Longevity anti aging S.M.A.R.T. Goals to Make a Change:
A
goal should provide guidance and direction. Goals like ‘lose weight’, ‘eat
better’, or ‘have less stress’ are far too vague and unspecific to help
very much in making change. Use the S.M.A.R.T. criteria to help put more detail
into your goal. Spending some time creating effective goals will be a huge help
later on.
S - Specific:
·
You must
state your goal as specifically as possible.
·
Try to put as
much decision work into your goal now.
·
Set the goal
“lose 20 pounds” instead of “lose weight”.
·
But you can
do even better. For anti aging try “Lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise
to 4 times a week and reducing sugar and portion size”.
·
Have your
goal be like an instruction telling you what to do.
M - Measurable:
·
You need to
have a way to measure progress.
·
Progress will
feel good and measuring will keep you from cheating. The goal “lose 20
pounds” can be measured by a scale.
·
Produce
evidence for your progress. If your goal is to “reduce stress” create a
stress measure for yourself like the number of times you get upset everyday.
·
Keep a log
and record each stressful reaction.
A - Attainable:
·
Your anti
aging goal should be meaningful to you. It should be set by you, the fountain of
youth and not someone else.
·
The goal
should be inspiring enough that it motivates you to success. If you are not
determined to meet your goal, obstacles to longevity will be very difficult to
overcome.
·
If your
doctor says, “lose weight” and your wife says, “lose weight” but you are
not inspired by this, find another goal that also improves your health while you
try to find a way to become inspired about weight loss.
R - Realistic:
·
Goals should
be ambitious, but not impossible.
·
Do not set
yourself up for failure.
·
Choose a goal
that you are confident you can reach, but that will stretch yourself also.
·
Break large
goals into smaller goals.
·
Create a plan
to do all the steps you need.
T – Time Based :
·
When will you
finish your anti aging goal?
·
You need to
choose a time, the sooner the better.
·
Saying “I
will lose 20 pounds in 3 months” is good, but saying “I will lose an average
of 2 pounds every week for 10 weeks” is better.
Write your longevity goal:
Now
really think about your goal. Finish the following life extension sentence,
write it down and put it somewhere you can see it.
I
will [your goal here] by [how you will do the goal]. I will know how to stay
young and I am making progress because [how you will measure the goal] [time
goes here].
For
example: I will lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and
cutting back on sugar and portion size. I will know I am making progress in life
expectancy because I will lose 2 pounds a week for ten weeks.
Now evaluate your goal – is it Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Based? Good. Now go do it!
Why
We Age - Theories and Effects of Aging
Humans have been aging for generations, but
only recently have researchers begun to study aging seriously. There have been
new developments in aging research and theories. Learn about why we age and what
happens in our bodies during aging.
Biggest Medical Breakthroughs of the
Decade
The years since 2000 have brought about
incredible medical breakthroughs, changing how we think about some diseases and
saving lives. We saw virus taking on more and more of the blame for diseases
such as cervical cancer (leading to a vaccine) and HIV being fought in
unexpected ways. The best part is that many of these breakthroughs are not yet
fully realized, as they have opened up pathways for …
Aging is a complex process that is only
partially understood. Some people think that our bodies just wear out while
others think that aging can be prevented or even reversed by replacing parts of
our bodies or giving hormonal or other supplements. When we think about aging,
we have to look at what happens to our body over time.
Live to 100 - How To Live to 100
Live to 100 with these tips and facts on
healthy aging and disease prevention. Learn how you can achieve successful aging
and live to 100 in good health and happiness.
Be Social, Live Longer (17) For All Ages (10) Energize Your Life (6) Longevity To-Dos (9)
Aging well means facing the challenges of
aging with a strategy. The University of Texas Medical School, Division of
Palliative Medicine put forth a list of 10 Aging Challenges. I will give you
information and ideas on how to prevent or minimize your risk for each of these
ten challenges.
When writing about longevity, one of the most
popular questions I get is "What do you do for longevity?" and I've
decided to answer it here. There ideas and habits below are what I do (or at
least try to do) to live healthy and feel good. These are longevity ideas that I
have come upon in my 2 + years of reading and writing about longevity. Of
course, there are a lot more things out there that yo…
Liquid energyNatural drink will fuel your energy and passion for
life! www.Biometics.com
Many of us will spend all day sitting at the
computer. If we don't get up and exercise now and then, all that sitting will
lead to fatigue, weight gain and worse. Here are some ideas for office exercises
- exercises you can do right at your desk or workstation. My personal goal is to
do at least one of these ten minutes exercises at least every two hours. It
makes a world of difference in my ener…
Aging is complicated and all the new products
claiming to be "anti-aging" aren't helping any. Read these Aging FAQs
to learn more about aging and what you can control (and what you can't). Follow
the links for more information.
Aging, in our culture, is linked to a big
negative attitude. Luckily, aging doesn't have to be all bad. Aging can be seen
as a time of renewal, refocusing. If we all learn to start seeing the positive
sides of aging, we can transform what is means to be older.
What are Good Resources on Aging?
Aging resources can very, luckily the US
government has excellent resources available to get reliable and accurate
information on a wide range of aging topics. Check out these top aging resources
to find the information you are looking for.
Anti-aging covers a wide range of approaches,
methods and products, including ways for skin anti-aging, living longer, healthy
aging and more. Let's take a moment to separate the medically sound anti-aging
approaches from the ineffective (and usually expensive) ones:
Anti aging is becoming more and more
complicated each day. There are lots of products out there that claim anti aging
benefits. Here are some of the top anti aging methods to get your started. If
you master all these methods, you will be doing just about everything you can to
live longer and healthier.
What are your top ways to live longer? How do
you work to increase your life expectancy? What are you favorite ways to add to
your longevity? Share your ideas here and read the ideas of others.
Simple Steps to Increase Your Life
Expectancy - Get Outside
Life expectancy can be extended through
various healthy aging and lifestyle changes, such as preventing vitamin D
deficiency. With simple changes, you can increase your chances of a longer life
expectancy and healthy old age. Use these tips to live longer and increase your
life expectancy.
Older Americans Month - May 2007
May is Older Americans Month. Each May, since
1963, the US Administration of Aging has dedicated May to celebrating older
Americans. 2007's theme for Older Americans' Month is "Making Choices for a
Healthier Future" which focuses on healthy lifestyle choices.
Top 10 Resolutions for Longevity
Anytime is a good time to make a resolution
to improve your chances of a long and healthy life. From drinking tea to getting
yourself tested, there is a lot you can do to live longer.
Longevity techniques claim to be able to
extend life. Some of these techniques are emerging from scientific research and
other are based more on science fiction than fact.
Ways Men Can Improve Health and Longevity
Men don't live as long as women. While
biology may explain some of this, men's longevity is impacted by risk taking,
health seeking behaviors, and other factors. Men's health must improve if the
longevity gap between men and women is to close.
Living longer and healthier doesn't have to
be a tedious chore. There are fun ways that will build your health while giving
you the immediate reward of pleasure. Chocolate, games, sex and sleep are all
linked to improved health and longevity.
No one really know why we age or how to stop
it. These five anti-aging theories are your best bet to slow the aging process
and increase longevity.
Longevity is a complex topic that has
interested people throughout the ages. From early legends to modern medicine,
people have been captivated by the idea of extending life.
Why We Age -- Theories and Effects of
Aging
Aging is a complex process that researchers
are only now beginning to understand. There are many theories of aging and many
descriptions of what aging does to our bodies. The reality is that all of these
processes interact in a complex way. By understanding aging theories and why we
age, we can better take action to age in a healthy way and live longer.
10 Ways to Manage your Medical
Information and Avoid Mistakes
Having your medical information organized and
having a system to communicate with doctors and nurses can prevent mistakes,
delays and frustrations.
Longevity Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Flowers are good, but Mom really needs some
help staying young and healthy. This year find gift ideas for Mother's Day that
help with longevity and anti-aging. Help Mom to relax,
eat better, exercise more and get the testing
she needs. What better way to show your love than to help Mom stay healthy?
Four Habits for 14 More Years of Life
Eating fruits and vegetables, drinking
moderate alcohol, exercising, and not smoking -- recent research shows that
people who adopt all four habits can expect to live about 14 years longer than
those who do none of them. Even doing 2 of the habits can reduce your risk of
dying. Increase your longevity and life expectancy by eating 5 servings of
fruits and vegetables, not smoking, exercising and drinking a moderate amount of
alcohol.
Add 2 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables
and Be Healthier
Researchers in the UK have shown that adding
2 daily servings of fruits and vegetables can increase your chances of being in
good health by 11%. That is a pretty good increase for doubling your dinner
veggies and eating an apple.
Religion Might Add Years to Your Life
Attendance at weekly religious services has
been associated with an increased life expectancy of 2 or 3 years. Learn more
about religion and longevity.
Calorie Restriction May Increase Life
Expectancy
Longevity can be increased in rodents and
monkeys by restricting the amount of calories consumed every day while assuring
proper nutrition. Researchers examined decades of studies to determine if
calorie restriction can increase human life span. So far, the evidence is
unclear, but calorie restriction seem to help people reduce risk of diseases.
Add 2 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables
and Be Healthier
Researchers in the UK have shown that adding
2 daily servings of fruits and vegetables can increase your chances of being in
good health by 11%. That is a pretty good increase for doubling your dinner
veggies and eating an apple.
Why is Nitric Oxide Important for
Longevity?
Nitric oxide is an important molecule for the
body. Nitric oxide is produced when the body is relaxed and calm.
Summer brings a few health risks that need to
be taken seriously. From exposure to UV
rays to pool safety, the summer is a time to
take precautions to keep summer activities safe. Avoid food poisoning, West
Nile, Lyme Disease, heat stroke, dehydration and more.
Healthy Lifestyle Adds 11 Years to Your
Life
A study in the UK has become the basis of a
nationwide program for healthy lifestyle change. The study showed that by not
smoking, eating well and exercising, people could add 11 years on to their
lives. These simple changes make all the difference.
Lifestyle Changes for the Middle Aged
Don't ever think it is too late to start your
healthy lifestyle. Research shows that huge health benefits can be had no matter
what age you start. Reduce your risk of heart disease and death by eating more
fruits and vegetables, exercising more, keeping your weigh down and not smoking.
L-carnitine Improves Health in Very Old
L-carnitine is a substance produced in your
body. As you age, the amount in your blood decreases. Supplements of L-carnitine
have been shown to improve quality of life in the very old. Research subjects
who took L-carnitine improved in muscle mass, mental function and energy levels
while decreasing in fat and fatigue.
Healthy Weight and BMI Range for Older
Adults
Healthy weight is often defined as a BMI
between 18 and 25. But when it comes to longevity, healthy weight may have a
wider definition. Research shows that people who are overweight and even obese,
as classified by their BMI, have better life expectancy outcomes than expected.
Retirement and health may be linked. Does
retirement mean you can be healthier, or is there something about working that
keeps us going? Find out about the link among retirement, health and life
expectancy.
Hard Facts on Aging and Health in the
U.S.
Aging and health in the United States is
complex. What are the major health problems as a person ages? How do they factor
in to the daily life of older Americans? An NIH database gives some hard facts
about aging and health in the United States.
Live to 100 by learning the profiles of
centenarians, people who are 100 or more. Successful aging depends on delaying
and surviving age-related illnesses. Take advice from centenarians about how to
live to 100.
Solutions
for Aging Problems and Concerns
There are a lot of problems linked to aging,
from hearing and vision problems to problems just paying the bills. Look here
for accurate information and solutions to some of the more common aging problems
and concerns.
Hearing Loss and Aging (9) Vision and Aging (15) Keep Looking Good (16)
What are the Warning Signs of Financial
Expoitation of Seniors
Financial exploitation of seniors is a far
too common crime. In this type of elder abuse, a person takes money from a
senior through any number of scams. Spotting financial exploitation of seniors
early is critical to preserving their financial well-being. Know the warning
signs of financial exploitation and out in place some methods of detecting it.
Dealing With Death and Dying as You Age
Death and dying are, unfortunately, part of
aging. Being prepared to deal with death and dying is part of healthy aging.
Take some time to think about death and dying in the context of your own aging
and the aging of the people you love. It might not be a fun topic, but don't let
deth and dying catch you off-guard and unprepared.
When I was on vacation last summer in Italy,
my country of origin, I was surprised to find two of my best friends telling me
what I myself had been thinking about – and what Civic Ventures and Marc
Freedman have been talking about.
I call it the third life. As I start the
second half of my 50s, I suddenly realized that I was starting to take the years
ahead of me as “dealing with the tail of my life,” as if I did not have much
time to change things.
I also realized that we are the first
generation that has a good chance at the end of their 50s to have 20 years of
active life ahead of us. I realized that my generation had gained an “extra
life.” Maybe it is because of “Internet-years.” Maybe it is because I have
lived 20 years in the States, a culture much more prone to change that my
Italian one.
Around May I started circulating a very rough
manifesto to my friends. Here it is:
“We baby boomers, at the end of the 50s or
beginning of the 60s, and everyone else with our spirit (we do not age
discriminate) are the most powerful generation in this moment in our Western
World and we are again, once more, ready to give.
“With the same generosity and idealism we
had when we were in our 20s or teens, or whatever age we were when we shared the
spirit of the ’60s, we are ready for our third life. We are the ones that have
arrived at this age having for the first time in history a strong possibility of
living 20 or so years of full active life.
“We have been there, done that, and we are
ready to be old while “forever young”, or at least young enough for the next
20 years to do finally whatever we want – which is not ‘retire’ and ‘do
nothing,’ but rather: give back and feed our souls.”
I couldn’t believe it when my two Italian
friends spelled out their thoughts exactly as if they were quoting from Marc
Freedman’s book, Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of
Life. They are both very successful professionals and entrepreneurs, and I
would have never suspected that they were thinking about a deep reorientation of
their life. After all, they have lived in our very slow changing city, Milan,
all their precious lives.
With my friends, we have used the words terzavitosi
and terzavitaioli to define people with our attitude. Terza is
third and the vitosi suffix in Italian is added to define gang members,
so I think it sounds like The Third Lifers’ Gang and the suffix vitaioli
is really like vitelloni, people that enjoy life a little bit a la
James Dean – the Third Life beau vivants!
The feeling of coming together in a movement
toward something good has never been as strong as in the 1960s. Then we were
thinking about revolution on a political level, many in an utopian way. Now we
have a different idea of revolution but I feel that the desire to get down to
work at a civic level has increased tremendously. As a sociologist friend says,
we are individually thinking about it, but not yet connecting. I feel that it is
bound to happen.
The Encore experience is for me very thrilling
and I hope to expand it to Italy. As we start connecting and thinking about
third-life issues, it would be great to get comments from other Terzavitosi or
Terzavitaioli!