Every living organism goes through the physiological process of aging. Fruit flies have a brief life span of a few hours, while olive trees can live for more than 2,000 years. Human beings in the United States live, on average,well into their seventies and the first signs of aging begin in the mid twenties. However, genetics, environmental influences and lifestyle choices greatly affect the aging process.
Time Frame
You may notice the first signs of aging in your twenties, with fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, the occasional gray hair and perhaps a receding hairline. Wrinkles become increasingly visible as the layer of fat beneath the skin is slowly lost.
By middle age, many people tend to retain weight around the abdomen and waist as fat redistributes in the body.
Muscle fibers shrink, and even athletes lose some strength and endurance. Age-related short-sightedness is a natural part of the aging process and people with normal eyesight are typically wearing glasses for reading by their forties.
All the senses gradually decline. Women start perimenopause as the body shuts down reproductive function, male sperm counts decreases, and both sexes may experience a reduction in sex drive.
From the fifth decade onward, heart and lung function decrease, lowering physical endurance and increasing intolerance to temperature extremes. Reduced blood flow means connective tissues, such as toenails and ligaments, start to atrophy and thicken.
A person may start getting arthritis in the joints, and be more susceptible to broken bones and fractures as bone density decreases. The metabolic system decreases at the rate of about 1 percent every year after age 25, leading to reduced stamina and the need for better nutrition to avoid becoming overweight.
Effects
Poor nutrition and lack of basic medical care will prematurely age people, and in parts of the world where nutrition and medical care are lacking, people will show physiological signs of aging at an accelerated rate and have a shorter life span. In some Third World countries, someone in their forties could be considered old. Habitual sun exposure can prematurely age skin and naturally occurring or industrial toxins can affect neurological and organ health. Exposure to pollution and carcinogens may cause age-related conditions like cataracts, cancers and heart disease in relatively young people.
Prevention/Solution
Little can be done about individual genetics, which program the body to age at a predetermined rate. However, individuals can do a lot to slow the physiological process of aging through lifestyle choices. Remaining physically active slows the loss of muscle and keeps heart and lungs healthy. Proper nutrition and maintaining an appropriate weight can slow the effects of the aging process, as can avoiding tobacco, and using alcohol moderately or not at all. Since the mind and the body are symbiotic systems and affect each other, a positive attitude, a good social support system and keeping the mind healthy by life-long learning are also important. Get all routine medical screening as recommended by a doctor.
Considerations
While the aging process is inevitable, there are benefits to attempting to minimise the effects of aging. Leading a healthier lifestyle beginning at a relatively young age allows an individual to live a longer, more active and fulfilling life with less chance of chronic health complications. Physically active people can reduce the course of the physiological process of aging. Humans exhibit varied physiological responses to their environment and upbringing, with the degree in which they are affected generally attributed to genetics. The biology and science of aging in humans is extensively studied, and genetic biomarkers are being identified, allowing scientists to determine true physiological age and potentially formulate anti-aging drugs.
Potential
In the past, people had little choice but to accept the aging process, with diminishing sensory function and age related physical impairment. Today there are glasses, hearing aids, high-tech surgeries and medications to manage everything from arthritis to heart attacks. Plastic surgery, implants, liposuction and laser treatments allow us to turn back the clock visually, at least temporarily. Increasing knowledge about nutrition, supplements and protection from environmental hazards is giving us further potential to slow aging and live even longer than ever before in history.
