Friday, July 30, 2010

Aging with a Purpose

Ideally, greater wisdom comes with age. The lessons in life serve as a stronghold in making good decisions and sound judgment. A mature person is more critical about the things he does and weighs things out as he faces the challenges of life. He knows very well the mistakes of the past and tries to correct them at present, especially if he has a family of his own.

Family life is a fulfilling endeavor. Being parents makes you more caring and hard working as you create a little community with your children and teaching them how to live life to the fullest.

Parenthood has its own struggles. It keeps you always on the go and pushes you to work harder to earn a living while raising a family and manage your time with your thousands of responsibilities as an office worker or a manager of your own business. As time goes by, you will realize that you are growing old as your children take their adolescence or adult life.

Whenever you reach 40 or mid-30s, visible signs of aging are common. Changes in your physical appearance like graying hair, brittle bones, limited activities or possible susceptibility to diseases and infections occur.

Aging affects your youthful genetic makeup. Growing old is inevitable. Degeneration of your body tissues soon occurs especially in late adulthood, generally at the age of 40. The adage, “life begins at forty,” may mean that it is the time that you have to be more careful about the things you do because you are already gearing toward midlife. Whatever decision you make has an impact to your being physically, emotionally and morally. Your body functions begin to retard and if you are not health-conscious, you are most likely to experience health problems associated to aging such as heart diseases, kidney disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.

If you indulge in smoking or drinking in most of your past time when you are younger, it is advised to refrain from it as you age to protect yourself from possible risks. Changes in lifestyle toward healthy living must be adopted so that aging would not be a problem. Although physical changes are normal, if you have a disease it may hasten the aging process.

In females, hormonal changes may be apparent. Vaginal dryness, hot flashes, decreased sex drive, depression, anxiety and insomnia are symptoms of menopause. It is not a disease but rather a natural event in aging women. Severity of the cases may differ from person to person.

Menopause happens when a woman stops menstruating. It is the time when the cyclic function of the ovaries begins to slow down and eventually cease. It is the gradual disruption of the menses. Women’s lowering libido or less appetite to sex, painful intercourse, too much sweating or perspiration in anytime of the day (hot flushes), frequent headaches, muscle and joint aches, etc. would likely occur.

Psychological and emotional symptoms may vary. Some women may experience fatigue, nervousness, irritability, sleep disorders and decreased estrogen levels. They may also experience pounding heartbeat, always feeling dizzy and tire easily. Hormonal imbalance may lead to loss of bladder control and inflamed vagina.

Another health hazard for women in their menopause is osteoporosis, or the thinning of the bones. With reduced estrogen levels, women generally in their 50s are more likely to suffer from heart problems. So it is better to consult your doctor about the benefits of estrogen replacement therapy. It may be in tablet form or something that you can put on like cream on the skin, especially in the vaginal areas to prevent the thinning of the pelvic lining.

Regular exercise, quit smoking, eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals, and proper dieting are always the recommendation in maintaining an active lifestyle. Medications will be of great help if properly guided by a physician.

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