Health
Steps Can Increase Odds of Aging Gracefully
Aging gracefully is kind of an oxymoron. There probably aren't too many people who do. There always seems to be something that gets in the way, especially on the health front.
It's almost unfair. We work and save with the mind-set that we'll be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor when we get older. Then, out of nowhere, an illness or injury often puts a dent in our plans, preventing us from enjoying the very thing we've been working and saving for.
To compound that, we're living longer. The fastest-growing age group in the United States is centenarians, folks more than 100 years old. Their numbers are expected to grow to about 114,000 by 2010, and then more than double that by 2020.
A baby born today has a 50 percent chance of reaching the age of 80, compared to age 70 back in the 1960s. With this longer life span, we obviously have more concerns like losing the ability to care for ourselves, losing our mental abilities, running out of money, and losing our health.
Heart disease remains a major health concern, as it is still one of the top killers in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 950,000 Americans die each year from heart disease and stroke. We all know the factors that contribute to the risk of heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, family history, stress, diabetes, poor eating habits, and lack of physical activity.
And while the lack of physical activity is the most recent risk factor added to the list, physical activity has been shown to have the most impact on all the others.
