Aging and Health and Wellness

We often talk about the retirement years being the golden years. I think that may be true in some of the different stages of aging. I am 62 and I look at myself as being in early old age. I am still active and my health is good but I am starting to notice some things, my hip joints hurt after I sit for awhile. I don't hear everything that people say and I'm tired at the end of the day.

When I reach my 80s and 90s, I know that these years will be much more of a struggle. Mentally, I will slow down, physically, I'll slow down, most likely there will be a lot more problems. I think it helps me think about how I want to get ready for that aging process, (if I live that long), and I know I won't be able to maintain my vitality until I'm a hundred. I think there are a lot of things that are worse than dying, that's for sure. I think living too long often is a dilemma. I can say that as I watch my father's health fail with Alzheimers.

This list might be a bit overwhelming as you read it - when you get to the bottom of the list there is some good news. So read on...

AS WE AGE OUR -

Muscle mass decreases on the average about 7 lbs. per decade.
Fat increases as a percentage of body weight.
Strength, energy and speed of the body decreases.
Base Metabolic Rate (metabolism) decreases.
Aerobic Capacity, the capacity to process oxygen, decreases.
Body cells become resistant to insulin.
LDL Cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) and triglicerides increase, and HDL Cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) falls
Blood pressure increases.
Kidney functions decrease.
We lose neurons in our brain. This leads to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Senile Dementia.
Testosterone in men, and estrogen and progesterone in women, drops.
Sexual desire drops.
Thyroid (a hormone which affects metabolism) drops.
Melatonine (a hormone which regulates the body clock) drops.
DHEA (a hormone precursor to testosterone and estrogen) drops.
The thickness of skin decreases, resulting in more wrinkles.
Water proportion in the body and in the skin, drops. This results (among other things) in dryer skin, and more wrinkles.
Sense of hearing drops.
Sense of taste drops... "everything tastes the same"
Sense of vision, especially capacity to read small letters in low light, decreases.
Hair falls and loses its color (it becomes white).
The thymus gland, the master of the immune system, shrinks and atrophys, thus lessening our immune system.
Our liver, brain, and other critical organs shrink in size, thus affecting their functions.
"Deep sleep" becomes more scarce and less profound.
Digestion becomes slower and less complete
The retina of the eye becomes thinner, in many cases detaching.

If you got to the bottom of this list - you might think I'm not sure if I want to get older. The good news is that for everything that can happen, for each sign of aging there is a cause, and there is a good medical therapy to slow it down or stop the sign of aging completely, or even reverse the course.

Aging, Health and Wellness go hand and hand - its important to listen to your body as you age but its vital to stay active.

In a recent Washington Post report, a number of studies suggest that aging does contribute to overall happiness. Despite America's tendency to champion youth with it's speedy metabolism and sag-free skin, more and more studies are supporting the notion that the golden years really are golden. When you're talking overall contentment and happiness, elderly people tend to win. The recent findings stems from a General Social Survey that interviewed 50,000 Americans year after year to see how they change with age. The results? Like a fine wine, evidently..

Exercise and A Healthy Diet Are The Answer To A Long And Healthy Life

The buzz words for senior citizens today are "active aging." Active aging means that we remain active and strong in our later years to prevent the loss of mobility. Loss of mobility in seniors can drastically change their lifestyles and some might never recover. But, a daily health plan that includes healthy diet and exercises designed to keep joints moving and the mind sharp can help us stay mobile far into our senior years. How's that for an incentive?

As we age, we lose flexibility, muscle and bone - and our strength may falter. These losses may mean that we also lose mobility and independence and become fragile and at risk for falls and fractures - plus other diseases associated with aging. But, don't be discouraged about those disheartening facts of getting older.

Regular exercise (emphasize regular) such as strength training (weights), flexibility (stretching), aerobics (for cardio health) and balance can greatly reduce your risk for mobility loss. Even if you already have a certain amount of mobility loss or health problems, there are things you can do to improve your well-being and your fitness level.