If you love chocolate or vanilla, you might have to slow down the amount of intake in order to help with the nutrition you need for your age. There are specific parts of your diet that you will need to substitute for what you love in order to keep looking and feeling young. Nutritious foods are a large part of the aging process and can not be disregarded when you start to grow older.

One of the parts of nutrition to keep in mind as you grow older is the balance of foods that you eat. Every meal should have at least some nutrition that is combined with it. This will first mean combining anti-oxidants into your diet, as this helps with several of your anti-aging needs. Dark greens and fruits will give you the ability to have higher amounts of anti-oxidants, which will help to keep producing the hormones you need and to keep your body moving at a quicker rate.

“One of the parts of nutrition to keep in mind as you grow older is the balance of foods that you eat.”

If you are looking at nutrition and the aging process for what you shouldn’t do, then there are two major things you should avoid. A high amount of excessive fats can cause large problems with aging. This allows for free radicals to become imbalanced in your body, allowing them to keep too much oxygen in your body. If there are too many free radicals, they will cause cells to be destroyed instead of rejuvenated.

You will then want to balance out lower fats with higher carbohydrates and protein. These two elements will allow your body to have more energy available. This will also allow your system to continue to function at a quick pace. You will have more energy to move and keep other parts of your life intact, such as exercise.

After you have found a major balance of what to include in your nutritious diet, you will also want to make sure that you have the right amounts of vitamins in your system. For example, vitamin D and C will help to replenish cells in your body. Calcium will help to keep your bones strong in your system. Other vitamins are used to target specific areas of your body, keeping them strong and vital
as you move through your crucial activities. Keeping these different vitamins balanced in your body is a huge part to stop from aging.

One of the last considerations to take into your system for nutrition to stop the aging process is the amount of liquids that are in your system. As you grow older, you should drink more water than you did when you are younger. It is suggested to have between eight and ten glasses of water a day in order to keep your body functioning properly. By doing this, you will have the ability to keep your system hydrated and functioning properly at every level.

You may not be able to live forever, but by keeping basic nutrition, the aging process can slow down. Staying young does not mean staying twenty. It means staying healthy and keeping your nutritious needs in line. If you are just beginning to turn your nutrition around, you will want to make sure that you have all of your eating habits in order. By keeping track of what you have on your plate, you will be led to a healthier and prolonged life.

Julie Health writes about anti-aging products and reviews and anti-aging nutritional supplements at her website.

You may reprint the article above in its entirety provided the resource box and its links remain.

The first myth that should be broken about aging is that you can’t age at a particular pace. Many have divided age into categories of young, middle age, and old. This is not true. In fact, everyone’s genes are divided to make them age at a particular rate. For some, this may mean that they stay a child more than at heart, overcoming the effects of age until they are over 100. The differences in aging will simply be related to how well you take care of your body as well as what the genetic factors of aging are.

The second part that is considered a normal sign of aging is known as the one percent rule. This means that your cells will slowly begin to slow done. On average, this will begin by the time someone is thirty. However, it should not happen all at once. It should only happen one percent at a time. For example, your metabolism may gradually become slower and you won’t find yourself being as hungry. With the one percent rule, you should not see dramatic signs of aging by the time you are fifty. Your cells will not be slowing down enough in order to affect your body too much, but only as needed, especially since you are no longer growing.

One sign that most are familiar with when thinking about aging, is problems related to wrinkles on the skin. This may be related to aging, but can also be attributed to other factors. Having too many UV rays on your skin for prolonged amounts of times may eventually cause cells on your skin to die too early. There may also be an alternate medical condition related to wrinkle skin or even extra stress that you have had throughout your life. If you are certain that it is from aging, it is most likely related to genetic factors from aging.

One of the things to keep in mind when considering what the normal signs of aging are is to know what the signs are not. Most say that becoming tired, fatigue, and having the inability to focus and have cognitive abilities begin to become apparent. None of these signs are normal for aging. They should never be a part of your aging and are exclusive to not being able to take care of other parts of your body properly. For example, being tired is often related to an under active thyroid. Any of the problems that you experience that you think are related to aging will usually be from an alternative problem from changes in your body.

“One of the things to keep in mind when considering what the normal signs of aging are is to know what the signs are not.”

If you want to make sure that you are aging gracefully, you will also want to make sure that you are aging in a healthy way. Most of the signs that one considers to be a part of aging are other symptoms that aren’t taken care of at a younger age. If you are worried about aging, you can be certain that the only thing coming with your age is wisdom. The rest of the attributes of aging will be knowledge that then simply becomes history.

Julie Health writes about anti-aging products & reviews at her website.

You may reprint the article above in
its entirety provided the resource box and its links remain.

Men and women born between 1946 and 1964 are facing the most arduous and difficult challenge of their existence- the challenge of growing older while maintaining their youthful essence that stems from the Flower Power era.

The fitness craze that began with Jack LaLanne in the 60’s has mushroomed to encompass many avenues and modalities of boomers seeking better biceps and rock hard abs. After years of working out, running, lifting, bicycling, tennis and more, these die-hard seekers of youth are still seeking something greater that will keep them looking younger than their years because their faces have not enjoyed the benefit of exercise. A toned, healthy looking body does not produce a toned, healthy looking face.

The crusade to look young has been lead by women; they embraced skin care products early on and they have continued to act as guinea pigs for the drug companies and plastic surgeons by allowing new products and procedures to be practiced and tested on them. Whether the procedure is strings embedded in the face, paralyzing injections or fillers; long term affects are unknown. The media’s fascination with looking young has fueled women’s desires making surgery and injections glamorized, sensationalized and well publicized.

The men have been slowly lured to join women into actively using skin care, hair dye and even plastic surgery. The metro-sexual males now frequent salons and spas on a regular basis for facials, hair removal techniques, massage and dermabrasion. Why? Who wants to look old and used-up? No one raised their hand.

This full-court push for youthfulness has no end in sight. More than ever we read statistics that demonstrate how millions and millions of dollars are spent each year trying to catch the elusive “young” gene. Some ads even suggest paying for these expensive, risky and temporary procedures with a second mortgage and maxed out credit cards; after all, with the average procedure
nearing $25,000, not everyone has the kind of disposable income available that can buy a new face.

Facial plastic surgery is a temporary and very risky procedure. Plastic surgery requires frequent updating and even when the surgery goes well, the patient may not like what they see. Considering these surgical procedures are voluntary, it is frightening that people consent to them knowing that scarring and nerve damage occurs with every procedure. Blood clots, infection and irregular bleeding are also common side effects associated with surgery.

“Facial plastic surgery is a temporary and very risky procedure.”

Injections, too, are temporary and made from chemicals that have no long-term test results. How many injections are too many? It is reported that patients sometime have more than one doctor injecting substances on a regular basis resulting in double the prescribed amounts recommended.

Facials do make the skin look cleaner and healthier but are you under the misconception that facials and chemical peels can correct a sagging double chin or heavy eyelids?

Plastic surgeries, facials, peels, or injections will not stop the root cause of aging.

The root cause of facial aging begins with sagging facial muscles. Yes, there is aging due to sun exposure; it typically begins to show up about the same time that your muscles are affected by the downward pull of gravity. This means that over time, your skin and facial features will be adversely affected resulting in the look of old.

That’s right…as we mature we begin to resemble our mothers, fathers, grandparents, Aunt Hilda and Uncle Bernard. The facial muscles lose their tone and resiliency; in fact, by age 55, the muscles in your face may have already elongated by one-half inch. This means your face is sagging, pooling downward, making you look old and tired.

There is a solution. Sagging facial muscles can be remedied using specialized isometric contractions that work to plump up those small, wayward muscles. Muscles thrive when blood flow is increased – think of curling your arm using a dumbbell – after 5 to 8 reps, you feel the muscles respond. Couple the resistance with contraction and your face responds by lifting. In just minutes a day, you can pro-actively give yourself a youthful face just by exercising it.

The great part about using this type of exercise, rather than contortions, scrunches and puckers, is that these unique moves work for everyone. That’s right, when the exercises are performed regularly, you will see a visible difference that is better looking than a surgical facelift.. Your face will tighten and your skin will thicken.

It just makes sense. When you tone and sculpt your body with Pilates, weight and resistance training, you are proud of your new look. The same goes for your face. When you see and feel the lifting, your confidence soars!
http://www.rejenuve.com/FacialMagicSL.htm

“There is no such thing as generic pain” said Stuart McGill M.D., a professor of Spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo. “Somewhere a weak link has been created and this link will eventually breakdown”

Over the last century, Americans have seen a marked rise in chronic lower back pain as heavy labor jobs have been replaced by occupations which require workers to remain sitting for long periods. McGill says that daily habits which lead to poor posture are often the source of chronic back pain (think leaning forward at the computer or twisting your torso while bending over). Some tell tale signs of bad posture are slouched shoulders and a rounded lower back.

“Leaning forward continually shifts pressure on to the back. Pulling back the shoulders back, and tucking in the chin can often bring immediate relief by taking significant load off the back” said McGill.

Do you take short steps and lean forward when you walk? Walking is one of many activities which can help or hurt the lower back. Common walking posture mistakes are leaning forward, leaning back, and failing to keep the head up and eyes forward. Simple corrections to your posture can help to relieve low back pain.

But regardless of posture, the source of back pain remains different for everyone. Factors such as the genetic, neurological factors and aging process play a key roles in determining your pain. And the cycle of injury can begin early in the morning. During sleep, the disks in your back act as packets which fill with water. But while this may make you feel taller, it also makes the back up to three times more likely to sustain injury in the morning.

“Factors such as the genetic, neurological factors and aging process play a key roles in determining your pain.”

Stretching in the morning is an example of something which most would assume would help to relieve pain. But bending over at a time when your disks are filled with fluid places extreme stress disks When it comes time to exercise, stretching can actually decrease performance by stiffening the muscle. As an alternative warm-up, McGill suggests exercises such as birddogs, side planks, wall squats, and dragon walks– keep the spine in a neutral position while mobilizing the hips through a range of motion. The idea is to keep the muscle under load and motion during the mobilizing warm-up.

In the gym, effective lower back rehabilitation focuses on free weight exercises which work multiple joints to create stability such as squatting and dead lifts. But before progressing to strength training, it is important to address the underlying cause of back pain– by correcting the source of your imbalance.

This process begins by strengthening weak gluteual (rear) muscles which provide stability to the pelvis and trunk. This can be done without weights, using exercises such as front, and side bridges which keep the spine in a neutral position. The next step is to create stability in the muscles around the back with exercises for the abdominal, oblique and back extensor muscles.

Once proper posture has been established, training with light weights can be safely resumed to build up muscular endurance. McGill says those experiencing common lower back pain should engage in weightless exercises for at least the first 3 weeks before weight training is resumed. Significant pain relief can be noticed in as little as 3 months, but whatever exercise you choose, it is best to stay away from lower body machines.

Lower body machines like leg press, and the roman chair shift additional load on to the back. Sitting down and pressing against the spine against the back pad of a machine a is a great way to re-aggravate your pain.

The jury is still out on the best workout program for lower back pain, but here are a few guidelines and exercises guaranteed to bring relief:

* Birddog: This exercise works the lower back. Start on all fours with hands under the shoulders and the knees directly under the hip. For the patient with the a stiff lower back, the first step is simply lifting a hand or knee off the floor. After you are able to raise your hand or knee without pain, progress to raising the opposite hand and knee together. The objective is to hold the limbs parallel off the floor for six to eight seconds. Good form includes a neutral spine and sucking in your gut.

* Bridges: This exercise is for the glutes and abdominals. Lie on the floor with your knees bent. Squeeze your glutes and then push your hips up until there is a straight line through knee and hip to upper body. Shoulders remain on the floor. Beware of raising too high or of flaring the ribs, which pushes the back into hyperextension. Hold this position for an increasing length of time up to a maximum of one minute. Perform two to three sets.

* Side bridges: This exercise strengthens the side obliques glutes, quads, and lats. Lie on side, support yourself on one elbow and stacked ankles. Lift midsection from the surface of the table. Maintain neutral to hold this position as long as possible, until you begin to lose neutral or note discomfort. Repeat this on the other side.

* Cat/Camel: This is an exercise for the neck. Kneeling down on all fours begin with your head looking down at the floor. Now, nod your head up and down in a continuous, rhythmic motion for 15-30 seconds at a time. Note that this exercise is performed with continuous motion.

* Abdominal bracing: Abdominal bracing is the act of “stiffening” or tightening the muscles of the midsection. An abdominal brace protects the spine by forming a brace of muscles around the spine. This stiffening of the core muscles should be done during all activities to protect the low back.

Exercise program progression:

1. Start with bridges and side bridges to strengthen the glutes. 2. Proceed to birddogs, and bridges for back stability. 3. Hold out repetitions in each exercise for no longer than 8 seconds. The goal is to build muscular endurance, by gradually increasing your repetitions.

She did not operate with the social belief that she should choose her friends only from people her own age. We became very close friends and remained so until her death at the age of eight-two.

When Doris turned seventy-five, she was already widowed. The week she turned seventy-five, Doris threw two birthday parties for herself, one on a Wednesday night, and one on Saturday. Over thirty different people attended each party. I was the only person invited to both. In all, about seventy of Doris’ friends came that week to celebrate her birthday. On both nights many people stayed until past one in the morning.

As I looked around the room at both parties that week in amazement, I noticed that the people attending her birthday parties were of all ages. They included toddlers, teens, middle-aged people, and the elderly.

Doris had never restricted herself to making friends only within her own age group. She had always made it a point to befriend people of all ages. Consequently, she did not suffer the same social fate so many elderly people face when their circle of same-age friends starts to dwindle from sickness and death. I hoped that when I was the same age as Doris that I would be able to have as many friends and acquaintances gathered to help celebrate my birthday.

I didn’t know any other people her age who could throw two birthday parties in one week, and have seventy people show up. I wondered how Doris had made so many friends.

She had never been wealthy, but over the years Doris and her husband had made a practice of opening their hearts and their home to many people. They not only befriended a lot of people and maintained those friendships over the years, but they also befriended the children of their friends, and stayed friends with the younger generation.

I noticed that whenever I brought some of my own friends with me to visit Doris, she never treated my friends as expendable people that she would never see again.

She was gracious and kind and interested in all of them. Her caring about each human being was always apparent. When we finished our visit, Doris would often extend an invitation to the friends I had brought to come and visit her again, and many of them did so.

When she issued invitations Doris never seemed as if she were inviting people because she was lonely or desperate for company. Her invitations were always genuinely joyful. She loved meeting people and wanted to see them again.

As Doris neared the end of her life, she became very ill and very poor. Yet, she never lacked for love and support from the many friends she had kept making throughout her whole life.

I learned something important that week at Doris’ two birthday parties. I realized that we make a big mistake if we tell young and middle-aged people to invest their money for their old age, but neglect to tell them that it is at least as important to invest in relationships with other people.

We make a mistake if we don’t tell people that it is just as important to invest kindness in the people we meet, and invest our interest in them. There are other kinds of investment accounts besides those that are held by banks. A big bank account won’t make up for loneliness in your old age.

I decided that if I wanted to have as many friends as Doris did, I would have to keep making friends and keep maintaining friendships my whole life. I would have to make friends with people of all ages, including those much younger and much older than me.

“Be willing to make many social approaches to others, no matter what the outcome.”

Older people confront unique challenges in trying to maintain a satisfying social life. Many people find it difficult to make new friends as they get older.

As people age they often face social, health and monetary challenges. Older people may become less physically mobile. They often have less money to spend on recreation and entertainment.

Older people are also more likely to suffer from depression. They may be physically frail and afraid to go out at night. Even if they remain healthy themselves, aging people experience the deaths of long time friends and spouses, resulting in a shrinking circle of social and emotional support.

In the modern western world, older people are often treated as if their usefulness is finished, and as if what they have to say is not really relevant to the young.

A lot of older people are shocked to discover when they retire at the age of sixty or sixty-five, that the friendships they thought had developed at work do not survive the retirement party.

In many modern societies, older people are socially marginalized, and left to socialize solely with each other. People in North America are much more segregated along age lines than people in some other parts of the world. In North America, teenagers tend to socialize with other teenagers, and older people are expected to make friends with other older people.

No matter where you live, or what your age, you do not need to follow your local society’s dictates about what age your friends should be. You do not need to restrict yourself to making friends only with your own age group.

If you are concerned that you may be lonely in your later years, the time to start doing something about it is now, no matter what your current age might be.

As you grow older, make sure you stay living in the present, not in the past. In your conversations with others, don’t be fixated on who you used to be, or on your current ailments.

Be willing to make many social approaches to others, no matter what the outcome. Stay interested in the current world, stay optimistic, and keep a youthful, open mind.

Warnick (1995) believes that adjusting to the changes that accompany late adulthood and old age requires that an individual is able to be flexible and develop new coping skills to adapt to the changes that are common to this time in their lives. Aging research has demonstrated a positive correlation between someone’s religious beliefs, social relationships, perceived health, self-efficacy, socioeconomic status, and coping skills among others to their ability to age more successfully. The term successful aging has been defined by three main components: “low probability of disease and disease related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life” (Rowe & Kahn, 1997).

Baltes and Baltes (1990) suggested that the term successful aging appears paradoxical, as aging traditionally brings to mind images of loss, decline, and ultimate death, whereas success is represented by achievement. However, the application of the term, successful aging, they argue forces a reexamination of the nature of old age as it presently exists. “An inclusive definition of successful aging requires a value based, systemic, and ecological perspective, considering both subjective and objective indicators within a cultural context” (Baltes & Baltes, 1990).

With medical advancements and improvements in living conditions people can now expect to live longer lives than ever before. But, the prospect of merely living longer presents many problems. This fact has led researchers to investigate the psychological aspects of aging, with a goal of making the additional years more worth living. There is a great deal of information that leads us to be hopeful about the prospective quality of life in late adulthood and old age.

Religious beliefs, spirituality, and church participation have been the focus of numerous studies involving older adults. Various studies have associated religiousness with well-being, life satisfaction or happiness (VanNess & Larson, 2002). Although it will be necessary for future research to more clearly specify which dimensions of religious participation are beneficial to which outcomes (Levin & Chatters, 1998), it appears that certain aspects of religious participation enables elderly people to cope with and overcome emotional and physical problems more effectively, leading to a heightened sense of well being in late adulthood.

It is commonly known that suicide rates are higher among elderly people, and there is evidence that persons who engage in religious activity are more than four times less likely to commit suicide (Nisbet, Duberstein, Conwell, et al: 2000). The inverse association between religiousness and suicide rate in elderly individuals may be due to the fact that religious beliefs help elderly people cope with or prevent depression and hopelessness, which are established risk factors for suicide (Abramson, Alloy, Hogan, et al: 2000). The relationship between religiousness and successful aging is an extremely complex one. This makes it difficult to pinpoint which factors of participation in a religious organization lead to the increased sense of well-being, satisfaction, and happiness. It is possible that religiousness exerts its beneficial effects by creating positive emotions that stimulate the immune system. Or, it may provide access to social and psychological resources that buffer the impact of stress and aid ones ability to effectively cope (Ellison, 1995).

Membership in religious organizations also provides older individuals with a social network from which to draw emotional support and encouragement, while enhancing one`s ability to adapt to change and buffer stress (Levin, Markides, Ray, 1996). Research has shown that social networks, such as those commonly found in religious organizations are associated with positive health outcomes in older adults, including lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and functional decline (Seeman, 1996). The relationships that are fostered within the church or religious group serve for many as a replacement for the social groups that they engaged in at work before retirement. In addition, the attitudes that are learned from religiously committed peers may benefit ones health through encouragement of healthy behaviors and lifestyle lowering the risk of disease (Levin & Chatters, 1998).

One of the common threads that has been found to correlate with successful aging is the individual’s socioeconomic status, particularly education and income levels (Meeks & Murrell, 2001). The relationship between education level and subjective well-being has been demonstrated consistently. Meeks and Murrell (2001) found that education did have direct effects on negative affect, trait health and life satisfaction. Their research concluded that higher educational attainment is associated with lower levels of negative affect, which is related to better health and increased life satisfaction (Meeks & Murrell, 2001). This may be due to the fact that “individuals with higher education levels benefit from the opportunities and resources related to educational attainment that produce accumulated success experiences and contribute to superior functioning in later life” (Meeks & Murrell, 2001). It is also possible that more educated people develop superior methods for problem solving and coping with change. Higher education levels have been shown to provide individuals with better occupational opportunities and social status through adulthood and greater financial stability during the transition to retirement. This establishes education level as ones foundation for successful aging (Meeks & Murrell, 2001).

Material wealth and income have been shown to have a direct relationship to subjective well-being (Andrews, 1986). For many, the sense of well-being is especially effected by their feelings of income adequacy as they move into retirement. Many individuals face retirement with great anxiety due to the lack of sufficient savings to replace their income. The reality of living on a small fixed income limits the lifestyle and ability to adapt to the changes of late adult medical needs for many elderly people. People with greater resources at retirement have access to greater variety of opportunities and activities (Jurgmeen, & Moen, 2002). In addition, the access to surplus income allows for more recreation and less stress from financial concerns. This notion that wealth and well-being are related is also supported by a microeconomics theory that states that an increase in the income level of a society would lead, other things being constant, to greater well being (Easterlin & Christine, 1999).

However, it is important
to keep in mind that increases in individual income levels are relative to the changes in one’s reference group (Lian & Fairchild, 1979). Increases in income are considered to be relative. In other words, if an individual’s gains in economic status outpace the gains of the reference group then the individual will likely experience a greater sense of satisfaction. On the other hand, if their gains are equal to the average in their reference group, there will likely be no change. If the increases are less than the reference group than the result will be less satisfaction. Therefore, it may be important for many older adults transitioning to retirement to have adequate savings or other income in order to maintain or exceed their previous financial status.

The relationship between education and income to successful aging is a complex one that involves numerous external variables. But it seems that there is conclusive evidence that both education and income levels help to prepare an individual for the changes that they will face in old age and “influence on their ability to view aging as an opportunity for continued growth as opposed to an experience of social loss” (Steveink, Westerhof, Bode, et al, 2001).

One of the most important aspects of how well individuals age is related to their ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and social support systems (Rowe & Kahn, 1998). It is also important to mention that solitude, or a lack of social interaction, is considered a major health risk factor (Unger, McAvay, Bruce, et al, 1999). Recent studies suggest that the effects of social ties on the risk of physical decline in elderly are greater in men than women. These studies also report that there is a strong relationship between social support or social networks to the probability to cardiovascular and all cause mortality for men (Berkman, Seeman, Albert, et al,1993).

“One of the most important aspects of how well individuals age is related to their ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and social support systems.”

This gender difference could be explained by the fact that women devote a greater portion of their lives caretaking and developing friendships, so they are more accustomed to building and utilizing social networks. While men, in contrast, have devoted a greater portion of their lives to their careers, therefore, they have not developed the social networks or skills to utilize these networks that most women have (Unger, McAvay, Bruce, et al, 1999). In addition, social ties appear to be most important among elderly individuals with less physical ability (Unger, McAvay, Bruce, et al, 1999). It seems that people with physical disabilities have a greater need to develop friendships and support networks to assist them in coping with the limitations caused by their conditions. Friends and family provide them with a means to continue participating in social activities and complete the tasks of everyday living that they may be unable to accomplish on their own. This provides support for the belief that establishing strong social networks may increase not only quality of life, but quantity as well.

Social relationships and social support systems serve as protective factors in many ways (Bovbjerg & McCann, et al, 1995), (Krause & Borawski-Clarke, 1994). They benefit individuals by enhancing self esteem, providing encouragement, and promoting healthy behaviors. It is also possible that social networks may provide more tangible assistance such as food, clothing, and transportation. This type of assistance enables an elderly person to remain socially active even though they may not have the means to do so on their own. It is also important to distinguish the difference between receiving support and assistance from friends or relatives as opposed to agency assistance.

Possibly the most important source of social support comes from the family, which provides self-system mechanisms which increase an individual’s subjective impression of life satisfaction. In addition families provide a system of support and interaction that may not be available from outside sources for some elderly people. All of these types of networks may prevent the degree of social isolation in old age, that is associated with depression and other psychological problems (Krause, 1991).

With all of the physical and psychological changes that people face in late adulthood i.e., decreases in vision, hearing, memory, etc., the ability to adapt to life circumstances that force aging individuals to move from one living style to another is an integral part of successful aging (Warnick, 1995). Simply maintaining the ability to perform the everyday tasks of living is not necessarily considered successful aging. Successful aging requires the maintenance of competence involving cognitive, personality, material, and social resources (Baltes & Lang, 1993). Adapting to these changes requires the use of flexible strategies to optimize personal functioning (Baltes & Baltes, 1990).

The strategies that one may employ to cope with the changes that accompany the aging process may be limited not only by the individuals ability to utilize a new strategy, such as learning sign language or walking with a cane, but also by their perception of their ability to do so. Many elderly people will avoid using new tools to adapt to change if they believe that they are unprepared to make such an adjustment (Slagen-DeKort, 2001). Perceived self efficacy is defined as “peoples judgment of their capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to attain designated types of performance” ( Bandura, 1986). People who believe in their ability will set higher goals for themselves and expect that they will be able to achieve these goals. Self efficacy has been found to influence the adaptive strategies used by older adults (Slangen-DeKort, 1999).

There are two dispositions besides perception of self efficacy that influence individuals ability to cope, these are flexibility and tenacity (Slangen-DeKort, 1999). Tenacity is defined by an individuals persistence with which they are able to remain focused upon their goals in the face of obstacles. Flexibility refers to ones ability to readjust goals based on new information. The research of Slangen-DeKort et al (1999) concludes that self referent beliefs regarding personal competence influence adaptive behavior and the choice of adaptive strategies. “The direct effect, which is strongest, implies that even if a person appraises a certain adaptation as the most optimal one, this adaptation may not be adopted when this person perceives that the required efforts exceed his or her personal competence. In this case, a less optimal alternative strategy will be embraced.” (Maddox & Douglas, 1973).

Given the enormous number of variables that are involved in determining how well an individual will age, it is impossible to point to one factor as being the most important. But, it is safe to say that ones ability to successfully age is determined to a great extent by their attitudes toward aging and growing old. These positive and negative attitudes will be the result of how effectively an individual is able to adapt to the physical, psychological, and social changes that will take place throughout adulthood. If someone is able to accept the changes of life and look forward to the challenges that they present with hope and desire to change, then they will be better prepared to face old age. In addition, the relationships and beliefs that are developed across the life span will be relied upon in old age as a resource for support and assistance in coping. Upon examining research on successful aging, it seems that many of the concepts that are applied to earlier developmental stages are equally important in old age.

“…enormous number of variables that are involved in determining how well an individual will age.”

For example, change, adaptation, personal growth, and cognitive function are aspects of development that may be as important in old age as they are in childhood development. In conclusion, it seems that the present and future of aging research may be used to develop medical and psychological interventions that will provide a more positive aging experience and well-being in old age.

References and Resources:

Abramson, L.Y, Alloy, L.B., Hogan, M.E., et al: (2000). The Hopelessness Theory of suicidality, in Suicide Science: Expanding the Boundaries. Norwen, MA., Kluwer Academic Publishers

Baltes, P.R., Baltes, M.M., (1990). Successful Aging: Perspectives from the behavioral sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press

Binstoek, RH. & George, L.B. (Ed.) (1996) Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. San Diego: Academic Press

Bovbierg, V.E., McCann, B.S., Brief, D.J., Follette, W.e., Retzlaff, B.M., Dowdy, A.A., Walden, C.E., Knopp, RH., (1995). Spouse support and long-term adherence to lipid-lowering diets. American Journal of Epidemiology, 141,451 – 460

Bosworth, H.B., Siegler, LC., Brummett, B.H., Barefoot, J.C., et al; (1999). The relationship between self-rated health and health status among coronary artery patients. Journal of Aging and Health, 11(4),565-584

Easterlin, RA., (1995). Will raising incomes of all increase the happiness of all? Journal of Economic Behavior and Organizations. 27, 35-48

Ellison, C.G., (1995). Race, religious involvement and depressive symptomology in a Sontheastem U.S. community. Social Science and Medicine, 40, 1561 – 1572

Ford, A.B., Hang, M.R, Stange, KC., Gaines, A.D., et al; (2002).
Sustained personal autonomy: A measure of successful aging. Journal of Aging and Health, 12(4),470-489

Glover, RJ., (1998). Perspectives on aging: Issues affecting the latter part of the life cycle. Educational Gerontology, 24(4), 325-330

Jungmeen, KE., Moen, P., (2002). Retirement transitions, gender, and psychological wen-being: A life course, ecological model. The Journals of Gerontology, 57B(3),212-222

Krause, N., (1995). Religiousity and self-esteem among older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 50B, 236 246

Krause, N., Boraski-Clarke, E., (1994). Clarifying the functions of social support in later life. Research on Aging, 16,251 – 279

Le Bourg, E., (2002). Are stress and longevity reaIIy linked in normal living conditions? Gerontology, 48(2), 108-111

Levin, J., Markides, KS., Ray, L.A., (1996). Religious attendance and psychological well-being in Mexican Americans. The Gerontologist, 36,454 – 463

Levin, J.S., Chatters, L.M., (1998). Religion, health, and psychological well-being in older adults: Findings from three national surveys. Journal of Aging and Health, W( 4), 504-53 I

Meeks, S., Murrell, S.A., (2001). Contribution of education to health and life satisfaction in older adults mediated by negative affect Journal of Aging and Health, 13 (1j, 92-119

Mitchell, B.A., (2002). Successful aging: Integrating contemporary ideas, research findings, and intervention strategies. Family Relations, 51(3),283-284

Nisbet, P.A., Duberstein, P.R, Conwell, Y, et aJ:, (2000). The effect of participation in religious activities on suicide versus natural death in adults 50 and older. Journal of Nerve Disorders, 188: 543-546

Parker, M.W., (2001). Soldier and family wellness across the life course: A developmental model of successful aging, spirituality, and health promotion. Military Medicine, 166(7),561-574

Rowe, J.W., Kahn, RL., (1997). ,Successful Aging. New York: Pantheon

Ryff, C.D., Marshall, V.W. (Ed.) (1999). The Self and Society in Aging Processes. New York: Springer Publishing

Seeman, T.E., (1996). Social ties and health. Annals of Epidemiology, 6, 442 – 451

Slangen-Dekort, Y.A. W., Midden, J.B.C., Aarts, B., Wagenberg, F.V., (2001). Determinants of adaptive behavior among older persons: Self-efficacy, importance, and personal disposition as directive mechauisms. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 53(4),253-274

Simonsick, E.M., (2001). Measuring higher level physical function in well-functioning older adults: Expanding familiar approaches in health ABC study. The Journals of Gerontology, 56A(lO), 644-670

Steverink, N., Westerhof, G.J., Bode, C., Dittman-Kohli, F., (2001). The personal experience of agjng, individual resourses, and subjective well being. The Journals of Gerontology, 56B(6),264-373

Tanaka, E., Sakamoto, S., Ono, Y., Fujihara, S., Kitamura, T., (1998). Hopelessness in a community populiltion: Factorial structure and psychosocial correlates. The Journal of Social Psychology, 138(5), 581-590

Unger, J.B., McAvay, G., Bruce, M.L., Berkman, L., Seeman, L., (1999). Variation in the impact of social network characteristics on the physical functioning in elderly persons. The Journals of Gerontology, 54(B), 245-251

Van Ness, P.R., Larson, D.B., (2002). Religion, senescence, and mental health: The end of life is not the end of hope. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 10(4),386-399

Warnick, J., (1995). Listening with different ears: Counseling people over sixty. Ft. Bragg CA, QED Press.

The main way in which genetics cause aging is through the DNA that is inherited by individuals. The DNA is the blueprint that tells your body what to do and when to do it. It allows you to have the physical traits that everyone loves about you. This also means that it has the ability to change the physical attributes throughout your life. For some, the DNA communicates with the other parts of the body and tells it to begin slowing down the body. This is one of the major reasons attributed to aging.

This is not just a theory that a scientists have thought about. There have been several experiments that have led to this conclusion. For example, researchers in the Netherlands have conducted experiments that prove that one of the major reasons for aging is DNA. They did this by examining mice, finding that there was a defect in one of the genes they carried. The defect caused the DNA repair to slow down in functioning and to age prematurely. The gene known as XPD accelerated the aging process and added in damage by oxidation.

For more evaluations of genetic aging, one can look at the Aging Research Center. This particular center has found specific DNA sequences that are related directly to the aging process. One piece of research has found that the DNA will communicate to the nervous system, brain, than cerebellum. As it travels it tells the different areas to age. The result is that there will be increased glycoprotein in the body, which will cause the rest of the body to slow down. They have found that the genetic blueprint plays a large part in how humans’ genomes relate directly to how their body communicates to them that they need to grow older.

Not only have scientists been finding the genetic relations to aging, but they are also finding ways in which this is set off and stopped. One of the ways in which this has been done is through evaluating the first human chromosome completely. By doing this, they have found that the different genes in this particular chromosome are all related to how the body functions and communicates from each individual part of the chromosome. They have been able to find how much of this relates to aging, the nervous system, and disorders, giving them the ability to begin to find how aging is related to the DNA.

…scientists are finding ways in which aging is set off and stopped which is done through evaluating the first human chromosome completely.

One of the most obvious ways in which scientists have proven that genetics are DNA related is by the disease Progeria. This particular disease is most often found in children, and causes them to age at a fast rate. Usually, these children will die by the age of 15. Progeria is a rare genetic disease that causes children to go bald, form wrinkles, and then moves into more severe symptoms such as osteoporosis. While this particular disease shows that aging is related directly to a genetic trigger, it also shows that when this blueprint dysfunctions, it can cause more severe problems.

Of course, these same scientists are also finding that there are ways to offset the communication that the different pieces of DNA in the chromosomes are sending. One of the proven ways to work against the DNA is to offer it the ability to communicate differently through the use of proteins. It has been found that the protein p66shc has allowed mice to live up to 30% longer than usual when relating directly to aging from DNA. This means that while aging can be caused by genetics communicating with the rest of the body, there are also ways to change the way in which it is communicating.

The research that has been done on mice and men both lead to the same conclusion; DNA is one of the major communications to your body for aging. If you have a history of families aging in your family, then you can simply look at the proof that is available that shows how aging is also genetic. If you know that aging is related to genetics, then you can begin to work against it now. It is never too early to change the communication of the genetics that are given to you.

Julie Health writes about anti-aging products and reviews at her website.

You may reprint the article above in its entirety provided the resource box and its links remain.