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The Normal Aging Processes You Can Expect

Getting old is a gradual process. Each person is different and will show their age in various ways. A large part of how you age depends on your genetic history. However, in this day and age of technology, you can make some important lifestyle decisions which can control some of the aging process to a certain extent.

Below are some of the most common signs of aging that are normal. Keep in mind that due to lifestyle choices and genetics, some of these signs may or may not apply to your. And always remember, regardless of your DNA, healthy lifestyle choices can make a difference in how you age.

1. Hair - Is there any wonder why older adults typically turn gray-headed? As you age, your hair loses its pigmentation and it can also change in texture too. Also, with age comes thinning hair all over your body. Your pubic area, arm pits, head and even arms and legs will have less hair growth.

2. Hearing - With age, you lose the ability to recognize high frequency sound changes. Inflections of tone and speech are also harder to detect.

3. Skin - Your largest body organ, the skin, shows the most signs of aging. As you age, your skin loses elasticity which creates wrinkles and lines. You will notice that your fingernails take longer to grow too. Those oil glands that created quite a ruckus in the teen years slow down production and as a result, you may experience dry skin. By always applying sunscreen as well as moisturizer, you can slow down the signs of aging. Be sure to keep hydrated too as your fluid intake also affects the skin.

4. Height - Compression of discs in the spine as well as compression of joints and even bone loss and density can all play a part in losing as much as two inches in height by the time you are in your 80's. By taking care to get plenty of calcium and vitamin D for strong bones, you can retard the process.

5. Bones - As mentioned above about height, vitamin D and calcium play a big role in bone density and health. In menopause, women can experience bone loss so a diet rich in the essential vitamins as well as weight training exercises can help can bone density at normal levels. Medications and avoiding caffeinated beverages can also help with bone health.

6. Vision - It is part of the natural aging process to have some trouble with seeing at night or to have a sharp focus. Therefore, glasses are needed to make those necessary vision adjustments. Glare is also a problem.

7. Metabolism - Your metabolism slows down in age as well. Therefore, you should adjust your diet to fewer calories while boosting your physical activity. As your body does not burn the calories as efficiently, these two approaches are best for metabolism problems.

There are a whole host of aging issues you can expect such as slower brain and reflex processes. These changes can be greatly enhanced by keeping your brain engaged with mental exercises such as crosswords and puzzles. Heart, kidneys and lungs start to slow down too, so you have to make appropriate lifestyle choices such as no smoking or alcohol to keep them as healthy as possible.

That old saying, "the day you are born is the day you start to die" is rather apt. The best defense against the aging process is clean living, avoid bad habits and get plenty of exercise. The rest is up to your DNA.