AGING and AGING WELL

Are you, optimistic about your aging, or pessimistic?

This is one of the questions in Dr Thomas Perls life expectancy calculator.

I wavered between clicking: "I feel I am aging well" or more modestly clicking "; "I am dreading my older years"; or maybe "Something in between the above two options". In the end I went for "Aging well". Who really knows if that is true, only time will tell.

Perhaps it was thinking about aging that I noticed this story about Jean Hirst, 72, who had her purse snatched by a 16 year old girl who ran off with the purse. Jean gave chase, caught up and got her bag back - amazing.

Then there was the story of Janet Lane, 68, who also had her purse snatched - this time by a 15 year old boy. Janet took a 100 yards to chase him down to get her bag back. The teenage boy was breathless unable to run any further.

Both of these stories are from England. Are women in their 60's and 70's retaining youthful fitness ?

In the last few days the British Medical Journal has published research on simple behavior changes which radically reduce the risk of stroke. The recipe is simple:

• Plenty of fruit and vegetables (at least 5 servings a day)
• Some physical activity - it does not need to be much
• Not too much alcohol - less than 14 drinks a week
• No smoking.

US News added in their thoughts on aging well. The ideas I liked:

• Don't retire. I was retired (from software development) for about 6 months and then started up again as a Personal Trainer. A decision that has turned out very well.
• Stay connected to people - loneliness is a killer
• Floss twice a day - of course this will improve the health of gum's and teeth but more importantly, flossing will improve your overall health.
  

Intriguingly, next month Psychological Science is publishing a study showing that attitudes to aging when young affect how one ages. "At the start of the study, 440 participants, aged 18 to 49, had their age stereotypes toward the elderly measured. Thirty years later, 25 percent of those with more negative age stereotypes had suffered a heart problem or stroke, while only 13 percent of those with more positive age stereotypes experienced a heart problem or stroke.

"We found that the age stereotypes, which tend to be acquired in childhood and young adulthood, and carried over into old age, seem to have far-reaching effects," said Becca R. Levy, associate professor of epidemiology and psychology and the study's lead author. The study appears in the March issue of the journal Psychological Science. "

I tried Thomas Perls' Life Expectancy Calculator and it gave me an estimate of 93 years.
I'm going to have to cogitate on whether this is good or bad.

What's my score?

• ACTIVE - yes, very (still running)
  
• Fruit and Veg - Yes, lots of
• SMOKING - No. never
• ALCOHOL - some but never above 14 drinks a week
• RETIRED - NO, never (probably)
• FLOSS - Yes, twice a day.