ALTHOUGH THE clock on the wall ticks at the same rate for all of us, each person's biological clock has its own speed.
We all age differently. If you ever went to your school reunion, you will have seen the proof of this statement. Some of your old schoolmates may look decades older than the calendar suggests, while others radiate youth and vitality. To a great extent, you can control the rate at which you age. Although you cannot stop the ageing process, you can age less rapidly.
Researchers studying the lives of 400 famous people discovered these statistics:
Of the 400 subjects, 35 per cent made their achievements when they were between 60 and 70 years old; another 23 per cent made their achievements between 70 and 80. Eight per cent became famous when the individuals were over 80 years old. All totalled, 61 per cent of the 400 famous people studied attained their greatest achievements after reaching the age of 60. To quote Charles Schulz the creator of the cartoon Peanuts, "Just remember, when you're over the hill, you begin to pick up speed."
STARTLING STATISTICS ON AGEING
Life expectancy at birth is now more than 50 per cent greater than it was a century ago. Average life expectancy at birth has increased from below 50 years in 1,900 to over 70 years today.
One-half of all humans who have ever lived to age 65 are alive today.
One out of every 26 'baby boomers' will live to be 100 years old.
Most readers of this article will make it to age 85, and many of you have a good shot at celebrating your 100th birthday.
But sadly, with current trends, half of our future 85-year-olds will need help with simple daily tasks due to age-related infirmities.
Will you be playing tennis or dancing on your 85th birthday or struggling to get out of a chair at 60?
Should you expect your energy and sex drive to fizzle by age 45 or will you hit middle age with body and mind in their prime?
Which will you be - independent, vigorous, and active, or needy, disabled, and sick? Now is the time to decide.
LIVE WELL AND AGE WELL
We live at a time of unprecedented opportunity to maximise our 'age less' potential. Medical research on the ageing process has provided information that now empowers the individual to begin his/her own anti-ageing programme. That research suggests that there are activities that can help you age less. They fall into the following seven categories:
Nutrition and nutritional supplements
Exercise
Weight management
Sleep
Stress management
Detoxification (internal and external hygiene)
Hormone replacement
Even if you are currently in great shape, a physician practising anti-ageing medicine can help you to see if you're on track for a long, vigorous life and where you have room to improve. A true assessment of your current situation is critical to prioritising your personal longevity plan, so be willing to put yourself under close scrutiny.
You do not have to start working on all the seven areas at once. But you need to start doing something now. And the new year is a great time to begin your anti-ageing programme. If you do, you could end 2005 biologically younger than when you began it.
You may email Dr. Vendryes at Vendryes@mac.com or listen to 'An Ounce of Prevention' on POWER106FM on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
