8 Tips on How to Age Well
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Readers had a great threadjack a while ago about how to age well, so we thought we'd condense some of their best tips. (We've expanded on some, too — although this definitely isn't an exhaustive list!)
Readers, at what age did you get serious about aging well? For those of you on the younger side, what things do you try to do to help you age well, and for those of you who are older, what tips and tricks do you think have worked? (Does anyone have any regrets about anything beyond basics like sun and/or cigarette exposure?)
{related: how to feel comfortable in your own skin}
How to Age Well: Simple Habits
Wear sunscreen daily. Also, wear a hat (readers love Wallaroo!) when you spend a significant amount of time in the sun. Don't forget sunscreen on your neck, décolletage, and the backs of your hands. (Note: Car windows and even house windows don't block UV rays as well as you might think, as Reuters and Insider explain.)
{related: what's your favorite sunscreen in 2021?}
See your doctor regularly. MedlinePlus.gov has handy lists of recommended screenings for women age 18–39 and 40–64. One important fact you should know is that colorectal cancer is becoming a lot more common among millennials and Gen-Xers. Also, if you have a family history, you should talk to your doctor about screening before the usual age of 45.
One reader shared that her older relatives have found cognitive benefits from addressing their hearing and vision issues. In fact, middle-age hearing loss is a major risk factor for dementia, which I just learned while writing this post… (And hearing aids are now over the counter!)
(A related random tip from me, for bifocal wearers: They actually make multifocal contact lenses!)
{related: serums, sunscreen, and retinoids}
Get Botox — if you decide it's right for you, that is! (Coincidentally, November 16 was apparently is “Botox Cosmetic Day.”) A few readers recommended Botox as part of aging well — and personally, I don't subscribe to the idea that “aging gracefully” means to simply let nature do its thing. What do you think, readers? (But then, technically, Botox does come from nature…) Botox's effects last about three to six months.
Over the last several years, “preventative Botox” for people in their 20s and 30s has become a thing — but earlier this year, when the NYT talked to dermatologists and plastic surgeons about it, the article concluded that, sadly, a lot of the evidence that it slows aging is solely anecdotal.
{related: how to go gray . . . intentionally}
How to Age Well: Habits That Need a Bit More Effort
Stay active. Regular weight-bearing and resistance exercises will improve your bone strength, and doing them consistently in your 30s and 40s can help prevent osteoporosis (which can run in families). Stretching and yoga are also great habits for aging well.
My simple tip for people who have trouble keeping up with a strength training habit is to bite the bullet and hire a personal trainer. I find it hard to motivate myself to strength train at home, so I've committed to working out with a trainer twice a week.
{related: here's how we're dealing with our graying hair}
Be mindful of what you eat: Readers suggested eating fish and fresh produce, and limiting alcohol, sugar, and cured meats. Experts' recommendations for eating well as you age include nuts, plant protein, avocados, blueberries, and plenty of fruits and vegetables in general — as well as limited processed foods (read more at EatingWell & The Washington Post).
Educate yourself on aging: One reader recommended Younger Next Year for Women: Live Strong, Fit, Sexy, and Smart — Until You're 80 and Beyond [affiliate link], which advises how to “improve memory, cognition, mood, and more.”
Two well-reviewed books about menopause that I bought recently (in preparation for perimenopause, whenever that decides to make an appearance…) are The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism by Dr. Jen Gunter and What Fresh Hell Is This?: Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You by Heather Corinna [affiliate links].
{related: a 2012 discussion on whether older women can have long hair (we should definitely revisit!)}
Readers, do tell! What are your tips on how to age well?
Stock photo via Deposit Photos / piotr_marcinski.
Hoping for advice or a gut check. I saw a new dentist (new to me and new to practice more generally) in September. The dentist filled two cavities. I reported severe pain over the next few days. Dentist told me to wait until it subsided. I finally insisted on being seen earlier this month. Dentist said I likely need a root canal, as one of the cavities was close to the root. The xrays taken weeks before the fillings were placed do not reflect cavities close to the root. I have never had teeth issues beyond a filling ever so often (maybe once every 3-4 years). Dentist charged my insurance for an emergency visit, and gave me a referral to another dentist for the root canal. Dentist has not offered an apologies, acknowledgement of possibly having screwed up my teeth, or any consolation on the several hundred dollars it is going to cost me to get this fixed. What do I do? Am I taking this too personally?
I’ve had dentists make cavities worse before (they drilled too deep and then I got decay under the filling). I opted to have only some of my cavities filled (budget), and the ones that weren’t filled remineralized (even though they weren’t any better to begin with), so I think none of them needed fillings to begin with.
I think it was just incompetence but therefore still a rip off.
Find another dentist.
I had one who insisted my metal fillings were deteriorating and needed replaced (I had no symptoms). When questioned about this because I was not aware I had metal fillings, he claimed they were covered on the surface with tooth-colored top coat. I was scared of having untreated decay and had a pending insurance change looming so I gave in to his badgering. When I asked to see the old filling as he was drilling in to my teeth, I was confused to see that there was indeed no metal anywhere. After that, I contacted my old dentist (in another town) who confirmed there were no metal fillings in my mouth. My insurance denied the re-filling claim because of this and I had to pay out of pocket. I found out later the second dentist was notorious for pulling crap like that.
I spent my entire life never having a cavity (not a humblebrag, it’s just heredity) until I switched dentists to a more convenient location close to my work. Suddenly I needed several fillings, and about half of my molars now have fillings.
I changed back to my regular dentist. Looking at my x ray, he asked “why do you have all of these shallow fillings?” I told him about the new dentist, and while he didn’t come out and say it, he kind of shook his head about it.
Fifteen years later, I haven’t needed another filling. I conclude that some dentists just have a profit motive to do work where none is needed.
In your shoes, I would consider suing the dentist for malpractice. I really would!
Yes, sometimes dentists do unnecessary work. But it’s almost impossible to successfully sue for malpractice because to do that you need a different dentist to say that they didn’t follow the standard of care. My understanding is it’s more like a judgment call and there are many situations where some dentists will do work and other dentists won’t but it’s all within the range of “accepted practices.” My dentist is at the very cautious end of the spectrum and I know he doesn’t think highly of the dentists who are aggressive with drilling, but he’s also told me he wouldn’t testify it’s malpractice.
It obviously doesn’t help OP but this is why you should always seek a second opinion about dental work, especially if the dentist recommending the work isn’t one you’ve been seeing for years without incidents.
I think a lot of accepted practices in dentistry aren’t actually great. I agree that there’s no point in suing and that it’s just a buyer beware thing.
It is possible that you had a cavity that was close to the root and your dentist thought he could fill it and spare you the root canal. It doesn’t necessarily mean he did something wrong or screwed up your teeth. I have had this happen in the last few years with a trusted, conservative dentist. One of my cavities needed a root canal but the other two were able to be fixed with just fillings. It was a judgement call my dentist have to make when he went in and drilled because my cavities were borderline. You can’t always see on an xray whether the cavity needs a root canal. My dentist told me that if you come in with pain, then you will need a root canal. But if you don’t come in with pain, you may or may not need a root canal. You can’t always tell until the dentist gets in there.
I also say this as someone who was ripped off in her 20s and had dentists telling her she needed all these fillings when she didn’t. I also had a dentist tell me I had gum disease and needed an expensive procedure when I didn’t (got a second opinion). I filed a complaint with the Department of Health and they did nothing.
All I can say about dentists is that if someone suddenly tells you have ten cavities when you had none before, leave and get a second opinion. Unless you are in pain, your teeth will not fall out of your head if you need to wait six months to see another dentist because your insurance won’t cover it before then.
Actually on topic — one of the things I think is really important as I get older is to take off any extra weight immediately. A few pounds here and there adds up to 15-20 pounds before too long.
I definitely agree that being seriously overweight or obese makes you slow down a lot faster. The difference between my obese dad and my healthy weight mom (same age) is astounding. Actual medical issues aside, her QOL is just so much better than his. But there are actually a lot of studies that a few extra lbs post menopause can be healthier for women. Elderly people tend to lose weight so it’s not the worst thing to go into your 70s a bit heavier than you were in your 40s or 50s. Personally I’m much more focused on moving my body than on losing 10-15 pounds of vanity weight.
The advice is mostly focused on physical appearance. However, I think there is more to aging than just physical appearance. One of the most important things to stop yourself from becoming an old woman it to remain intellectually curious and continue learning. Nothing says “old” more than someone who is set in her ways and never tries or does anything new. Read books, go to concerts, take classes, learn a new sport, travel to a new destination.
Our bodies are going to age – there is nothing we can do to stop it. However, we as people can age well by continuing to evolve and grow.