The ‘slow’ aging philosophy
‘Slow’ aging is a philosophy and set of guiding principles that allows us to better navigate the aging process.
It aims to help us make better and more informed decisions, and to ask the right questions in a landscape bereft of uncertainty.
How will you know that any one anti-aging intervention is actually going to work for you?
You’ll only know (that it hasn’t worked) when it is too late to change things. Can you afford to wait 30 years?
Generally speaking, the only thing you can know for sure is what is proven, and everything else is conjecture or based on hope.
Slow solutions need support
A central theme to slow aging is that you as an individual must be at the core of the process, controlling key decisions.
But even while you sit in the driver’s seat, it helps to have a navigator.
Many of the best practitioners, from doctors to nutritional experts to exercise physiologists, are willing to act as health coaches, rather than simply demanding allegiance to their therapeutic strategies.
It is valuable to use them to organize your thinking and explore the many options available to achieve your objectives.
Don’t be afraid to seek knowledge from friends and family, too.
Ultimately, the most successful anti-aging program involves a strong relationship between the driver and the navigator, whether they are a doctor, dietician, trainer, motivator, friend or family member.
Slow solutions are all about you
Once upon a time, there was young girl called Goldilocks. When faced with a challenge, she explored the options and ultimately chose the one that best suited her needs.
When considering the many anti-aging options available to you, you should take a leaf out of Goldilocks’ book (no pun intended).
There is no one answer to slow aging.
Some options will work, while others won’t, but one will be right for you. This may, however, take a while to find.
A ‘slow’ solution means choosing the right approach for you, in the right doses, and at the right pace for your life, and then sticking to it. It is about aging at the right speed for you as an individual.
Matching your needs to slow solutions occurs on many levels.
Some of this comes from an awareness and understanding of your needs, skills and capabilities. If you don’t enjoy the solution, or feel it’s too risky, you’ll never keep at it.
Choosing the right approach requires receiving feedback from your navigator to provide some indication that you’re heading in the right direction.
Is the way you’re aging now truly making you happy?
Remember: you can use both success and failure to stay on track and set personal benchmarks. The more you understand yourself, the easier it will be to make the best decisions.
Little bears need little bowls. Big bears need big beds. One size never fits all.
Taking it slow
Many opportunities exist to slow your life down.
We use seven principles to illustrate how to slow aging. These principles can apply to a range of different interventions.
The seven principles of slow aging
- Be aware and engage in the aging process
- Strategically plan and target appropriate goals
- Accent the positive, eliminate the negative
- Make choices that are sustainable long-term
- Don’t be exclusive; complex problems require complex solutions
- Support is available, so get help
- Be selective – like Goldilocks, do what’s right for you
Last Reviewed: 18-Sep-2016Â
