Changing Our Perception On Aging…
by Noelle Federico

Aging is something that occurs in all living things. Some living things age rapidly and die after only a few days, while other living things live for over a hundred years. All mortal beings gradually age over time. Although we can’t stop the aging process we can attempt to slow the process as much as possible, and optimize our health as we age. Certainly, we can change our perception of aging from a horrible thing that befalls us to a circumstance that we can control by our choices. Living well and aging well are a CHOICE—our individual choice…do we eat Ben and Jerry’s for dinner or do we have a nutritionally sound meal, do we drink a six-pack because we had a bad day or do we go for a walk instead, do we take drugs to avoid reality or do we confront life head on and make the best of it? The choice is always ours even though most people would like to blame someone else for the circumstances of their lives. If you are unhappy with your life or the way you feel or the way you look, the change must be made by you…

Changing our perception of aging is the first step to aging well. If you view aging as a negative, horrible circumstance what chance do you have to combat its effects? Imagine if we viewed aging as an opportunity to do better with ourselves, an opportunity to make a difference in our own health and well-being. Most of us were young and foolish when it came to our health; we failed to realize that what we put into our bodies is what we would get out of them as we grew older. The good news is –it is never too late to get smart and make changes. Educate yourself on what it takes to combat aging and then start making changes in your life…

A good place to start is with some basics…The basics of good health and longevity are founded on genetics, lifestyle, exercise and nutrition. However, as we age, we now know that certain vitamins and minerals can play an important role in helping us to maintain optimal health and performance.

Here are some points to support longevity:

Genetics:  While our genetic makeup is pre-determined, lifestyle, nutrition, and other activities controlled by us can radically affect the way our genes are expressed.

Lifestyle: reduce stress, don’t smoke, drink alcohol only in moderation, avoid narcotics, eat fresh foods and have a balanced diet, drink lots of water and avoid radiation, heavy metals, pollution etc.

Exercise: Regular aerobic exercise and strength training at least twice a week

Nutrition: Choose fresh, unpreserved foods, use balanced multi-vitamins and minerals to ensure that all nutritional needs are being met, especially as these needs usually increase with age.

Anti-Oxidants: Use them to help eradicate free-radicals (a cause of premature aging) and to help eliminate pollutants.