Aging With Ease

Aging can be a beautiful process, especially if you expect it to be that way. There was a study done back in 1971 in the Soviet Republic of the Caucasus. Anthropologists went there to examine the centenarians, who lived to be well over 100 and researchers wanted to know why. These people did not need eyeglasses or hearing aids, they had all their teeth, and they were healthy and vibrant. This community lived a stress free life up in the mountains of Russia. Their water was pure, food was fresh, and there was no word in their language for old age; they expected to live a long life and that was their mindset.

In our culture, we expect that the aging process will not go as smoothly and that we will suffer from age-related illnesses like arthritis, heart disease and so on. However, if we decide today - here and now - that we are going to be healthy and live a long, healthy life, then the possibility is there. In order to do that, we have to change our lifestyle, look at our attitude, watch our behavior and be aware of any unhealthy scenarios, so that we’d at least give ourselves a fighting chance for that long, healthy life.

An older woman with grey hair came up to me after a presentation I had given on aging and she shared a little about her life. She used to be overweight with high blood pressure and arthritis, but she decided that she needed to do something to change her health and life for her overall happiness. So she looked at her lifestyle, examined her attitude and made a commitment to change things. She went on to share some of the hard and disappointing times she experienced, but she pushed through them and ultimately did very well. At the end of the conversation she asked me how old I thought she was? With her grey hair and small stature, I thought she was about 70-72. She was actually 91 and still going strong.

Some people are extremely determined to do whatever it takes to be healthier and happier and yet so many people are not willing to put in the effort. I think the key to successful aging is following through with your commitment. You cannot do something for two weeks and think it’s done; there has to be a lifestyle change and a perseverance that demonstrates your commitment. While there are going to be setbacks and challenges along the way, no one else is going to care for you as much as you care for yourself, bottom line.