Arizona Center on Aging -Optimal Aging

TOPIC 15: Living Younger

Living younger, longer. Wouldn't we all like to live to 100, still active, healthy and mentally sharp?

Over the last three weeks we've looked at the many, many things we can do to add years to our life and life to our years. In the last installment of "Living Younger," a prescription for living younger, longer.

Tucsonan Charlotte Benkner celebrated a very special birthday this month with the help of lots of her friends and family. Arizona's oldest resident turned 110 years old. Charlotte's nephew, John O'Hare comments on her condition, "Physically, she's excellent. The doctor says she can live to be 120."

Charlotte's mother lived to be 99.

What determines a person's longevity? Some people say it's all in your genes.

Researcher and author, Dr. Ron Watson says, "Choosing your parents and your grandparents is probably the most important thing you do. On the other hand, it's clear that if you smoke, use lots of alsohol, there's a lot you can do to push your genetic benefit in the wrong way or right way."

That's what we've been talking about for the past three weeks. Pushing your genetic benefit the right way.

Chronological aging is inevitable. We can't turn back the hands of time. But there are things we can do to slow down or even reverse the problems associated with aging.

Geriatrician, Dr. Evan Kligman has some tips.

"Exercising at least every other day, eating a well balanced meal, making sure we can manage stress in our lives and decreasing the amount of problems that develop as we get into negative relationships, decreasing the amount of exposures we have to different things that are toxic in our environment."

All of us have an opportunity, and challenge, to live younger in mind and body. The powerful "elixer" that will allow us to do that, is the knowledge that the fountain of youth is within each of us.

Founder and CEO of Canyon Ranch, Mel Zuckerman, sums it up, "Living younger, longer, ultimately is living with energy and strength and flexibility and stamina... a strong immune system, a high quality of life. It's my belief that people can age that way into their 70's, 80's, and 90's and hopefully beyond. If they're motivated to do so, and I think the coming generation will very much be so."

It's an investment in yourself, you can't afford not to make.