Do we have to accept the deterioration of our bodies as we age?

Is it really necessary to live with weakened muscles and bones, heart problems, arthritis, diabetes and dementia?

Are there things we can do  now to slow down, or even stop these conditions?

Why is it we assume sickness is a normal, natural  a rite of passage for aging? 

Do most studies support really this?  Or do we need to take a more detailed look at a healthier lifestyle for people over 50 which can be not only a possibility but an empowering way to enjoy our later years?

Anti-aging experts are disagreeing with the current views that many of the  diseases and conditions we have associated with getting older are inevitable.  Among them is the well known and respected Nashville medical director for Lifesigns,  Dr. Robert Belihar.  Dr Belihar is also a retired brigadier general with the Air Force and was the command surgeon at United States Central Command under General Norman Schwarzkopf.

"Your body should wear out, not rust out," he says.

Facts are emerging, thanks to more detailed studies and the work of experts like Dr. Belihar, that  when you start exercising and eating a proper diet, you can slow down the deterioration of your body's cells.  This goes a long way toward disease prevention.   

Gina Kolata of the Ledger.com has an interesting article on taking control of your body's aging process. This article makes the point that you can train yourself to maintain your muscles as you grow older.  Training and working out isn't only for young people any more. 

However, even though this article is making some very good points, working out on the athletic level of some of the people featured may not be for everyone.  There are still many simple ways you can exercise, such as regular walking,which can accomplish a great deal toward disease prevention.

Read Stay a Step Ahead of Aging

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