Let’s Talk About Sex
With dwindling hormones, given a choice between sex and vacuuming, for many adults, the carpet wins. But if you can effectively sidestep your vacuum, sex can boost your immune system, reduce stress, and keep you trim and healthy to boot. And studies show that for men, ejaculating more than five times a week can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
“Your sexuality is part of your general health – if you don’t use it, you will lose it,” claims sex educator and internationally best-selling author Lou Paget. As the author of the best-selling book, How to be a Great Lover (Piatkus Books, 2000), Paget helps people of all ages use their sexuality for optimal health. Her argument: we take care of our health with food, vitamins, even unnecessary medications, but touch is a huge part of what it means to be human. Our tissues need to be stimulated to promote blood flow and lubrication.
Your body changes as you age – hormone levels dip, lubrication dries up, and sensation falls flat. And more often than not, outside influences (like medication or a stagnant marriage) also interfere with our sex drives. “Part of great sex, and great aging, is being willing to experiment, try new things, and continue learning about yourself and those around you,” says Paget. “There are many things people can do in a partnership – whether it’s with toys or just new ways of being together.”
Think of your sexuality as an appetite – much like your appetite for food. “There’s comfort food and there’s comfort sex,” says Paget. “But you don’t want to always feed your body the same thing.” Your taste buds in your mouth dictate what will take care of that appetite, and the nerve endings in your skin and body will tell you how to take care of your sexual appetite. Sometimes – especially as you get older – you’re just not hungry, and that’s okay, too.
Social Hour
Far more important than an active sex life, is building and maintaining social networks. “We’re hardwired to be connected,” says Crowley. “Every advanced structure in our brain depends on interaction with other people.” And yet society is making it increasingly easy to live in isolation – a surefire way to age fast. Crowley’s solution: Default to yes. When someone invites you to do something or asks for help, say yes.
That’s one strategy Gough has down pat. Even at her seemingly advanced age, Gough is constantly out in the world, making new friends, trying new things, and re-discovering herself. So whether she’s being asked to manage offices all over the country, sing on stage in front of a packed theater, or help someone overcome their self-esteem issues, Gough’s response is usually yes.
“This world is a school and every person you encounter offers an opportunity to learn a new lesson,” she claims. “If you look at life on Earth that way, aging brings enlightenment – and the wrinkles just make you look more astute.”
What’s Your Real Age?
The secret to a long, healthy, age-defying life: Live right! According to Michael Rozien, MD and Mehmet Oz, MD, founders of RealAge.com, your “real age” is determined by your lifestyle – not your birthday. The two longevity experts developed a system that applies statistical methods to more than 125 different health factors. Using these health factors, they came up with a series of questions (things like how much your weight fluctuates, how much you exercise, and whether you smoke). Answer the questions honestly, and not only will you know your real age, but you’ll also have a good idea how to bring it down a few notches. Visit www.realage.com for details.
TOP 10 HIT LIST FOR ANTI-AGING
Want to ski the double blacks and climb the Rockies when you’re 75? Do these 10 things and your odds of garnering a long, healthy life increase exponentially.
1. Eat Whole Foods – Chemicals, preservatives, artificial ingredients. Who needs them? Ditch boxed, packaged, and convenience foods in favor of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish.
2. Get Moving – Apply what you learned in high school physics: a body in motion stays in motion. Keep yours moving if you want to extend your life.
3. Do Some Heavy Lifting – Strength training not only keeps you from hunching over as you get older, but it also helps prevent osteoporosis.
4. Touch and Be Touched – Research shows that babies who aren’t touched don’t thrive. Adults suffer from the same effect. No significant other? Book a massage.
5. Default to Yes – Longevity experts agree that maintaining social networks is critical as we age. The more activities, groups, and classes you’re involved with, the better (and longer) your life!
6. Help Others – Volunteering for causes that are important to you – or even just allowing a friend to bend your ear – can give you a mental boost and promote feelings of gratitude.
7. Live in the Moment – Experts claim that focusing on the here and now, and taking life one day at a time, helps you stay present, grounded, and calm.
8. Take a Mental Retreat – Spending just a few moments imagining a peaceful scene floods your body with feel-good chemicals that reduce stress, boost immunity, and promote healing.
9. Breathe – Monitoring and focusing on the breath is a healing mechanism that has been used for centuries. Take a deep breath in, sip in as much air as you can and slowly sigh it out.
10. Think Positive – Our thoughts create our lives. Enough said.
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