FEATURE: Secrets of Aging Awesome

Written by Kathryn Savage

"Viagra is made for me," Hugh Hefner informed a New York Times reporter not long ago. Mick Jagger, who turned 64 in July, is still touring. Last Tuesday, at the Worthing Leisure Centre in West Sussex, England, Celia Powis, a 70 year old fitness instructor, fought for, and got to keep, her job. At her place of employ, people are essentially retired after age 65, but the energetic 70 year old wanted to keep teaching her five fitness classes a week, and she will. In the age of fitness-friendly, sex-crazed, rock-and-roll seniors, it appears we are living in an era where people don't just get old, they get awesome.

New questions are entering the age debate; with the increase in the U.S. population of people older than 65, what's going to happen when these fabulous seniors start get sick? Can we take care of our elderly? What can they (and all of us) do now to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible?

The good news first – recent studies do suggest there is a decline in age-related disability. The bad news is that no one knows how long this trend will continue. With obesity on the rise among younger generations, who knows if age related diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes will continue on the decline. One thing seems certain, what your habits are today, they might be tomorrow. Each day we continue down the path of healthy or unhealthy behaviors is another day we live either for, or potentially against, our bodies at their peak. So make as many healthy habits a part of today as possible. These habits might just be a part of many tomorrows to come.

The PBS Series Second Opinion offers great suggestions from a panel of age, disease and health experts about how and what to do to age gracefully, awesomely, and as disease free as possible. For the full article follow this link: http://www.pbs.org/secondopinion/episodes/longevity/keypoint3/index.html. Their health tips are preventative and proactive. They emphasize staying alert and engaged. Their suggestions are:

• Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a varied diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Exercising every day
• Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke
• Adhering to a schedule of disease screenings recommended for your age Establishing a regular schedule of well visits with your doctor as well as seeking prompt medical health when you have a problem

Sound familiar? That's the thing about all this aging, health and wellness stuff. It's`not exactly all that varied or exciting. I mean, the day I read a news paper headline that claims standing on your head for fifteen minutes playing the kazoo leads to a longer life I will be completely shocked and a little angry because I can't do a headstand worth a crap.

But the thing about all this health and wellness stuff is it doesn't do any good to just read about it, the fun and interesting part is finding new and different ways to apply your knowledge. Let's face it, humans are human, we are not perfect little eaters and exercisers. We like cake, Playboy bunnies and rock and roll. So have a small slice of carrot cake, put your headphones on, listen to some rock and roll in your Hustler tee shirt and go for a jog. We don't care how you do it, we just hope you choose to make healthy choices and getting awesome a part of your daily routine.

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