Aging-we all do it. The problem we face is how we do it gracefully. Most of the bad effects of aging are preventable. The box to the right lists some common concerns we all have. As we age, we face more of these problems. However, if we age properly, we become more equipped to face them than we started out to be. As you age, you should accumulate knowledge, wisdom, good habits, communication skills, financial assets, confidence, and attitude.

Let's divide all these concerns into two areas: Interior and exterior. Interior things are those you can change about yourself. Exterior things are those you can change in your environment.

You should focus on making interior changes, as they have the most impact.
Typical problems with aging

•	Financial concerns--retirement
•	Getting fat
•	Loss of energy with loss of hormones
•	Osteoporosis/osteopenia
•	Degenerative diseases: diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's dementia
•	Problems with kids and family
•	Losing touch with what's "hot", becoming outdated
•	Loss of spouse through divorce or death
•	Loss of parents
•	The IRS
•	Real Estate care--keeping home and other property in good shape
•	Time (the older you are the faster it goes)
•	Fear of dying or worse, becoming a severe burden to your family

Interior Changes

The physical concerns are one of the few bricks to add to the foundation of maintaining a youthful lifestyle during your old age--that is, unless your body is already healthy. Any changes you make to maintain a healthy lifestyle will be tough, like breaking a bad habit. We all need proper diet, exercise, and rest to function well. Unless you make these necessary changes to your lifestyle, you will not be able to reap all of the benefits of an anti-aging regimen.

Using the information in these pages will immensely increase your energy, and immensely increase your ability to deter, delay, or prevent:

•	Heart disease
•	Osteoporosis
•	Diabetes
•	Arthritis
•	Dementia
•	Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass)
•	Illnesses in general

Simply put, your own body makes yourself sick – it doesn't just happen unexpectedly. You have been taught that as we age, our hormones decline. However, many experts are starting to think that we have put the cart before the horse and they now think that we age because our hormones decline. Therefore, if we correct the hormones and keep them at a youthful level, then the age-related changes will be slowed down, delayed and sometimes reversed. Your immune system becomes stronger once again and you will find that you do not become ill as often as you have in the past and, if you do become ill, then you recover quicker than your friends who do not practice the healthy lifestyle you have chosen.

The mental concerns are also of paramount importance. After all, if you don't enjoy life, what is the point in being healthy?

A positive outlook is important, but you can't just decide to be happy. You need to develop skills in communication and interpersonal relationships. You need to find activities that are mentally challenging and spiritually meaningful. In addition, that last part doesn't necessarily mean religious in nature – you are looking for things that make you feel you have added something to humanity, that you have made the world a better place. However, it is best that you identify yourself with an organized religion and participate fully in the life of that chosen faith. By being with others of like spiritual beliefs, you reinforce the teachings of that faith within yourself. By being with others, you also make yourself more accountable to those around you. It is easy to be “spiritual” when you go off to the Sierras and tell people that you can “meet God there in the woods by yourself” but what have you done for yourself truly, if there is no accountability for your behavior and there is no guidance from a spi

ritual elder? I am Eastern Orthodox Christian, so I recognize the bias that I have in my spiritual faith, no matter how little the faith that I show to others. Nevertheless, that does not mean that everyone must become Christian to improve his or her mental outlook. If you are Jewish, participate in the life of the synagogue and attend regular services. If you are Muslim, attend your Friday communal prayers and say your daily prayers towards Mecca. If you are some other faith, exercise it the way that your spiritual elders guide you to do so…but most importantly for all of the faiths, exercise tolerance and love for your fellow man, regardless of their faith. Therefore, being spiritual never includes belittling others for the minor or major tasks they have undertaken to improve the world and humanity.

When you were younger, you were like a babbling brook – running very fast but really accomplishing much. Moreover, people had no qualms about stepping on you, peeing on you, etc. As you get older, your water runs slower. Just remember, still water runs deep. Imagine a deep lake, high in a mountaintop. What do people do at such lakes? They love the pristine beauty, and respect the lake for what it is. They drop their fishing lines in, and hope the lake will offer to share from its depths. You want to be like that lake. Make yourself into the kind of person you want to be – focus on activities that will meet that end. Then you have the respect of both yourself and others for who you are. Does television help you meet this goal? No? Then don't bother. Does getting angry over small things help you gain stature? No? Then find ways to remind yourself of this.

The most important thing to remember in this life: take important things seriously, but enjoy a good laugh over those that are unimportant. That guy who cut you off in traffic? It's his blood pressure, not yours, that will be a problem. Tired of long commutes? Get books on tape to listen to, so you can feed your mind and make good use of the time.

Exterior Changes

The exterior changes for an anti-aging protocol are easier than the internal changes. Some are just plain superficial but are important if you are doing the interior changes. For example, if you are interested in getting a face lift, breast lift, breast enlargement, liposuction, tummy tuck or the short-acting Botox/collagen treatments, but you do not follow the “interior life” for anti-aging by diet, exercise and hormone replacement therapy, then you are just “slapping new paint on an old chassis” and it looks it. Have you ever seen the old women who smoke but get face lifts? Don’t they look marvelous??? The skin is old and gray and the surgery looks horrible, even if the most gifted plastic surgeon does it…because an old woman, not interested in her whole body but only the outer shell, did not take care of the most important aspects.

I tell my patients that when you are feeling better after we have corrected the hormones that are unbalanced with a 30 year old optimal person, and you look in the mirror feeling like a million bucks but see an old person looking back at you, then is the time that you get that surgery done. Because then you will match the exterior with the interior and be youthful through and through! In addition, you will heal better than before and you will be able to maintain the looks from the surgery for longer than others will.

So remember to work on your inner self first with hormones, diet, exercise, and mental outlook changes. Once you got a good foothold there, and then start to look for a good plastic surgeon.