STAYING YOUNG INTO OLD AGE

by Dr. Don Rose, Writer, Life Alert

This title may sound like a contradiction, but the happy surprise is that it isn’t. You can indeed get older (as measured by your chronological age – number of years on Earth) yet still remain young (as measured by your biological and mental age).

Being “young” is a two-part state: mental and physical. If you keep a youthful outlook and attitude (mental youth), while maintaining a healthy body (physical youth -- eating right and exercising to maintain or improve your internal biological processes), then you can actually stay in a state that most would consider young. Some people have even made their bodies younger by changing habits and attitudes that were, well, old and obsolete for them. After all, if folk-rock-poet-icon Bob Dylan can sing “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now,” who am I to argue?

Perhaps some of you readers are still not convinced. Okay, here are some tests to try.

Ask someone how old you look and/or act. If the answer is less than your actual number of years on this planet, this is evidence for your success at maintaining youth. The more people you ask, the more evidence you can accumulate.

Now, look inward at your mental state. Try to be honest. Do you still get excited about the little things in life? Are you hopeful about the future? Do you do impetuous things at times? Do you think of yourself as young (your mental portrait of yourself)? If you have some yes answers here, then you have evidence for mental youthfulness as well.

Let’s be clear. I am not saying that getting older (i.e., accumulating more years on this planet) is a bad thing, or that we should act in ways that perhaps were dumb and we wound up regretting back during younger years. With advancing age comes wisdom (hopefully). As more birthday milestones pass, you will know more and more facts and rules and other useful knowledge that makes things work and makes your life work. You will also know more about what doesn’t work - a big timesaver. All these points, plus lower auto insurance rates, are among the many benefits of getting on in years.

But the main point here is that, while we all must get older in terms of years (we have no control over that, as long as we’re alive), the state of “being old” (i.e., mental-attitude aging) is a choice. Plus, with proper physical care and the increasingly rapid pace of medical breakthroughs, biological aging may soon be a choice as well! In short, it has never been a more exciting time to rack up your chronological mileage.

Finally, a four word finale for folks who find they simply can't stand reaching each new birthday, each new New Year, each new decade milestone: think of the alternative!

You’re welcome. Now shut up and be happy. (If you just laughed, you’re still young.)

One afterthought. Some futurists have predicted that in the near future, perhaps a decade or two from now, our knowledge of bodily aging will increase so much we’ll be on the verge of “curing” it -- that is, stopping or even reversing the processes that cause our bodies to decay, die or decrease in function. While this prospect is exciting, one fact of life can still cause major problems or death, even if dying by old age is cured: accidents.

Fortunately, people can protect themselves against accidents and other emergencies. One way is to buy health insurance and other kinds of insurance to make sure an accident doesn’t wipe us out financially. Another equally important strategy, to insure against bodily harm due to emergencies, is to sign up for a medical alert system with Life Alert. Danger doesn’t discriminate; it can happen to anyone, regardless of (chronological) age. Since we all may be living well into the 100+ range during the next few decades, perhaps even 200+ years, there is a lot of living to lose by letting an emergency happen to us without proper protection. Think of a medical alert system with Life Alert as an extra bit of insurance, to make sure you get all the speedy care and attention you might ever need.

Anti-Aging Advice to Keep Skin Looking Nice

Based on “Skin Aging-Are You Speeding Up The Process?” posted by Constance Wherrity at piercemattie.com

Edited (with Introduction) by Dr. Don Rose

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Skin is the body’s largest organ, so it’s important to know how to take care of it. Especially crucial is the facial area; we all want it to look its best, since the face is usually the first thing people see about us, and something we have to experience with every gaze into a mirror. This article presents some tips to help slow down the inevitable process of aging skin, which will hopefully give our face something to smile about. --D.R.

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It's no secret that our society is obsessed with looking young. As baby boomers turn 60, statistics show the U.S. market for anti-aging products and services is "growing at an average growth rate (AAGR) of 9.5%” and “will reach nearly $72 billion by 2009"*. While science has made advancements in both topical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, certain lifestyle factors -- such as smoking, sleep loss and sun exposure -- can unknowingly sabotage your personal aesthetic goals.

Although natural aging is a given, inherited via our genes, we do have control over extrinsic aging. The process of premature aging is caused by poor lifestyle habits that actually accelerate skin aging, including wrinkles, rough texture and uneven pigmentation. According to leading dermatologist Jeannette Graf, current research reveals that the following dynamics accelerate the skin's aging process:

• Sun exposure - No surprise here: the sun does not do a complexion good. From basic dryness to a high risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, UV rays cause daily damage to skin. "Wearing a high SPF sunscreen every day is the one product I recommend to all of my patients," says Graf.

• Smoking - Another culprit that robs skin of its health. Smoking not only directly damages the fibers that provide elasticity and support, causing skin to prematurely wrinkle and droop, but it also decreases the flow of both blood and vital nutrients to the skin's surface, leaving it dry and crinkled looking.

• Diet - What you put into your body is just as important as what you put on, says Graf. A high-fiber diet rich in antioxidant fruits and vegetables will result in a healthier and more radiant complexion. Bottom line: limit alcohol and cola consumption, which depletes the body of its nutrients, and add more wholesome foods, such as lean proteins, fruits, green leafy vegetables and plenty of fresh water.

• Sleep loss - While sleep deprivation is known to cause weight gain and loss of mental concentration, it also affects skin health by robbing it of its precious rejuvenation time. During slumber, your skin, as well as your body, undergoes a period of revitalization. Loss of sleep interrupts this phase, imparting telltale signs such as dark under-eye circles and dry, flaky complexion.

Aging is inevitable, but you can certainly make small efforts to ensure that you don't help speed it along. By getting a good night's sleep, eating a healthful diet and using sun protection each day, you'll be sure to keep both your skin and the rest of your body looking young and vibrant.

* Julia Dvorko, BCC Research 2005

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The article above and the content it is based on are covered by a Creative Commons License.

Jeannette Graf, M.D., F.A.A.D., is a board-certified clinical and research dermatologist specializing in the research of ingredients that inhibit the signs of aging.

Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles on many topics, including computers, the Internet, artificial intelligence, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.

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At Home With Life Alert

Another great article - written by Virginia Marin.

"Would you like to live protected at home rather than in a retirement center for a few more years? Do you have health problems which prohibit your living alone? This article is about a life-saving advancement which may help to keep "Seniors on the Move" and at home.

The voice on the television says, "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!" No doubt you have heard it, but what does it mean? It means that there IS a way that seniors who live alone can now live at home for a while longer, rather than selling their home and going into one of the many retirement centers dotted across the land.

According to the American Health Care Association, the average age for a person entering a retirement center in the United States is 79 years. If there were a way to extend the time spent in one's own home, wouldn't that be better, financially and emotionally? But, what about accidents? For seniors who live alone and could not reach the telephone in an emergency, who would help them? Now, there is a system to meet the need- Life Alert . No, this is not an advertisement. It is an information alert to seniors, family, and caregivers that Life Alert is one system, among a few others, which can help families.

As the years pass, our health risks increase exponentially. We find ourselves more susceptible to injuries, falls, and fractures, especially those falls related to osteoporosis. There are also life-threatening police, fire, and medical emergencies--for example, every minute in the United States, someone experiences a stroke, with the risk doubling for every ten years over age 55. The American Heart Association tells us that four out of five people who die of coronary disease are 65 years of age or older. And fire? Most deaths from fire occur during sleeping hours between 11PM and 7AM.

But now there is Life Alert to help seniors. Life Alert is a small pendant worn on the person. It is activated by pressing a button which instantly activates a control unit located in one's home. The unit immediately notifies the Life Alert Monitoring Center, beginning a two-way voice exchange between the wearer and an operator. Should there be no response from the wearer, Life Alert immediately notifies the proper authorities, and help is on the way! The pendant also functions on a local 911 basis. The cost is nominal.