4 Ways to Age With Gusto
We're all aging. As long as we have a pulse, each day we're that much older. But we all age in different ways, don't we? That variability is due to many things, and how we view aging is a major player. September 21 marks the beginning of Active Aging Week, but what does "active aging" actually mean?
Staying Physically, Intellectually and Socially Engaged
Of course, the first thing comes to mind is being physically active -- this is huge. Our bodies have a non-negotiable need to move in order to be healthy and to age well. We inherited this from our ancient ancestors who survived because they had to move to eat. Yes, going to the gym, running or walking every day or every other day is great; but what happens the rest of the day? With work, driving and watching TV, we can spend large amounts of our day sitting, and "sitting is the new smoking" according to an Australian study that shows sitting puts us at great risk for premature death -- greater risk, in fact, than smoking.
What about brain activity? New research tells us that we are the architects of our brain. If we continue to challenge our brain by using it, and by learning new things, our brain responds by maintaining or growing new pathways, which keep us sharp with less risk of developing symptoms of dementia.
Then, there's social activity. As we age we tend to become more isolated, with fewer friends and face-to-face social interaction. This is deadly, with associated risks that are two to five times higher for depression, cancer, heart disease and even dementia.
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But There's More ... It's All About Attitude
Active aging has much to do with attitude. Do you fear aging? Do you choose to pretend it's not happening until something grabs your attention -- a joint shouts out, or your heart begins to beat differently, or you lose a good friend? This head-in-the-sand, passive approach to aging can work for a while, but inevitably time will yank you out of your denial. This can be a messy scene. It can become a time when we feel our worst fears have come true, and we are now broken beings; no longer young and therefore no longer valuable, relevant or even visible. But we are aging, so what's the alternative?
Carpe aevum, my friends. Seize age; welcome it. This is not rocket science. When something is inevitable, isn't it more rational to own it completely and then do all you can to make it the best it can be? Holland is a country that is mostly below sea level. For centuries, they have built dikes to hold back the sea, but over the last decade they built Delta Works, a system that allows seawater to enter in a controlled way in order to avoid floods. The Dutch are living with nature, accepting its inevitability, and rather than fighting it, they are embracing it and making it work for them.
This is active aging. Acknowledging we are aging -- that it is, in fact, a privilege -- and doing all we can to continue to grow no matter what our age or what particular challenge comes our way; relishing the wisdom, experience, compassion and freedom from the tyranny of the petty concerns that plagued our younger years. Active aging is grabbing life with both hands even when it dishes out some unpleasant stings. Active aging is not letting life just happen, but seizing every moment, treating it as a gift and making it meaningful. We all have the capacity to do this. You have the capacity to do this. Here's how...
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Four Ways to Age With Gusto:
Use it or lose it. Why should we retire a skill or capacity? Whether it's our body, our mind or our spirit, nurture it as an athlete would any ability they've developed over time.
Accommodate; don't abdicate. Yes, life will throw you come curves, and you may not be able to do things quite the same way you could when you were younger. Adjust! Keep doing it with some modifications. Can't run? Walk. Can't walk as well? Walk with a walking stick. Can't swim as fast or as long? Swim slower and for a shorter time. The twig that can bend doesn't break.
Be a beginner. Keep growing. Look for any opportunity to learn new things. Sure, you may not go to the Olympics with this new skill, but who cares? Do it because it looks interesting. Do it because it brings you joy. Do it because you can.
Don't just recreate; create. A side effect of a society that marginalizes its older adults, failing to value the enormous potential that resides within them, is that these older adults begin to see the later stage of their lives as only a time to play without any particular meaningful purpose. Purpose sustains us and keeps us vital. Yes, you've earned the right to enjoy life, but enjoy it more by finding a way to give back your treasured experience.
I once heard an octogenarian say, "Right now, I'm as young as I'm ever going to be. I've got to get out there and live!" She knows what active aging is.
[Read: A 76-Year-Old Basketball Champ Shares How to Age Well .]
Dr. Roger Landry is the author of the recently released book "Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging." He received his MD at Tufts University School of Medicine and his MPS at Harvard University School of Public Health. He is currently the president of Masterpiece Living, a group of multi-discipline specialists in aging who partner with communities to assist them in becoming destinations for continued growth. Dr. Landry was a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force for more than 22 years and retired as a highly-decorated full colonel and chief flight surgeon at the Air Force Surgeon General¹s Office in Washington, DC. His work took place on five continents and he was medically involved in a number of significant world events including: Vietnam, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Beirut barracks bombing, the first seven shuttle launches and the first manned balloon crossing of the Pacific. He was also a member of a group awarded a grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation¹s Active Living by Design initiative to make cities more healthy and livable.
