Do any of the older crowd here have advice for growing older?

Brush your teeth every day. Also never trust a fart to be dry. Eat more fiber.

@RedDeerGuy1 You’re younger than me aren’t you? haha!

@KNOWITALL Turning 41 in July.

Just hold on,it’s all down hill from here!!

Menopause is a bitch.
Your doctor can help with that.
Bladder leaks happen.
Depends can help with that.
Your joints will, at some point start sounding like old timey Barbie knees.
Nothing helps with that.

Don’t die young.

Live!

Buy some broad-spectrum, high-SPF sunscreen and apply it to your neck and face every morning. Do this even on cloudy days, and on days when you’re not planning to go outside (UVA/UVB rays enter through your windows). Sun exposure is the #1 cause of visible aging.

Get a bottle of L-Ascorbic Acid Serum (vitamin C suspension) and a tube of retinol cream. Work up to alternating the two products, on your face and neck, at bedtime. The regimen will be harsh at first, and you’ll need to give yourself some time to adapt. But, these are the only items that are actually effective at keeping your skin younger. All other lotions and potions, no matter how pricey, are simply cosmetic and feel nice for the short-term.

Don’t smoke.

Don’t drink excessively.

Exercise regularly, as often as your schedule and demands will permit, and try to get a mix of cardio and strength work.

If your current OB/GYN doesn’t support HRT therapy during and after menopause, find one who does. HRT keeps your bones strong, your skin lovely, and your body feeling great.

Botox! Oh, heck, yes I do, every 2 months.

Find a hobby to keep your body and mind active.

Volunteer your time in the community.

@Love_my_doggie Wow, that sounds like a lot of work!

I’ll have to print this list out for my trip to the pharmacy! Thanks!

Embrace it. Appreciate it. If you have any quality of life, enjoy it. Worrying about lost youth is pointless, there is a power in aging that is quite refreshing. When you no longer worry about being “attractive” in a certain way, you can put that energy into what you really want to do.

I have had a few times where continuing to live wasn’t a given (medical stuff) so I am delighted to be here.

Can’t paint a room a day anymore, though, and that’s kind of annoying.

Newton’s First Law of Motion: A body in motion stays in motion.
Keep moving. Do stuff. Stretch everything.

ENJOY your life & don’t worry about the petty stuff!!! Yes, having dry skin can cause you to appear older than you are. The truth is that we are going to die no matter how old or young we look. My mother obsessed over repairing her skin. When she passed, many of the old biddies filing by commented on how young she looked. It still didn’t bring her back!!!

Feeling happy & relaxed will do almost as much good as spending a fortune on gimmick creams!!! I’ve got 27 years on you, I’m NOT fair skinned & my skin is still dry. I think it comes with age no matter the skin type. My dry skin on my face began to itch a lot & was very uncomfortable for me. So, I purchased some St Ives Apricot Scrub off the shelf at Walmart/Walgreens or the like. I scrub my face really good at least once a week. A tube only cost about $3–5. A friend commented that she had been using Jojoba Oil & how much it had been helping her without feeling greasy; so, I spent $10 & bought a bottle. After doing the facial scrub, I get out of the shower, pat my face dry with my towel. I use 1 maybe 2 drops of Jojoba Oil & spread it over my face. With just a little bit of work, the JO absorbs quickly into the skin. It seems to have stopped my discomfort. I didn’t buy either for the sole purpose of looking younger; however, the SI exfoliates the dry skin & the JO has returned some of the elasticity to my skin & my cheeks are looking a bit more rosy. That was a side benefit of the process!!!

I’ve never had a lot of wrinkles; but I’ve embraced each & every one of them as I’ve “earned” each one!!! IF anyone doesn’t like me because of my wrinkles, that means they just don’t like “me” & that is their prerogative!!! IF you’re going to love me…it’s with warts & ALL!!!

AMEN @canidmajor!!! Your health is your MOST PRECIOUS gift & the rest is the gravy!!!

Wear sunscreen.

Always remember that you have to grow old but they can’t make you grow up.

Drink lots of water daily.
Stop slathering on creams for whatever reason as every time one touches their face and massage in these creams they are moving the skin around too much.
Don’t wear make up especially foundation. If one has too just lipstick sparingly and or eye shadow sparingly.
The natural look is healthier for one than bottled beauty aides.
Go outdoors, hike,bike, swim whatever as one does not need to be in a Gym to get healthy.
Don’t drink alcohol as it dries out the body inside and out and it will show.
If one must have one drink make sure to have water right after to replenish the body enough.
Eat more healthy foods rather than sugary foods as that will sap your energy and bring one down.
Get fresh air, go out to the countryside and enjoy natures wonders and that will do more for you than any nightclub.

I live in a Seniors apartment complex and I see daily older ones ( 75+yrs) destroy what remaining health that they had by having “happy Hour” for whatever reasons.

Most of these end up in the hospital in serious condition but neglect to mention to the Doctor that they had alcohol with there medicines.
These seniors are irresponsible and think that Society should put up with them “as after all They are old” and are entitled to a “good time”?

I do not drink alcohol except maybe at a wedding where I will allow myself to maybe have one glass of wine but that is all.
I grew up with alcoholism in our family and have seen the devastation that irresponsible siblings, and one parent can place on family members.

many times we had no food (or hardly any)on the table because parent spent on “having a good time” drinking oblivious to the pain and suffering that his actions caused.

Drink non alcoholic drinks instead .

You are given a gift of a healthy body and its up to you to maintain it, if not by the time you are a senior you will get what you deserve otherwise.

I would strongly advise against it. It brings nothing but aches and pains, memory loss and increased chances of dying a lingering and painful death.

Everything is better when you are in shape. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!

@LuckyGuy No fair, I thought we got to get fat and lazy…haha!

Hey, you can if you want! I just call it “comfortably corpulent” and “less concerned”. :-)

@KNOWITALL My biggest advice is enjoy yourself as much as you can and stay engaged with people and ideas.

I’m asking because a lot of hippies are getting older and many regret the drugs and alcohol as their bodies break down. My friends and I live a much cleaner life, we didnt have the luxury of a responsible two parent home, so we are more ultrs responsible. I just wondered what we could do to help ourselves as we enter mid life. Lots of good suggestions, thanks!

I drank less than almost everyone I know.
I smoked weed for about a year and a half, then quit forever when I joined the Navy.
Other than cigarettes, I lived a healthy, active life.
Now I am in my 50’s, and have been disabled almost two decades.
The photos taken of me when I was fifteen cannot be distinguished from the ones taken when I was thirty five. I looked more than a decade younger than I really was, and I was in great shape.
I had to hire some temporary labor once, for a day of unloading furniture. There was a bunch of guys at the temp office wanting work. I put my elbow up on the counter and told them the first one to beat me arm wrestling got the job. Three walked away embarrassed at their loss before I got a stocky fellow who did win.
Now I fall down walking across the room.
Live.
Live. Live. Live. Live.
It could last several more decades, or bend you over and take it all tomorrow.
Live.

Listen to @Patty_Melt. The morning that I had my stroke, I woke up feeling GREAT. I got out of bed & walked down to my den where I promptly collapsed onto the floor. Took me over a month to be able to walk again & here it is 28 years later & I’m fighting constantly to have quality of life & to even make it out of bed. My skin, makeup, & beauty are way down on the bottom of the list of important things to get done!!!

Take care of your health. Eat well, exercise, don’t let your weight get out of control. It is one of the most important things for a happy life in my opinion.

If you have serious illnesses you are likely genetically predisposed to don’t ignore it.

Plan for the future financially.

Be a good friend and family member. Keep in touch.

Have hobbies and activities you like to do, especially when nearing retirement, so you can transition easily.

Most of all have fun! Do what you want to do while you can do it! Fun comes in moments. If you plan correctly you can have fun every day in retirement. Most of the people around me are retired and they have fun every day. They dance, learn new things, play golf, go to see Mickey, get together with friends, and so much more.

Sure: Take care of your teeth, live defensively, and understand that you will die someday, and that could be any day.
If you live to be 50 there is a 12.5% chance you will die before age 65 and the average age men die is 76.6, women 81.6, and you have a 50/50 chance of dying before you reach that age.

@Tropical_Willie When I first saw your comment “Find a hobby to keep your body and mind active.” I read the word hobby as hubby : ^ )

Lol

Have not yet read any of the other responses, will do so after posting.

Make sure that you have a primary care physician, and that you maintain a regular relationship with him or her. Make an appointment to meet your doctor and get a complete physical or wellness check, and discuss any concerns with them, now, before you develop any new problems, and talk about any current medical situations you have.

Make sure your doctor does a complete skin cancer screening.

Stop eating garbage (and learn about healthy eating and cooking) and develop new healthy eating habits. Eat more fruits and vegetables, and less processed food and meat. Eat more high fiber foods and/or add a daily fiber supplement into your diet.

Give up smoking, and drinking soda (both diet and regular) and drink more water and unsweetened tea (decaf if you are sensitive to caffeine).

Brush, and floss, your teeth every day.

If you have dental problems, get those problems fixed right away. An unheallthy mouth can lead directly to heart problems, and infections of all kinds.

Read about that here: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/periodontal-disease-heart-health

Make sure to do some aerobic exercise, and strength training, and balance exercise every day. This is common sense “use it or lose it”.

Take care of your feet. Keep your nails trimmed and clean, and keep your foot skin, supple and free from cracks, and sores, and fungus, and ingrown toenails. See a podiatrist if you need to, but learn to care for your feet in a daily basis, including avoiding high heels and shoes that don’t fit.

Be a good friend to your current friends, your neighbors, and your relatives, and walk away from toxic relationships.

Be kind to animals.

Do inexpensive things that you like and love on a regular basis. Schedule in time for fun, joy, and relaxation.

Vote.

Pay it forward.

Thanks @All. I do pretty well with most of it, but I will step up my game. Some of you make me sad but I know that’s part of it. Thanks again!

Take excellent care of your teeth.

@Yesitszen Luckily my teeth are good. Unfortunately many people cant afford dental care anymore, it’s outrageous.

Change your diet to a more natural one, consume fewer chemicals. If you cannot pronounce the ingredients list, it should be tossed. Get out as much as you can, be active both physically and mentally. If it causes stress, realize that you don’t need it in your life.

To quote an old german inspirational song:
“Stirb jung!”.

Aging gracefully? This is the tip I want to follow but looks like I will never be able to.

Don’t panic.

@mazingerz88 have you ever thought about having that slogan emblazoned on a bath towel or something?

Also, haven’t seen you for a while. How you been? Where you been? (I am guessing fallout shelter, panicking)

Also @KNOWITALL, at my age I have learned that when someone asks me what kind of underwear I wear, boxers or briefs? I stroke my chin wisely and say “Hmmmm. Depends”. And just leave it at that…...