While it is undeniable that aging process cannot be stopped, “getting old” – which means exhibiting traditional signs, symptoms and behaviors usually associated with advancing years is definitely controllable.

Most anyone able to envision benefits of a youthful healthy old age and have will to make a commitment can do it. It takes having an understanding that old age is not a TV mini-series over in 5 nights, but a long running show that may last longer than expected.

Not only is “old age” a long running show, it’s not prime time if there are daily re-runs of pain, depression and debilitation.

Consider my family….

Paternal Grandfather – first heart attack in his fifties, eventually died of a stroke at unripe age of 67.

Maternal Grandfather – first heart attack in his forties and died of a heart attack again aged 67.

Father – died very suddenly at tender age of 65 – you guessed it - from a massive heart attack having never shown any sign of heart trouble until that point.

Mother – suffered from acute angina since her late forties. She is now 60 and takes a cocktail of drugs daily to control symptoms

Maternal Uncle – suffered a heart attack at age of forty and has been effectively disabled ever since.

Nothing I can do about any of these factors and yet hereditary factors are thought to play a significant part in development of disease. After death of my father in 2002, I really began to question my lifestyle and turned into a health obsessed freak. The stress of this took my blood pressure to 140 over 90 and I was doing more harm to my body than good. I had to re-examine whole situation.