Getting old is inevitable and there is nothing that we can do to avoid it. The reality is we have the choice of doing it gracefully or doing it badly. Either way, most people would prefer to stay young, but in a world where that is not a choice, it is better to acknowledge the inevitable and work with, rather than fight it or deny it, and suddenly find yourself unprepared and in trouble. But what can be done to ensure that the process is as smooth and graceful as possible. Here’s a list for women everywhere, some basic tips and considerations to help smooth the passing of time.

 

Your doctor is your friend

There is a real tendency to avoid doctors at all costs, unless we are very sick we prefer to stay as far away from them as possible. Ironically it is because we associate doctors with ill health and hospitals that we avoid them. The truth is you should be visiting your doctor at least once a year to be checked up and to make sure that there are no concerns. In an interview recently a Melbourne gynaecologist said that less than 20 percent of all women visit the doctor annually for a check-up and that as many as fifty percent visited less than once every five years. And it is not just your lady parts that need regular checking, hormones, skin and breasts are all parts of the body that need checking regularly. Do it!

 

Stay active

As we get older it gets easier and easier to spend more time in front of the television knitting or reading. This is fine as it is relaxing and fun, but it is not active and one of the keys to aging well is staying active. Yes, it might not be as easy as it was when you were younger but it must be done. Walk, play tennis or bowls or better yet, lift weights. Nothing overly heavy, just enough to build muscle, because retaining muscle mass is a very important part of fighting the aging process.

 

Stay in touch

Without trying too hard try to stay in touch with the younger generation. We are not talking mutton dressed as lamb or hanging out at teenage night-clubs, but find a way to interact with younger people as regular contact with them keeps your mind moving and tuned-in to where the world is at. It is very true that you think and act like the company you keep and if you spend too much time talking about Matlock and Sodoku puzzles then you will very quickly start to appear older than you are.

 

Get out

A mixture between staying active and staying in touch with the youth is the instruction to get out. Age has the tendency to start limiting the size of our world. When as twenty-somethings we were eager to get out and see the world, as the years start to slide by and things like children and work take over suddenly our worlds shrink (along with our budgets). Home becomes our world and we spend less and less time going out, seeing the world and getting fresh perspectives on it. Make a conscious effort to not let this happen.

 

Hopefully these tips will help you stay in a good health and will slow down the ageing process