Knowledge to Help Women Age Gracefully

As modern women, we have much more knowledge than our mothers did regarding the process of aging. Because of their lack of knowledge, our mothers aged much earlier than women in the 21st century do. Most women in years past had gained an extra ten pounds around age 30. Wrinkles were more noticeable by age 35 and they had dry skin at age 40. Stiff joints ached by age 45 and high cholesterol made its appearance about age 50. Heart disease showed up at 55, memory loss at 57, and osteoporosis at age 60.

We are much wiser today about healthy habits and activities that can slow the aging process. For instance we know that a low-fat diet can prevent weight gain and high cholesterol. If we limit our time in the sun and use sunscreens with uv/av protection, we can prevent seeing wrinkles as early as our mothers did. The alpha-hydroxy acids that fruit and milk contain fight dry, itchy, saggy skin and age spots.

Water aerobics and swimming exercises can delay the early stages of arthritis. If we add calcium supplements and do weight-bearing exercises, we have stronger bones and lessen our chances of experiencing osteoporosis.

Heart disease in women can become a thing of the past with aerobic exercise, a low-fat diet, baby aspirin and relaxation techniques such as meditation. It is a well known fact that stress is a leading cause of heart disease in women. Taking a nice warm bubble bath surrounded by candles and soft music does wonders to alleviate everyday stress.

Sudoku and crossword puzzles are great activities for keeping a sharp memory. Simply reading the letters to the editor in the newspaper will do the same thing. Our brains need exercise just as our bodies do.

Now that we are more knowledgeable than our mothers were about what makes us age, we can have a different mind-set about it. It is not only the physical choices we make that decide how rapidly we age. It is more what we do to our minds and bodies - our choice of lifestyles.

If we decide to be a couch potato and veg out in front of the television set for hours on end, eat high-fat foods, smoke cigarettes, include little or no fresh fruit and vegetables in our diets, and scorch our skin in the hot sun, we make the choice to age our bodies and minds more rapidly than nature intended.

People are living longer than they did in the last century. If we opt to make healthy living habits in our 20s and 30s, we can feel good about aging gracefully. Then, we can enjoy our 60s and 70s and not look back and say "shoulda, coulda, woulda".

Anna Hodges has combined health tips, news and resources with her work-at-home resources and tools. After all, if we live a healthy life, we are more successful with our business. Check it out at http://www.annasplaceofbusiness.com Anna also has a writing site on Faith and Inspiration at http://www.annasversatilewriting.com