmonaghan,
I've been an herbal tea fan for decades and highly recommend it. Everything we can do to keep body and mind fit as we age, helps to keep the spirit young and visa versa.
Thanks for adding your thoughts to our inquiry.
Best to you,
Judith
On the physical level: try to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night; cut down on refined sugar; use saturated fat (the hard kind) sparingly, trans-fat not at all; aim for 30 minutes of uninterruped exercise daily; follow the nearly unanimous advice about fruits and vegetables. Supplements work for some but nutritional experts are divided on the question.
On the mental level, get an idea of the difference between a variation on an old idea and a genuinely new one. The more of the latter you become capable of the more youthful you will be and feel. This includes the ability to see your ideas of ten years ago as limited or even as wrong.
On the emotional and spiritual level: If your responses feel jaded or routine (and you have to apply high standards), it is time to ask why. Corrective action is more difficult than giving the car a new engine. It is indeed more blessed to give than to receive, avoiding those, however, who take advantage of this disposition of yours, instead of practising it themselves with others.
Dear cktirumalai,
Thanks for your input. I'm especially drawn to the idea of being original. There's nothing that sparks self renewal like coming up with an original thought, at least original to the thinker, probably not to the world. There's always more to be discovered than what we already think we know.
I call this a "Blinding Flash of the Obvious" or BFO.......
Let's look for BFO's this week. Let me know what you come up with.
Best,
Judith
I travel a lot and the people who live the longest and fullest lives are the ones who never stop doing what they did all of their lives. They do the same work at 90 that they did when they were 20. Retiring is suicide.
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