Measuring Ageing Gracefully

By |Published On: March 21st, 2022|
ageing gracefully

Age is not what it used to be.

At least, it’s not as straightforward as just being your chronological age.

Today it’s all about: “You’re as old as you feel” and now there’s no such thing as “You shouldn’t be

doing that at your age”.

Here are a few examples from the last few years breaking the myth of “old” age and ageing with power and grace.

In 2017 Irish rally driver, Rosemary Smith, became the oldest person to drive a Formula 1 car at age 79.

After four failed attempts, on the fifth try, at age 64, Diana Nyad completed the 110-mile swim from Havana to Key West, something no other swimmer has been able to accomplish.

As a physician, scientist, and expert in preventive and integrative medicine, Dr. Pam Peeke has been at the forefront of educating people on how their diet and activity can help them lead long and vital lives. Beyond being an educator, at age 69, Peeke practices what she preaches as a triathlete in the National Senior Games, aka the “Senior Olympics”.

According to Peeke, who serves on the National Senior Games Association Foundation Board, “The average age of a Senior Olympian is 68, but their average fitness age is 43.” She goes on to say, “Their bodies tested to be similar to someone 25 years younger. So if you want to whack a quarter century off your age, fitness and a healthy lifestyle is a great way to do it.”

Despite the many examples of men and women who have embraced their age, and challenged the status quo by proving that your passion for life and ability to contribute to society don’t end when you turn 60, there’s still a lot to be done in terms of the way we think and experience older age.

If you’re asking yourself what makes Rosemary, Diana and Pam different from the rest of us who retire at the age of 60, it usually comes down to two things: the state of your health and your mindset.

ageing gracefully

Women’s confidence and satisfaction

If you’re still reading, it means you’re someone who doesn’t view age simply from the perspective of appearance. My guess is that beyond the grey hair and a few more wrinkles around the eyes, your interest extends to holistic wellbeing and health as we age.

According to Dave Asprey, the father of biohacking, there are many ways to reverse ageing and improve the quality of your life as you age. Some of these biohacks are completely free, such as intermittent fasting and good quality sleep. In his book ‘Superhuman’, Dave writes: “Today there’s scientific proof that we can make changes on the subcellular level (aka changes that make up our cells, including our mitochondria) that will dramatically extend life-span”.

And further he writes, “Not only can you make changes that allow you to live longer than you think is possible, but you must! We all have a moral obligation to live well for as long as we can to develop our own wisdom and share it with future generations.

When you have as much energy at eighty or ninety as you did at twenty-five, you have tremendous potential to positively impact the world by sharing your wealth of information gleaned from relationships, experiences, success and mistakes”.

The thing about health and energy is that when you have it, you feel confident to do all the things you want to do. You have more willpower, resilience and you’re open to trying new things. In other words, you become fearless. And age doesn’t really matter that much. At least not to you.

“Now is honestly the best time in my life. I am happier in my 50s than I have ever been. I love being 56 – I am strong. I am fit. I have two amazing sons, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I am really grateful that I am as happy and as healthy as I am now. The thing is with ageing comes understanding, and right now I feel my most aligned – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t wake up just feeling like this – I consciously take the time to learn and practice wellness protocols that fuel me to feel this way – because it feels good to feel well”.

Elle Macpherson

Ageing doesn’t mean declining

Sadly most people expect to decline with age. They accept the changes that happen as a given: the thinning and loss of hair, the weight gain, the lack of energy, the forgetfulness, the different diseases. It feels like we’re programmed to play the victim, thinking it’s normal when we get old to become weaker and to lose part of our brain power!

Unfortunately this is what society and doctors tell us too.

ageing with grace
Art in ageing

The good news is that the world is changing and the curve of innovation is steeper than ever. Change is unstoppable. But more importantly there’s a new breed of people emerging – people who approach age with curiosity and an intention to live differently.

This new generation is waking up to the idea of preventive medicine. They’re taking control of their own health, energy and life. These people are not quiet. There are more and more books, articles, and podcasts spreading this new knowledge.

“There is wisdom inside you that wants to heal you. Yet, you are unsure how to tap into that wisdom. Instead of relying on a pill or surgery to fix you, you are asking yourself, “What can I do to help myself?” Dr. Mindy Pelz

Don’t be afraid of ageing – move from a surviving to thriving mindset

Most women are afraid of ageing. Maybe because they focus only on the outside, thinking of their grey hair, wrinkles and drooping eyelids.

I look at age differently.

ageing Isabella Rosselini
Mother and daughter about ageing
Diana von Furstenberg

Don’t be afraid of ageing – move from a surviving to thriving mindset

Most women are afraid of ageing. Maybe because they focus only on the outside, thinking of their grey hair, wrinkles and drooping eyelids.

I look at age differently.

All my life I’ve stayed focused on “feeling good”, vibrant, excited about every day and of course having enough energy to be creative. I’ve been this way regardless of what age I am – 20, 30,40 and beyond.

When I notice I don’t feel good, or I start to dislike myself when I look in the mirror, or when I feel I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning, my immediate thought is: something is wrong. It doesn’t occur to me to think I’m just getting old.

I then start analysing my lifestyle and what I’m consuming (physically, mentally and spiritually). I look at my stress levels, the foods that I’m eating and if I’m getting enough daylight, sun, greens, exercise, rest, etc.

Let’s say you’re like me and you’ve managed to keep things under control till you reach 40, but then by 42 your health starts to unravel. Hot flashes, insomnia, memory loss, erratic moods and unexplained weight gain becomes your reality.

Sometimes you feel like you live in someone else’s body and you’re no longer in control. So what next when the old tricks don’t work any more?

“The more you understand what your body is going through, the more in control you will feel”, writes Dr. Mindy Pelz in her book ‘The Menopause Reset’.

I won’t get into details about this perimenopausal phase today, as it’s a topic for another upcoming article. My intention, however, is for you to understand that you always have the choice and the power to feel better, and to embrace the ageing process without procrastinating or becoming a bitter woman who hates the whole world!

Today, ageing is often wrongly viewed as a disease. But it’s important to know that there’s no magic pill or recipe to make you feel good. You need to experiment and get to know your own body first.

Begin to believe in your body again – it’s designed to heal! Feeling good is not exclusively reserved for twenty year olds. You can feel great in your own skin after 40. You can experience great energy and amazing sex. All of that shows on the outside and no one will look at you as an old person. I promise.

I’m currently working on a series of articles designed to give you the power, tools and motivation to influence your wellbeing and health, which is the foundation for a good quality of life. This is the best investment you can make. Start investing your time and effort in yourself, no matter what age you are. It’s never too late.

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About the Author: Tsitaliya Mircheva

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Tsitaliya is a writer and fashion journalist for more than 20 years. She founded Mums in Heels 10 years ago and keeps growing and evolving together with her community or fashionable mums and responsible consumers. Fashion and Wellness are her most favourite topics to write about.