Successful Aging can be defined as a trouble-free lifestyle after the age of sixty-two years (Hamilton 2011). Science suggests that to allow ourselves the opportunity of a trouble-free lifestyle beyond the age of sixty two there are a few lifestyle choices that should be considered. These choices include diet (Dwyer 1988), (Sabate 1999), exercise (Lee and Paffenberger 1998), (Lee et al. 2004), cessation of smoking
(Ockene and Miller 1997), (Mokdad et al. 2004) and the disuse of illicit drugs (Tallis and Fillit 2003), (Bromley 1988).
There have been many scientific studies that suggest diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats increase your chances of living healthier (Masoro 1988), (Sayer and Cooper 1997), and (Gage and O’Connor 1994). Moderate exercise also can improve your quality of life. Lee and Paffenberger (1998), suggest as little as 2000 calories burned per week through exercise significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. There have been numerous studies on the health detriment that smoking is. All one needs to do is look at the warnings on packages of cigarettes. The idea that drug usage can have negative health effects is not new. Millions of dollars are spent in the fight to curb drug use. Society is inundated with billboards, radio, television, magazines, newspapers, and other types of advertisements extolling the dangers of drug use.
One might bank on medical science developing a cure-all in the fight on aging. I wouldn’t. Rose (1999) suggests such a breakthrough is folly and ripe with numerous other pitfalls. We age on a daily basis. So must the struggle against. We must make wise choices daily. These choices include a healthy diet, moderate exercise, cessation of smoking, and not using illicit drugs.
References
Hamilton, I.S, (2011). The Psychology of Aging. pp.20-21 and 284. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Fourth Edition.
Dwyer, J.T. (1998). Health Aspects of Vegetarian Diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 48, 712- 738.
Sabate, J. (1999). Nut consumption, vegetarian diets, ischemic heart disease risk, and all cause mortality: Evidence from epidemiological studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 70, 500-503.
Lee, I.M. and Paffenberger, R.S. (1998). Physical activity and stroke incidence: The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Stroke, 29, 2049-54.
Lee, I.M., Sesso, H.D., Oguma, Y. and Paffenberger, R.S. (2004). The weekend warrior and risk of mortality. American Journal of Epidemiology. 160, 636-41.
Bromley, D.B. (1988). Human Aging. An Introduction to Gerontology. 3rd edition. Harmondsworth, Penguin.
Ockene, I.S. and Miller, N.H. (1997). Cigarette Smoking, Cardiovascular Disease, and Stroke: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals from the American Heart Association. 96, (9), 3243-3247.
Mokdad, A.H. Marks, J.S, Stroup, D.F, and Gerberding, J.L. (2004). Actual Causes of Death in the United States. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association. 291(10), 1238-45.
Tallis, R.C. and Fillit, H.M. (2003). Brocklehurst’s Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. London, Churchill Livingstone. Sixth Edition.
Masoro, E.J. (1988). Food restriction in Rodents: The evaluation of its role in the study of aging. Journal of Gerontology. 43, 59-64.
Sayer, A. and Cooper C. (1997). Undernutrition and Aging. Gerontology. 43, 203-205.
Gage, T.R and O’Connor, K. (1994). Nutrition and the variation in level and age patterns of mortality. Human Biology. 66, 77-103.
Rose, M.R. (1999) Can Human Aging Be Postponed? Scientific American. 281, 6, 68-73.
