Boulevard, June 2009
Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum
Just the other day I was at a fundraising luncheon when a man approached the group of women I was with. As he walked away, each of us made a remark about the physical nature of the gentleman.
We wondered how old he was and then realized, “Who cares?” There are certainly men we all know who, as young men, were adorable and sexy, but as they aged grew, well, slovenly and old. There are those who age with grace, beauty and sexiness. Think Harrison Ford, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, George Clooney. And those who don’t. Think Marlon Brando, Mickey Rourke, and some old classmates.
There’s clearly something that makes the difference, that allows some men to become more attractive with age. Certainly there’s a mental component of being comfortable in your own skin, but there’s more to it than that. There’s a definite physical side. A recent article I read considered modifiable risk factors and their effects on living to a ripe old age. It looked at smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and a sedentary lifestyle. Each factor greatly reduced the probability of living to 90 years old.
But it’s more than how long you live, it’s also how well you live, the quality of those years. An overweight, diabetic, inactive, hypertensive person on multiple medications simply does not have the quality of life, the vitality that gives him that certain je ne sais quoi.
Those attractive aging men with a glimmer in their eye elicit comments of how men become “distinguished” with age. Think about their lifestyle choices and how they have chosen to grow older. With simple things like exercise and a healthy diet, growing old becomes a number as much as a mindset. Years bring experience and understanding. None of us can stop the progression of age, but we certainly can slow the effects of time.
When lifespan and health are boiled down to the basics, it is truly attributed to the five modifiable risk factors. It is simple in diagnosis and theory but a little harder in execution and treatment.
In a recent documentary, Barbara Walters described a group of individuals, known as calorie restrictors, who consume 30 percent fewer calories than the average American. Certain experts believe that caloric restriction is the only proven way to extend life. Overall, staying slim decreases the onset of high blood pressure, diabetes and, clearly, obesity. Simply stated, how could it not prolong life?
We all envision life as we age. Joints get stiffer, vision gets blurry, hearing becomes duller, but we all hope to maintain that glint, that charm, that sexiness. The next time you see a George Clooney movie or the latest People magazine, look at the men whose bodies and faces belie their age. Their toned muscles and slender frames establish their obvious concern for physical wellness. Yes, they are growing older, but they have shown us that aging well is doable. As the gracefully aging Indiana Jones said, “It ain’t the years, it’s the mileage.”
