Age – It’s Simply A Number

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by Milan Galan, Ph.D.

                The other night, I saw the movie, Mamma Mia, staring Meryl Streep. I haven’t decided whether or not I will recommend seeing the movie, but I was amazed at how good Streep looked. She was flawless and looking 30 something. Of course, she isn’t the only woman who is staving off the aging process. This is a Hollywood phenomenon that has been slowly infiltrating the “real world.” Certainly with the advent of cosmetic procedures, anyone can look amazingly young. Getting a face lift is as easy as applying for a credit card (and in most cases, better interest rates and payment terms). However, as a woman who is in the nutrition field and has a personal mantra of, “No matter how bad life gets, there is time for a facial,” I have noticed something more about the way people are approaching aging and health.  
                There are women getting cosmetic procedures to reduce, nip, tuck, lift and enhance. I believe I read somewhere on the internet that last year, cosmetic surgery was a 12 billion dollar industry. Clearly, there are a lot of people addressing the issue of aging with a surgeon. As a culture, we are without question committed to maintaining our youth. However, there are others who have taken a different approach and indulge in less invasive (and I believe, equally effective) beauty treatments such as drinking water, eating health foods, managing stress, thinking positively, meditating and enjoying life. 
                Granted, there is a genetic component to some of this aging business. The thing is that now people aren’t surrendering to their health, age or genetic predisposition. In the last 10 years, I have seen people take a more proactive approach to their health and well-being. Many of us no longer take what the doctors have to say as the “word.” We get our own second opinion on the internet or with an alternative health care practitioner.
                People are finding different ways to deal with their health challenges. Many people are making more conscientious choices about their food, skin care products, and overall lifestyles. We are eating organic and cooking as per Dr. Oz, Oprah’s doctor. Even exercise has taken on a new face. Ten years ago, we were limited to jazzercise and aerobics. Now, you can learn to pole dance, belly dance, hip hop dance, etc.
                I think one of the biggest components to this new attitude about aging is all of the options available to keep us in our prime. But I believe the real key is posed as a question that was asked of me recently. “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” This question highlights the idea that our thoughts about aging are one of the biggest determining factors in the actual physiological process. We are learning more and more through science that our thoughts, brain wave patterns and neurosynaptic connections are significant contributing factors in our overall health and well-being. 
                It wasn’t that long ago when some people had the idea that their 50s were reserved for grieving the past and recounting a long list of “I should haves,” all while resigning themselves to their “fate.” This ideology is clearly on its way out as people today are more active, health conscious and vibrant. And more importantly, we’re simply changing our attitudes. I am sure there are Hollywood influences in our new outlook about age as now we are looking to women like Madonna, Jane Seymour, Kim Cattrell and Demi Moore as icons of health and beauty. They are showing us that 50 is just the beginning.
                As a culture, we are not only embracing this fact, we are seeing it everywhere we look. In general, we are adopting more of an Eastern philosophy about the idea of “old.” Age is becoming more synonymous with wisdom and beauty. Even the modeling industry is extending the careers of the classic beauties well beyond their 30s.
                We are experiencing more and more 40 and 50 somethings putting themselves out there as strong contenders in the dating arena, work force, college classrooms, etc. Instead of becoming an old bat, some women are finding themselves turning into frisky cougars. Old negative stigmas of women dating younger men are being replaced with entire television shows dedicated to highlighting and embracing these relationships. No longer is it only socially acceptable for men to “have all the fun.” 
                The thing that I see in common with all of the fabulous 40 and 50 (and beyond) somethings is their attitude about aging. It seems that many women are realizing that putting their focus on the aging process becomes not only useless, but damaging. Age is simply a number, and it doesn’t have to define you. It doesn’t have to be your calling card, a damning sentence, or a countdown to your final hours.
                Every one of us is only as young as we feel. And from what I observe, it is what is on the inside of us that radiates on the outside. Inner peace, happiness, confidence and grace are what you see on the faces of the truly beautiful people. This is when we look past wrinkles only to see an inexplicable radiance that no surgery or 24k gold-flecked, placenta-infused face cream can give you. Mark Twain had this all figured out a long time ago when he said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

September Featured Stories Coffee Break with the Barista Creating Mind, Body & Spirit Health — One Peace at a Time, by Milan Galan, Ph.D. Waking Up to the Truth About Sleep, by Jessica Wilson The Power of Sound, by Marian Rein Health Myths & Facts, by Pamela Kramer Childress Mind, Body & Spirit Health at Midlife and Menopause by Diane G. Sanford, Ph.D. Age – It’s Simply A Number, by Milan Galan, Ph.D. Physical and Mental Well-Being Combining Body, Mind & Spirit, by Jill Barrett Getting Better With Age: A Healthy Perspective, by Phylis Clay Sparks A Piece of Kitchen Nostalgia Returns — Retro Appliance Comes to the Aid of Busy Families, by Mary K. Morgan The Healthy Side of Your Morning Brew, by Marian Rein Todd Lewis If you make a list, it will come by Pamela Kramer Childress Toby’s Tale — More About Toby by Jessica Wilson Live Large Spend Small by Mary K. Morgan - September 2008 Java Journal Movie Morsels by Mary Morgan - September 2008