Breaking the Age Code is a remarkable book that delves into our attitudes about age and ageing and how it affects our lives in later years. Here is a summary of what we learn.
Breaking the Age Code is written by Dr Becca Levy, a professor of Epidemiology and an expert in the field of ageing, who writes in a warm and personable way.
What does Breaking the Age Code Teach Us?
Our Attitude Affects Our Own Health and Ability as we Age
What it comes down to, in a nutshell, is that the more positive our view on ageing, the more fulfilling our experience and the better our overall health and mobility will be. We don’t appear to appreciate the immense power that our own attitude to ageing has over our bodies and minds. The difference between a negative or positive outlook can reflect in an average of 7.5 years added to our lives.
Our Attitude Towards Age is Affected by Society
Attitudes towards age vary hugely between cultures. Mention ‘old age’ in China and the correlation will be wisdom. Mention ‘old age’ in the US and it will be memory loss.
In the Western world, ageing is seen as limiting and there’s often a dismissive attitude to the elderly. Youthfulness is exalted and older people are often dismissed. For example, if an older person is depressed it’s often brushed off as a natural part of ageing and not taken seriously by doctors.
Some Nuggets from Breaking the Age Code
Neuroplasticity continues as we age with the ability to stay flexible and sprout new neural connections. Some memories improve, for example Semantic Memory (recall of general knowledge). Some stay the same, for example Procedural Memory (such as how to ride a bike), and some decline, such as Episodic Memory (recall of a specific experience).
It’s never too late to start exercising. A study carried out at the University of Nottingham, UK found that people who started running in their fifties could be just as fit as those who had been doing it for decades. They had similar finish times, muscle mass and body fat.
People are better at pattern recognition past the age of 60. Younger adults tend to use left frontal cortex whereas older people use this as well as the right frontal cortex which is used for storing and processing special information, such as a map.
Only half the people genetically disposed to Alzheimer’s actually get it. (These are people with the E4 variant A POE gene and only accounts for 15% of the population).
People who had positive beliefs about ageing were 47% less likely to develop dementia than those with negative beliefs.
According to research carried out – The Ohio Longitudinal Study, combined with the NDI (National Death Index) – people with the most positive views on ageing live an average of 7.5 years longer than those with negative views.
Over a span of 100 years the average age of a Nobel Prize winner is 65.
In Japan they have an annual celebration of the aged – Keiro No Hi. The government sends all centenarians and supercentenarians cheques, and each prefecture holds a party for its oldest citizen.
People can be just as creative in older life, with many artists and writers exhibiting more depth and emotional resonance in their later works. For example, Michelangelo’s two Pietas (one done in his twenties, the next in his seventies), Joseph Turner, and George Eliot, to name a few.
Breaking the Age Code tells us about:
Sister Madonna Buder, known as The Iron Nun, who started running at 50 and has completed 350 triathlons. At the time of writing, she was still going at the age of 91
John Basinger who, at the age of 59 set himself the challenge of memorising the entire Paradise Lost by John Milton. This is a 60,000 word poem, equivalent to a full length novel. It took him 8 years, but at 80 he could still remember all of it.
Patrick Hamilton, who at 73 is a leading authority on wild mushrooms. He can identify thousands of mushroom species and still takes groups out into the forest on mushroom foraging tours.
Dr Chibanda in Zimbabwe, who started The Friendship Bench where older ‘grandmothers’ can give comfort and advice to any villagers with problems. Nowadays there are hundreds of grandmothers sitting on park benches offering help to those who need consolation and wisdom. The movement has expanded to such places as Malawi, Botswana and Zanzibar. This would be a wonderful worldwide movement.
Conclusion
It’s heartening to read this book by Dr Levy and it’s a lesson to all of us, of a certain age, to keep active and positive. Don’t look at old age as a negatively descending slope, or our perception will become a reality.
Refuse to be bowed by western society’s attitude to old age. It’s our responsibility to stand firm against ageism and be proud of who we are and what we have become. Stand tall!
Why not read about starting a business in later life and people who were enormously successful.
Breaking the Age Code by Dr Becca Levy can be bought on Amazon and other booksellers.
