Our biological age is a better indicator of health than our years here on earth, according to recent research findings in the science of aging (gerontology).  Even though there is no universal method for testing biological age, it can be determined through testing in areas such as muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition, aerobic fitness, lung function, blood testing including blood pressure.

 
Let us look at the Father of Fitness, and my hero, Jack LaLanne for example.  At age 92, he works out two hours every day, one-one half hours in the weight room, and 30 minutes in the pool. He has maintained this fit lifestyle since he was 15.  Because he continues to maintain his health and fitness, his biological age tests would rank him around 50 years old.  That is amazing and it has important implications for those of us Baby Boomers who want to live a healthy fit life forever.

 

Realistically, most of us have not lived like Jack LaLanne. Not too many of us could swim the Golden Gate Channel while towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser, or at age 60, swim from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf handcuffed, and shackled while towing a 1,000-pound boat, or even set a world record of 1,033 push ups in 23 minutes. http://www.answers.com/topic/jack-la-lanne

 
However, this new research is great news for those who have maintained a healthy lifestyle for many years.  It is also, not too late to begin creating new healthy and fit habits.  Even if you have been sedentary, you can start to improve your biological age today.

 

What does this mean for you and me? Based of these research findings, if we take good care of our bodies we can slow down the aging process. This is further evidence that what we do to care or not for our bodies has lasting effects.  We cannot stop the aging process, but we can slow it down.

 

To take your wellness to the next level, answer the following questions:
 

  1. What three things you will do, or continue to do now?
  2. What will it take you to do this?
  3. What goal will you accomplishing?
  4. When will you begin?

 Cheers to slowing down the aging process!
Wellness & Abundant Blessings to you,
Patricia