Do you look your age? Do you feel your age?
Most people want to look and feel younger yet sadly think that many of the typical symptoms of aging are just an inevitable part of racking up the years!
The good news is that how you age is actually more under your control than you might think and much of that control can be accomplished by having the right diet and exercise program in your life.
What We All Want
I don’t know about you, but I’m really not that concerned with how many actual years I’ve been living as much as I care about how I feel, function and look. It is these factors that researchers are now studying to help people to age gracefully and maybe even enjoyably!
You’re only as old as you feel!
So let’s quickly define some terms. The number of years you have been alive is called your “chronological age”. Obviously there is nothing we can do about that. But, the function of your body and the degree and rate at which you age is called your “biological age” and that, my friends, is the one you’d be most wise to focus on.
Your biological age is expressed as the functional capacity of your organs and their various systems such as the circulatory system, lymphatic system, reproductive system, etc. Doctors and other health professionals measure the level of function of these systems by accessing various physical markers such as joint flexibility, cognitive function, lung capacity, visual acuity, skin collagen production and muscular strength, etc. It is the DECREASES IN ORGAN FUNCTION that we think of as the unwanted symptoms of “aging”.
What We Now Know
Current research has proven that the onset and degree of the symptoms of biological aging are not hardwired into our genes. What this means is they are not the inevitable booby prize of getting older! We now know that there are many factors associated with the degree and rate at which our organs age and that many of these factors are within our control.
Test Your Biological Age
Below is a 21-question test you can take right now to help determine your biological age. This information is taken from a wonderful book: Ultralongevity; The Seven-Step Program for a Younger, Healthier You, by Dr. Mark Liponis, the Medical Director of Canyon Ranch.
How Fast Are You Aging
- Do you need to lose more than 10 pounds?
- Do you smoke or smell smoke regularly?
- Do you breathe polluted air or live or work in a metropolitan area or city?
- Have you not broken a sweat within the last 24 hours by exercising?
- Did you weight less than 7 pounds at birth?
- Have you taken an antibiotic within the last year?
- Are you an only child?
- Is your waist bigger than your hips?
- Do you not floss daily?
- Are you sad or frustrated with your love life?
- Did you not laugh today?
- Did you not have a dog as a child?
- Have you not had a massage within the last month?
- Do you usually eat two or three times a day and often get stuffed?
- Do you not take the right vitamins?
- Have you raised your voice in anger over the past 24 hours?
- Do you often feel anxious or worried during the day?
- Do you regularly feel sad, down in the dumps, or depressed?
- Do you not sleep well and feel rested during the day?
- Do you not play a musical instrument, sing or listen to music every day?
- Where you born in the fall?
I hope that this information helps you to be more aware of some of the variables that have been shown to promote the premature aging of our bodies and our minds. Get yourself on a diet and exercise program that you can live with and is customized specifically for YOU, and you too can get better as you get older, and not just “get older”!
Amy Fournier Constantino is a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach. She is available for speaking engagements, workshops, media opportunities, group exercise classes and private consultation.
