Aging is something many of us hope to never worry about. After all if we consider it, age might creep in and make itself at home. For some hitting a certain age means being old(er) and slowing down, while others can gain years without a thought to diminished lifestyle. Aging, undeniably, happens to each of us daily. Dr. Roy Shepard who spent 34 years as the professor emeritus of Applied Physiology at the University of Toronto, defines aging as the “diminished capacity to regulate the internal environment, resulting in a decreased probability of survival.” And it’s this function of age that trips us up most.

Because genetics, mindset, lifestyle habits and disease all play a role in the aging process, you might see someone who is old in their 50’s or 60’s or someone 80-90 and older who appears young and vibrant. As medical technology increases, the ability of people to live into later and later years increases. It is anticipated that the number of people aged 65 or above will reach 70 million by the year 2030. Ideally, what we wish for is a life that is full and rich, independent and functional, then one day ends in sudden death. Instead what the majority of us will experience is life going steadily, then hitting “tipping points” along the way. Those tipping points, in the form of major illness, heart attack, dementia, etc., will begin a decline as the body in its diminished capacity works to deal with a current condition.

So while chronological age will naturally occur to each of us, what we worry about in regards to physiological aging are things like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, COPD, Alzheimers, Diabetes and accidents. In this respect, active versus inactive people tend to remain fitter, more able-bodied and independent later in life. What are the tools that a fitter person uses to retain viability, where a sedentary person may not?

Cardiorespiratory Endurance is your body’s ability to most effectively take in, deliver and utilize oxygen at the cellular level. A fit body, exercising regularly will be delivering rich, oxygenated blood to every healthy cell. If cells start suffocating of oxygen deprivation, the body has to fight harder to stay alive. This is the bad news.

Typically, cardiorespiratory ability will decrease about 30% between the ages of 20 and 65. It is thought that the stiffening of the heart walls as we age, which delays the filling of ventricles with blood, is what causes our maximum heart rate to decline. Also, the valves in our veins that help return blood to the heart will begin deteriorating. Overall, the amount of blood that the heart can pump in one beat, then retrieve from the veins (maximal stroke volume) begins to decline. This affects overall blood circulation and oxygen saturation throughout the cells.

The good news is that this process can be slowed and even reversed with consistent cardiovascular training. Simply increasing your activity level by walking briskly 30 minutes a day, doing your own housework or yardwork and using stairs instead of elevators can significantly reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Research shows that incorporating a vigorous training program can increase cardiovascular fitness by 25% in older, sedentary individuals.

Weakness and muscle atrophy occur in older age because of a decrease in the size of muscle fibers, as well as the loss of the fast twitch muscle fibers. We also lose the ability to recruit muscle fibers quickly. All of this lessens coordination, slows mobility, and makes it more difficult to handle heavy resistances. But this doesn’t mean that we have to sit down. Studies show that strength training programs lasting 3 days a week for just 8 weeks can increase muscle strength by 174% for elderly participants. Resistances of 80% of a person’s maximum ability lead to significant gains in muscle strength, size and functional mobility, even if they are frail in the beginning of training.

Nutrition remains as significant to health in later years as it does through our prime. Aging decreases body mass, so caloric needs go down. It’s important to remember that we won’t likely get away with eating the same amount of food when we are over 60 as we did when we were in our twenties. Activity levels play a role in our nutritional needs at any age. More activity will allow us more food than a sedentary lifestyle will regardless of age.

Because of the tissue loss that accompanies age, protein needs are slightly higher. Vitamins and minerals may be consumed by the elderly in lower amounts than they should be. It’s important to pay attention to B Vitamins, Vitamin D, Calcium and Iron, Sodium and Potassium. Water intake often declines with age: lowered thirst mechanism, less bladder control, possibly forgetting to drink, and immobility can be contributors. Other things that may inhibit nutritional health in the elderly are digestive orders, dental problems, cancer, alcoholism, medications, depression/loneliness, loss of a spouse, confusion, and lack of mobility. Having a support system may be crucial to nutritional survival.

Whether you are at an age where you’re starting to feel a few more aches and pains, or deal with some of the chronic conditions associated with later years; or if you have a parent at an age requiring care, longevity can be supported. Despite the concerns that may need to be address, it is possible to age gracefully and maintain functional mobility in the process!