For this to happen, to be 'rejuvenated' and knock off 20 years ? 'better than good' health and a high level of overall body strength and fitness are important assets. Wellness is not a new idea as we get older. There is a new aspect though ....the need to take personal responsibility for your own 'health and wellness', a fact that is of increasing importance in today's world.

We used to believe that there was nothing we could do to help ourselves as we accumulated candles on our birthday cakes. Whatever happened to us was a matter of fate and we should accept it without compliant. Well not any more, research has shown over and over again there is a lot we can do to help ourselves stay youthful, strong and fit regardless of what our actual age is.

The only thing standing in the way of feeling better than you have in years is a little bit of information.... easy to implement information that can take you from "oh well, I'm just getting older" to "what's next!" This information is in relation to the most important factor in the aging process - your muscle tissue.

Although this is something that you cannot see it is responsible for determining the speed at which you age and your degree of risk for disease especially the 'big three' heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Muscle tissue is the mechanism that drives your metabolism (your body's engine). We all lose around half a pound a year after age 25 unless you continue to keep your muscles strong with proper strength maintaining exercise.

With a no exercise lifestyle that many people choose to live these days this loss of muscle quickly siphons the life force out of a person sending them down a spiral of accelerated and premature aging. But the worst part is people just don't seem to be aware of this or if they are they don't place any importance on it.

Surely anyone getting older would want to stay as young as possible and if they knew they could fend off much of the risk of being taken out with a chronic disease wouldn't they do what is necessary to avoid it?

You would have to have been living under a rock for the past ten years not to know that proper exercise isn't an option in staying healthy. It is essential ? do it or die. But somehow people have been misled into thinking that all they need to do is go for a walk or do a bit of gardening and that is enough to stay healthy. Well listen up ? it isn't.

The only thing that can hold off the aging process is by replacing the vigorous physical movement that we have removed from our modern day lives. Our body needs this movement to stimulate the hormones (the chemical messengers) that instruct every cell, organ, system and body part to stay strong.

Once you start slowing down and moving less you are effectively telling your body that you have no further use for its strength, endurance, energy, vitality, health and wellness. You yourself have started the 'shutdown mode' that is hardwired into our genes so that when we are no longer able to contribute we get replaced by younger, stronger and more capable humans.

All you need to do to delay this for years (even decades) is to stay strong with proper exercise like strength training. If you are new to exercise seek the help of a fitness professional to set up your program and teach you proper exercise technique.

Whether you are climbing mountains at age 70 or having to plan your calendar around doctor's appointments in between being planted in front of the TV and running to the drug store is up to you entirely. The preparation that you do now will determine what happens to you and it is never too late to start.