Myths About Ageing
Let’s look at the most persistent myths about ageing that conflict with recent scientific findings.
• To be old is to be infirm - Decades of research refute the myth that to be old is to be frail. Between 1982 and 1994, the population in developed countries over age 65 that reported any disability fell from 24.9 percent to 21.3 percent, or one in five. Older people are generally healthy. Even in advanced old age, an overwhelming majority of the elderly population have little functional disability, and the proportion that is disabled is being whittled away over time. The combination of longer life and less illness is adding life to years as well as years to life.
• You can’t teach an old dog new tricks - Research on mental function in old age is encouraging. The fears of age-related loss are often exaggerated. Current estimates are that no more than 10 percent of all elderly people, aged 65 to 100 or more, are Alzheimer’s patients and 50 percent of those aged 74 to 81 show no mental decline at all.
• Age-related changes are irreversible – It is’s time to dispel the false and discouraging claim that over a certain age it is too late to take active measures to reduce risk and promote health. The truth is that taking those decisions about your health and lifestyle can not only recover lost functions but also decrease the risk of other losses. In some case we can actually enhance how our body works beyond previous levels. It is almost never too late to intervene in your own life and health by breaking old habits such as smoking and over-consumption of alcohol, while adopting new habits for your diet and daily exercise. Making these changes can mark the transition from what we think is the “normal” course of ageing to Sage Vita – the path of a wise life, based on common sense and healthy habits.
• Genetics determines the rate at which we age – People commonly assume that genes are fate, determining how our body functions as we get older. In fact, there is solid evidence that the choices we make about how we live determine the quality and longevity of that life. Each of us has the capacity to enhance our chances of maintaining high mental and physical ability as we grow older.
• Your body starts to deteriorate - One of the most common myths about ageing is that you inevitably grow weaker. When studying people who kept training physically as they got older, researchers have consistently found that you may be able to prevent physical deterioration by staying active and that some physiological factors needed for good performance are not as affected by age as previously thought.
• It's too late to start training for a marathon - Marathon running after 50 was once considered to be too hard on your joints. Many individuals are disproving the belief that ageing and physical training are mutually exclusive. Like any sensible physical pursuit, at any age, a training regime needs to be implemented gradually over enough time for the body to build strength and resistance. There are more and more examples of people well over 50 running long distance races, climbing mountains, bicycling over long distances. We have to rid ourselves of the “myth” that we can become too old to benefit from regular exercise.
• You become more susceptible to injury - Perhaps the biggest fear we face when embarking on an exercise regimen is that of injury. We dread the possibility of pulling a muscle or taking a spill that will send us into a downward spiral of health problems. As with everything, there are safe ways of embarking on a physical exercise program and there are other ways which will spell disaster. Once again, common sense and sound professional advice have to be at the heart of a physical exercise program that is adapted to your body and your needs. I knew a judge who at the age of 80 was one of the most skilled amateur Alpine skiers on the slopes. Careful, yes, but still skiing with grace and style.
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