subject: Getting Older: From Exercise To Adult Diapers [print this page] At this year's Cannes festival, screen legend Woody Allen spoke about his experiences with getting older:
"I find it a lousy deal. There's no advantage in getting older. I'm 74 now. You don't get smarter, you don't get wiser, you don't get more mellow, you don't get more kindly. Nothing good happens. Your back hurts more. You get more indigestion. Your eyesight isn't as good. You need a hearing aid. It's a bad business getting older, and I would advise you not to do it."
If you find yourself sympathizing, you're not alone. As humanity progresses further and further in the fields of science and medicine, people are living longer. In just 100 the average lifespan increased at an alarming rate, rising from 30-45 years in the early 20th century to today's average of 67.2 and that's taking into account infant mortality, and accidental deaths. As of today there are nearly 90 people living over the age of 110, the oldest of whom, Eunice Sanborn, is nearly 114 . Mr. Allen could very well have another 40 years to look forward to.
Still anxious about your remaining years? Don't be. Getting older doesn't need to be a trial; you just have to approach it with the right outlook.
First and foremost, stay healthy. As you get older your immune system stops functioning the way it did when you were younger, and the ability to fight off illness and infection diminishes significantly. Eat well and take vitamins; your body will also stop producing as much of certain proteins, and you should supplement the loss with a multi-vitamin. Consult your doctor and ask to have some bloodwork done so you can find out if there are certain things that you're particularly deficient in so you can buy the appropriate vitamins. Exercise, but don't overdo it. It's natural to lose muscle- and bone-mass as you age, and these losses will make certain physical activity more difficult than others. Overexerting yourself will only lead to trouble.
Secondly but just as importantly, don't be ashamed of your aging body. Needing other people to help you do things that you were once perfectly capable of doing on your own can be frustrating, but there's no shame in it. Often, older people will accidentally injure themselves, because they want to prove a point about being able to take care of themselves the truth is you should accept the help offered to you and let your friends and family help you figure out exactly how much you can do. Similarly, don't feel embarrassed if you have to wear adult diapers, like Depends or Attends. If you fall trying to make it in time to the bathroom and break something, you could end up in the hospital, where you'll really need to depend on other people for help.
Aging can be hard, but the better an attitude you keep, the easier it will be.
