Aging and exercise: it cannot be helped, the other cannot be avoided - without consequences

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America's First Lady, Michelle Obama, has been vigorously promoting exercise for seniors and everyone else who is aging, and that includes even the youngest amongst us According to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, "an active lifestyle".combined with healthy eating, is the number one way to prevent obesity, and key to preventing a host of serious obesity-related diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and asthma.

Just the same, at least two-thirds of the population, young and old and in between, exercise far too little or not at all. It's pathetic. It's depressing, or would be if I did not have a humorous tale to tell to cheer things up. On my way home from a run this morning, I noticed an old lady sitting on a park bench, sobbing her eyes out. I stopped and asked her what was wrong. She said, "I have a 22 year old husband at home." "He makes love to me every morning and then gets up and makes me pancake, sausage, fresh fruit and freshly ground coffee." I said, "well, then why are you crying?"

She said, "He makes me homemade soup for lunch and my favorite brownies and then makes love to me for half the afternoon".

I said, "well, why are you crying?"

She said, "For dinner he makes a me gourmet meal with wine and my favorite dessert and then makes love to me until 2: 00 a.m.."

I said, "Well, why in the world would you be crying?"

She said, "I can't remember where I live!"

Aging stereotypes have always been a rich source for humor, at the expense of the aged. As a member of this class, I say, "No worries." "we can take a joke." However, aging IS an important wellness issue that should be taken seriously, even while maintaining and even improving upon one's sense of humor. Most people realize the importance of humor, but not enough seem to realize that exercise is important AS!

Of course, exercise is vital at all stages of life purpose especially in the middle and later years. Unfortunately, too few act sufficiently on their realizations. Exercise can help older people feel better and enjoy life more, but doing enough of it is even more difficult after age 60, for example, than was the case at age 30. Many Americans now in their sixties or older failed to sustain good intentions the first time they set out to become fit when they were half as old as they are now!

Yet, even at 60 or older, regular exercise can improve all the life functions that it aided earlier in life and even eliminates the effects of some diseases and disabilities already experienced. It is especially effective at improving mood and relieving depression. Most older (and younger) people know that vigorous daily exercise is important but would rather not think about or deal with it. However, middle ages, if left untreated with the mighty potion of exercise, will invariably prove fatal. Even WITH exercise, fatalities are high but the end takes longer or seems that way!

To some, middle age seems incurable but it isn't. You can prevent it by becoming prematurely old or dying young. Most people, predictably enough, don't want to do either one, but they still fail to sustain a regular and vigorous exercise pattern. This is such a pity for the alternatives are not pretty. If they fail to exercise, they get older faster; If they can't deal with getting older, they deny reality and become triathletes, or join a religious cult or do both. No, I'm just kidding. The sedentary just try not to think about it, but it can't be ignored because even some comedians are talking about it.

Take my once-favorite television show, Seinfeld. A classic episode dealt with aging. The leading characters all volunteered to spend a bit of time serving as companions for an older person. This led to Seinfeld how on the relativity of aging in the stand-up part of the show. I missed some of it, but I recall he discussed life as faster-paced in our era than a few thousand years ago. "today," seinfeld noted, "life expectancy is around 76;" back then, it was about 25! Put this in perspective. Among other things, it means that some events we take for granted must have occurred much sooner for cavepersons. For instance, in those days, you got your driver's license at five, you were married at eight, your career peaked at twelve and social security kicked in at seventeen. If you encountered a person in later life, say, 22, you'd try to be polite' - hey, you're really 22? "Wow, you'd never know it. You look great for your age.'"

Garrison Keelor brought up aging in a monologue about "lake woebegon" on his popular radio show "A Prairie Home Companion." Keelor noted that time is like money. "It doesn't matter what you have SPENT, what matters is how much you've got left." "think of it this way," he said. "A man of 40 destined to live to 60 is actually older than a man of 50 who will live to 90" The 40 year-old thinks he's 10 years younger but actually he's 20 years older. "In a way, then, you are only as young as you feel because the way you feel is an indication of how long you have left."

Keelor concluded by reflecting that getting older is a great adventure. "In a way, we're moving into a New Frontier, those of us growing older. We're all together in this wagon train. "Some of us are farther ahead in the column than others."

Keelor stopped there but I'll add that if you're not in a big hurry to get wherever you're going, slow down the journey by speeding up your metabolism - with exercise done properly, every day. If you're only as old as you think, you will surely feel younger if you are fit and having fun and feel good about how you look and what you are doing with the time that's left.

Even if you are not a Democrat or old or a fan of Michelle Obama, exercise in a vigorous manner every day for at least an hour. Do it despite the fact that you will get sweaty, breathe heavily and take time away from more enjoyable activities, little out munching on a sofa watching television shows about the biggest losers. Be a winner - exercise and live well.

Publisher of the ARDELL WELLNESS REPORT (CWA) - a weekly electronic newsletter devoted to commentaries on current issues that affect personal and social well being from a quality of life perspective. The emphasis is on REAL wellness, which is also the topic of Don's latest book. Read about it here - https://www.createspace.com/3478226 - The "REAL" acronym reflects key issues embraced and advanced in Don's philosophy, namely, Reason, Exuberance, Athleticism and Liberty. Sample copy of Don's latest edition by request. If you like it, you can sign up - the price is right - free. Contact Don at awr.realwellness@gmail.com

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