Healthy Aging (not "Anti-Aging")

Healthy Aging Rx:  Relax.  Spend some time with your feet in a tide pool?

Today is my 35th post on this blog and I am 35 years old, and in my stream of consciousness that got me thinking about healthy aging.

It seems like everywhere you turn these days there's some product or diet that promises incredible anti-aging effects ("incredible" being the operative word here).  What's up with that?  What do we have against aging?  Each of us started aging when we were born, but our perception of aging seems to change a lot through time.  When we're younger, we want to be older.  Then, at some point, we start falling into this anti-aging mindset.  To me, it seems much more productive (and sane) to see aging for what it is -- time moving onward -- and to direct our energy towards doing it healthfully.

So, what is healthy aging?

I think that healthy aging is simply this: being in the best physical and mental health possible at each age.

But how do we do that?

Well, this is the subject of entire books, but given our definition of healthy aging (above), we can safely say that the following things will help to get us there.  Eat mostly whole foods from quality sources -- grow and cook your own food when possible.  Eat only when you're hungry.  Drink tons of good, clean water.  Connect with your inner voice and pay attention to what it tells you -- ultimately, each of us is the expert about what's best for us as individuals.  Do what you love, or find a way to love what you do.  Spend some time outdoors every day.  Cherish and strengthen the positive and supportive relationships in your life.  As for the relationships that don't support you, find a way to mend them, or else let them go.  Make time in your busy life for self care -- how can you expect yourself to care for others if you don't first take good care of yourself?  Be generous.  Cultivate gratitude.  Ask for help when you need it.  Incorporate appropriate exercise/movement into your life (and be mindful that your relationship with exercise will change as you age).  Be gentler with yourself.  Show yourself the same kindness and respect that you show your partner or best friend.  Rest and sleep well.  Learn and practice ways to reduce stress.  Never stop learning new skills -- take a class or teach yourself.  Connect with your own personal brand of spirituality, whether that comes from your involvement with a community group, your religion, your connection with nature, or something else entirely.  When you find yourself stressing about your age (which seems to happen every once in a while), stop and redirect that energy -- use the moment to instead reflect back on all the beautiful, exciting, and powerful things you've done with your life so far; then decide what you'll do next, and start right away!  Finally, it's natural and good to reflect on the past and imagine what's to come, but spend most of your time each day right where you are -- be present, so you don't miss what's right in front of you.

I also think we should encourage the kids in our lives to really enjoy and embrace their age, rather than to spend so much energy wishing they were older.  How cool would it be to be able to look back over your entire life and know that you appreciated and embraced every single year for what it was and how it moved you forward?  It's never too late to start that.

I'll leave you with this thought from Andrew Weil: "Yes, aging can bring frailty and suffering, but it can also bring depth and richness of experience, complexity of being, serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace."

What's your advice for healthy aging?

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.  Age Well.