Fifty Is Definitely Not Thirty

"Boomers should act their age ... as they age," says Harry Jackson, Jr. of the St. Louis Dispatch. [Source: BoomerGirl.com]

Media hype aside, most individuals in their fifties will tell you that just getting out of bed is a reminder that they are definitely not thirty.

Even people in top shape need to recognize they're not kids anymore, says Dr. John Morley, chief of geriatrics at St. Louis University School of Medicine. "You cannot be at 50 what you were at 30."

Fortunately, it's not all bad news. Middle age adults and seniors are much stronger similarly aged people were three decades ago. Strides in health care and healthy lifestyles have made living past 50 much more active and fun.

How does the body age? Here's a quick summary of major aspects of aging:

Brain

• Problem - As you age, the brain slows down, but more because it's full of information than because the nerve tissue is old.

• Remedy - This is the No. 1 use-it-or-lose-it organ. Exercise your brain with the same vigor that you exercise your muscles. You make new connections and memories throughout your life. Read, think, learn something new, play, relieve stress, exercise and eat right. Also, if it's good for your heart, it's good for your brain.

Eyes

• Problem - Tissues harden, weight gain causes focus problems, diabetes and cardiovascular disease can damage the tiny blood vessels, cataracts form more aggressively and macular degeneration is a danger.

• Remedy - If you're healthy, generally your eyes are healthy. Still, annual checkups are essential because other diseases - most commonly diabetes, severe hypertension and cardiovascular disease - can reveal themselves through the eyes. Otherwise, doctors can fix cataracts, glaucoma and focus problems. And last year the FDA approved a breakthrough treatment for macular degeneration.

Cardiovascular

• Problem - Cardiovascular problems increase as you age, especially if you're sedentary. Hypertension is the most dangerous condition because over time it damages your heart, brain, kidneys and other organs.

• Remedy - You are what you eat, and most of it is floating around your bloodstream. More vegetables, fruits, fiber and water in your diet keep the body clean. Eat according to the MyPyramid eating plan or try the DASH (dietary approach to stop hypertension) eating plan. And, of course, make sure you work your heart: That means cardiovascular exercise. Most experts recommend 30 minutes a day most days a week.

Joints

• Problem - Joints operate with connective tissue - cartilage, tendons and ligaments. These get brittle and frayed with years of wear and tear. Arthritis is a big complaint for people older than 50 and former athletes of any age.

• Remedy - Trade high-impact activities for low-impact exercise. Walk instead of jog, lift lighter weights more and heavier weights more slowly.

Experts disagree about the benefits of glucosamine condroitin, a supplement touted to improve joints. If you try it, it won't hurt and it may help, but it takes months to have any effect.

Muscles

• Problem - Even for the most avid athlete, muscle mass reduces as you get older - starting in the late 20s or early 30s. Most people lose about 1 percent of their muscle mass a year, women more than men. The less active you are, the faster muscle goes away.

• Remedy - Use it or lose it. Lifting weights increases muscle mass even into the 80s and 90s. Start out with a personal trainer to prevent injury.

Bones

• Problem - As you age, your bones get brittle, for women more than men, and more so in families with histories of low bone density.

• Remedy - Low bone density can be reversed at any age. Osteoporosis can't be cured, but it can be slowed or reversed. Eat more calcium-rich foods - dairy products, vegetables and fish. Stop drinking cola, smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Exercise has also been shown to slow or reverse low bone density.

Skin

• Problem - Skin thins with years. This bag that keeps everything together needs more care and feeding over time.

• Remedy - Use moisturizers, eat more fruits and vegetables and drink a lot of water, up to more than a gallon a day. Avoid caffeine, tobacco, cola and more than one alcoholic beverage a day. Everyone should be wary of sun damage.

Digestion

• Problem - If you try to eat as much as when you were younger, you'll get fat. Scientists disagree as to why. Some say the metabolism slows. Others say that the older you get, the less movement you employ so you burn fewer calories. On the flip side, some people lose interest in food and become anorexic.

• Remedy - The character of your eating should change as you age. Again, eat better food - fruits, vegetables, grains - and keep the servings of meat to about the size of your palm. Aging anorexia happens most often when the taste buds dull. Use spices to pump up the flavors.

Feet

• Problem - Sore feet are not a natural part of aging. Having sore feet can be a symptom of life-threatening conditions. Podiatrists often find looming disease before your family doctor. The most dangerous is diabetes, which often reveals itself through symptoms in the foot and ankle. Be aware that only experts can detect discoloration in dark skin.

• Remedy - Pain from overuse or injury goes away after a few hours or days and with some warm-water soaking and massage. When pain, discoloration and swelling linger longer than a couple of days and with no apparent cause, see the foot doctor.

It's not surprising that boomers get a somewhat mixed message from media accounts on aging. There are things you can do to live healthy and in fact bring aging a halt--for awhile that is. But be forewarned, your 50-year old body is not as fit as a 30-year old's, no matter how much you wish it was (unless of course you selectively choose a very unfit 30-year old). In short, denial should not be part of your lifestyle regimen or you might be setting yourself up for a fall.