Aging Anarchy!
Do you remember the Sex Pistols? You know the British punk band from the mid-1970’s. While most of the world was disco-ing along with Tony Manero (John Travolta) and the Bee Gees, the Sex Pistols were smashing every staid convention and mirrored ball they could find. I remember how outrageous they seemed with their sneers and spit, spiked hair and safety pins. They were banned by the BBC, arrested in Texas, and vilified universally. The Sex Pistols were, in a word – dangerous. They took the anger and frustration of a depressed Britain and threw it on stage where they spit out theme songs like “Anarchy in the UK”. They defined a new brand of music – Punk music. In truth the music was terrible. What made the Sex Pistols was the attitude.
(If by this point, I’ve completely lost you, you’ve never heard of the Sex Pistols or the 80’s were so hard on you that the 70’s are a vague memory, scroll to the end of the blog and hit the link to see what they were all about. I think you’ll agree these budding anarchists were really just babies – so young.)
I feel about aging the same way the Sex Pistols felt about the establishment. I’ve got no interest in following the traditional patterns or the party line that says what you should or shouldn’t do. Sure, the dream of “freedom 55” feels amazing until you realize you’ve just been sent to the sidelines ‘cause you’re past your prime. After watching life drift by for a while, your brain and body get rusty. Then you start losing your memory, your eyesight, hearing and anything else that might make life enjoyable. Pretty soon you’re in an old folk’s home waiting for someone to come change your diaper. So no, I’m not buying into this fable.
See, we’ve come to think about aging as synonymous with physical and mental decay, as if there’s nothing to be done about it. But that view of aging is, well, old (pun intended). I’d like to say it’s a stereotype but it’s not. If you believe this way of thinking, fall prey to it and allow it to happen, it will manifest itself.
Fortunately, the more we discover about aging, the more we realize that old age isn’t a one-size-fits-all pair of Spanxs. Sure, some people are frail by 75, but others are running corporations (see Warren Buffet 92) or are President of the United States (Joe Biden is 80). Some 85-year-olds may have drifted into dementia, but others are back at school getting their doctorate degrees. Clearly, they’re not following the playbook – punks!
Folks, it’s time to put a little Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten into our image of aging. Nevermind the Bollocks we can influence how well we age by the attitudes we carry and the choices we make. And there are plenty of choices to be made – as there are a multitude of factor that weigh into the aging process. The good news is you can make a lot of great choices that will make your final decades the most rewarding.
To get on the right track, experts agree that the single most important thing we can do is exercise. Movement matters! Physical activity can be anything from walking or running, to square dancing, Tai Chi, or even ping pong. The general rule of thumb is – use it or lose it. Keeping fit and strong reduces most of the major mortality risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Plus, it’s never too late to start an exercise routine. And if you’ve never been a fan of exercise, don’t sweat it (again pun intended). At P60+, we’ll explore a ton of great options that will make fitness fun – but no slam dancing we draw the line there.
A second important factor in aging well is your diet. Good nutrition does wonders for renewing your body which not only helps stave off disease, but also keeps you feeling good and helps maintain energy so you can hit the clubs to the wee hours if that’s your thing. Eating healthy is easier and tastier than you might think, so stay tuned for lots of help in the kitchen – lord knows I need it – and we’ll get eating in the right direction.
You might have guessed that diet and exercise would be important, but did you know your brain health and mental health are key factors in successful aging as well? Your outlook and attitude seriously impact your quality of life and physical health. So, we’ll be exploring a variety of ways to keep the brain active and engaged, manage our moods and develop a positive frame of mind. All of this helps us make better decisions, live happily, more independently.
Our social life is yet another important factor for successful aging. Who knew that this was the best time of life to get your party on! Connections to family and friends are the keys to keeping current. In fact, studies have shown that loneliness can be as detrimental to your health as smoking. Connection is vital. Hell, even punks traveled in packs!
The Sex Pistols turned out to be a flash in the pan. The original lineup put out a total of one album and were together for two years. Our sights are set a little higher. But it’s worth taking a bit of their irreverence along for our ride. So, channel your inner punk when it comes to aging. Buck convention, carve your own path, flip the bird to old attitudes. Together we’ll make sure the safety pins are for the slashes in our jeans and not keeping our diapers on. Rock on aging anarchists rock on!