One Thing Changes Everything

Aging Intelligently isn’t some pie in the sky philosophy that I dreamed up the day before yesterday. It’s my ongoing vision for the ability to live life on my own terms, free from disease, infirmity, broken bones and heartache over the past. It is also for you, an aging population who doesn’t want to live like your ancestors, who didn’t necessarily have longevity as one of their choices, and death was a companion to all ages of the family. 

In the 1850’s, child mortality was rampant. You were lucky to live to the age of 5. If you were a woman, your chances of death greatly increased during the childbearing years. If you made it to 20, and didn’t get killed in a war or a hunting accident, you would probably live 70 to 80 years. Most people stayed relatively active and brain sharp for most of their lives, dying at home, surrounded by family and friends.

So much has changed since then, not all of it good. Better healthcare, greater choices in nutrition, and sanitation have increased the odds in the last 150 years for both children and women. Now we struggle with weight issues, 20th century diseases, poor nutrition, too much stress, and dementia. These were not an issue for your grandparents and great-grandparents.

According to the World Health Organization 2013 census, life expectancy in the US ranges around 80 years. We are number 34 in the world. If you want to live longer, move to Japan, Australia, Iceland, or 30 other countries. They have better odds. If moving isn’t something you want to do, take better care of yourself. Start paying attention to what you do, what you eat, and what you think. Everything matters, and everything integrates and effects everything else. Lack of sleep effects mood, which effects relationship, eating, and self-control. Everything works together. Become more intelligent and informed about your aging process. You aren’t an observer to an alien being that happens to live in your body. It’s you in there, and what choices and consequences you make.

Change one thing (make it different) to help your aging process. Start small. And change it today. Walk to the coffee shop or grocery story, get 8 hours of sleep, drink another glass of water, stand on one foot (then the other) for 30 seconds, start learning a new skill like cooking something new, and/or practice breathing slower and deeper.

Just one thing can make a difference because it is changing the way you see yourself. One change everyday means you are paying attention: assessing who you are; reassessing who you could be.

See yourself as making progress on the road to Aging Intelligently.