With the Baby Boomers reaching above and beyond middle age, amid improving technologies and medical breakthroughs, the American population is becoming a more mature one. In fact, the United States Census reports that 12 percent of our population is 65 or older – that’s 36.3 million people. Astonishingly, the U.S. Census predicts this segment of the population to grow by 147 percent by 2050, where the total population of the U.S. will only have grown by 49 percent. If the predictions are correct, the older American population (age 65 and older) will reach 86.7 million by that year.
The fountain of youth has been flowing a bit more generously as of late. Many doctors have been on Ponce de Leon’s quest, finding the exact combination to extend life, or at least to make living as an older person more pleasant. The ultimate combination, it seems, is practicing both preventive and proactive medicine. Additionally, there are a multitude of aesthetic procedures that help to improve not only appearances, but also confidence.
An apple a day
The concept behind practicing preventive medicine is that there are certain diseases and illnesses looming in the near future – and preventive medicine can help to curtail these illnesses while promoting health. The American College of Preventive Medicine, established in 1954, is the professional medical society committed to changing the course of disease, disability and death. Many ACPM doctors are specialists in both clinical medicine and public health.
Combining vitamins, antioxidants, medicines, nutrition, exercise and general lifestyle changes, preventive medicine hopes to keep patients healthier for longer. Whether genetics play a factor and the patient’s family has a long history of heart disease, or a common illness is a contender and the flu is going around, preventive medicine’s aim is to help patients live longer.
Most preventive medicine treatments start with an overall analysis of a patient’s health. Once the results are complete, doctors are able to prescribe a healthy future. Patients may need to change their exercise or eating habits to lower their weight or cholesterol levels. They may start taking certain vitamins to stop the onset of osteoporosis or start taking specific hormones to help with changes that occur with age. Many times vitamins are prescribed to help build up a healthy immune system. Whatever the case may be, preventive medicine offers hope for a healthy future and a longer life.
Reclaim your youth
Aesthetic procedures abound, unearthing the beauty within and unleashing a newfound confidence. In addition to aesthetic plastic surgery, many professionals offer non-surgical, no-down-time procedures with phenomenal results. From Botox and photo rejuvenation to peels and revolutionary hair removal systems, anti-aging many times means spa-like procedures to enhance appearance.
There is no doubt about it: Improvements and enhancements in a person’s appearance improve his or her confidence, and an increase in confidence level helps everyone feel better overall. Little lines and wrinkles seem to appear overnight, yet they wreck havoc on your attitude toward getting older.
“I feel younger than I am” or “I am younger than I look” are common thoughts for many when they look in the mirror. With such a plethora of aesthetic options, they don’t have to live with wrinkles and sagging and sun spots – visual signs of age – anymore. You can look as young as you feel. H
