What is Healthy Aging?

What would you define as healthy aging?


I would define healthy aging as taking care of one's self in every aspect possible. To age healthily, I imagine someone who has ate well-balanced meals, exercised at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes, and who has control of the stress in their life. While these traits to me encompass healthy aging, I am well aware that in doing these it does not ultimately lead to a long, healthy life. However, by taking care of oneself, the chances of leading a healthy life are significantly higher than those who choose to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Some examples of choices that would lead to unhealthy aging would be smoking, not exercising, eating a diet hight in fat and cholesterol, and having a stressful career. 


At what point in the lifespan does aging happen?


I think that aging is continuously happening. From the moment we are born we are aging. Our cells are multiplying and dividing.


How would you measure this?  Can it be applied to everyone?


Having taken many cell biology and nutrition courses, I have been informed of the Hayflick Limit (cells have a limited potential for cell division) and of the possibility that changes in mitochondria cause aging. While there are many physiological things that can measure aging, I think simply looking at a person can really define how well they are aging. People who take care of their bodies tend to age better than those who smoke or drink excessively, etc. 


An interesting link....


One interesting link I wanted to add for everyone to check out is the Progeria Research Foundation website. For those of you who do not know what Progeria is, it is a rare and fatal condition that causes accelerated aging in children. It is caused by a mutation in LMNA gene. The LMNA gene is responsible for holding the nucleus of a cell together. The nuclear instability is believed to be the cause of the premature aging. 


http://www.progeriaresearch.org/