Keys to Successful Aging

Face it; we're all going to be old someday. Nothing we can do to prevent aging. But there are ways to get there in halfway decent condition. Barring catastrophic health issues or disease, we can take charge of our aging process, to a certain degree.

Sure, major organs and systems show signs of wearing out when we hit a certain age. It seems inevitable that people in their 40's will start developing some degree of vision degeneration, but don't let that slow you down. The same goes for teeth. Get regular checkups, maintain good vision and dental health and don't allow small problems to grow into big problems. Get glasses or dentures if you have to. Don't put it off until it's too late to begin treatments or measures that will enable you to enjoy the lifestyles and foods you always have.

Depending on how well we took care of our skin when we were younger, wrinkles start sprouting when we hit our 40's also. The 'jowl' appears, as do sagging jaw lines and other body parts. Gravity is no longer our friend, it's our foe. You can slow down the onset of gravity with healthy diets and daily exercise. Weight bearing exercises are the best thing that people over 40 can do to maintain healthy muscle mass and prevent osteoporosis. Remember the Kegel exercises you did when you were pregnant? Well, they're not just for pregnant women. Doing Kegel exercises regularly will help keep abdominal floor and urinary tract muscles in good working condition, which can help prevent urinary incontinence as we grow older.