The Institute for Vibrant Living - You're source for a vibrant life

What Are The Secrets Of Aging Well?

 Loading ...

• Share/Save

We don’t quit laughing because we grow old; we grow old because we quit laughing. That sage advice is gaining momentum as baby boomers climb into their senior years. They are learning that a sense of humor, common sense and a healthy lifestyle can go a long way toward increasing their chances of longevity. The record holder for human longevity is Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years. Though a life span that long is rare, improvements in medicine, science and technology during the last century have helped people live longer, healthier lives.

A hundred years ago, only three million people in this country were over the age of 65. Today, more than 36 million Americans are in this age group and that number is expected to grow during the next 25 years to 70 million as baby boomers age. The older adults of the future will be more racially and culturally diverse. And contrary to what some believe, loneliness, depression, inactivity and chronic pain are not inevitable consequences of aging.

Consider these facts:

• In the hunter-gatherer culture of East African Hadza people, hardworking grandmothers in their 80s and 90s spend up to seven hours a day gathering food for their families.
• We lose muscle mass and gain fat as we age, but this trend is reversible with exercise. Even a long inactive 90-year-old woman can build muscle and gain strength with strength training, (but it is quicker and easier to start sooner)
• Nerve cells in the human brain and muscle cells in the heart have the capacity to last more than 100 years.
• When not affected by disease, the heart of an older person pumps as efficiently as that of a healthy young adult. Some individuals at 80 have the functioning heart of a 40 year old.
• Humans have three times more vocabulary at 45 than at age 20. The human brain has four times the information at 60 as it has at age 20.

There is a common assumption that, if you’re older, it’s too late to reverse the damage brought on by smoking, drinking, fatty foods and lack of exercise. The truth is that it is never too late to initiate a healthy lifestyle. For example, if you quit smoking now, your risk of heart disease begins to drop almost immediately. If you begin a moderate exercise program you will be amazed at how quickly your muscles begin to strengthen. Trade in a high-fat diet for nutritious choices and you will look and feel better.

Injury prevention is another key to aging well. Falls are the most common cause of injuries to older adults. More than one third of adults who are 65 years of age or older fall each year and of those who fall 20-30% suffer moderate to severe injuries that decrease mobility and independence. Identify potential hazards in your home and the places you frequent and watch your step!

Last, but not least, never lose your sense of humor. Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of humor and laughter on our health. The effects are enormous and include boosting our immune system, reducing stress, relaxing muscles, lowering blood pressure, increasing our tolerance for pain, and hastening the healing process. It has been shown that our attitude is more important than our physical health in determining how long we live. That is, senior citizens with a good sense of humor and a positive attitude, but poor health, survive longer than those that are in good health but have poor attitudes. Another way of expressing this is to say that what jogging does for the body, humor and laughter do for our emotional, mental, and physical health.

While we can’t change our genetics or all environmental exposures, there is much that we can control that will help us live longer and healthier lives: Eat well, live actively, laugh often and love with all your heart.