Aging is the process of growing old and for now no body escapes this inevitability of change. Although every body progresses through this certainty uniquely, there are some general aging process changes that will likely occur in us all. This health blurb offers you a glimpse into the matter of aging.
Your individual genetic factors play the most important role in determining how the aging process advances. Yet, environmental factors can negatively impact the course of aging changes as well, for example:
- stress
- smoking
- inactivity
- malnutrition
- lack of sleep
- sunlight overexposure
- toxin, chemical exposure
Adopting a healthy lifestyle to counteract these environmental factors won’t stop the genetically influenced aging process, but it sure can stop their impact upon it. The behaviors that can profoundly make a difference is get moving and eating a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables.
An aging body changes the way individual cells and organ systems function. Two key cellular changes that develop with aging include reduction in cell proliferation and interference with apoptosis. And both alterations impact your body in diverse ways, resulting in health conditions like immune system dysfunction, cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
In the absence of disease your body will remain relatively healthy. However, a gradual loss in organ system functionality will often change how you generally feel and appear. Again, the extent of system changes varies greatly among individuals. In addition, you could experience a decline in one system, while the others remain in excellent working order.
Following are some of the potential aging process changes you may, or may not, notice and why. Remember, time will tell what aging actually occurs in you.
You’ll probably shrink, as in height. This height loss is largely due to a change in posture, disc compression and the decrease in space between your joints.
Appetite loss and taste changes later on in the aging process often results in a reduction of weight. But your total body fat increases, while your muscle mass will decrease.
Your cardiovascular system becomes less efficient with age. This means your heart works harder to pump the same amount of blood. Also, your blood vessels lose some of their elasticity and atherosclerosis may form causing hypertension and other cardiovascular or circulatory problems.
Your musculoskeletal system changes can markedly affect you ability to get around. Aging process may cause you to lose bone density causing osteoporosis and a susceptibility to fracture. Your muscles will slowly lose strength and flexibility causing coordination and balancing issue.
Constipation frequently emerges with aging because your digestive tract is less efficient as these muscles stiffen and weaken. Also, gastroparesis may cause you to experience upset stomach and other bowel related discomfort more often. And incontinence can be a challenging change associated with the aging process.
As you age your skin becomes drier, thinner, less elastic and wrinkled. Other skin changes may include easy bruising, age spots and skin tags.
With age, your eyes produce fewer tears, your retinas thin and your lenses gradually cloud reducing the visual sharpness when viewing objects close up. Also, your mouth may feel drier because of less saliva. And changes in your ability to hear may occur as well.
Memory decline is a popular complaint with aging. This loss comes about because of a decrease in brain neurons.
