Fortunately  most of us get the chance to
grow up and than grow old.  Our minds still think we are young , but our bodies tell us a different  story.  Scientist have proved that old age is a disease and that they are not sure why every person on the planet gets that disease.  Some children are born with it and age prematurely and die looking like an elderly person ,before there 10th birthday, some may live a little longer .  Yet Old age is not something that is necessarily contagious, Most show there age at around 70 years of age however, some earlier depending on their health status.  Some with the modern convenience  of  plastic surgery give a different outward appearance.  Although the body is still growing old, no matter what the shell is saying.

    Those that believe in the scriptures feel that it was a condition that came about because of sin brought on by  Adam and Eve,   Mankind is under the Adamic sin. In Genesis  3:19 it talks about how Adam and Eve were condemned to death  because they ate from the tree that was forbidden by god to touch or eat the fruit that it produced.  The Bible talks about the different ages of named individuals how long  they lived. Methuselah  the oldest living man in history died at the age of 969 years.  Why did they live longer in those days? They did not have the technology we have today?

    Some scientist who don't believe in a creator have no explanation as to why we die earlier than men of old.   We certainly have the modern technology, our medical practitioners have more insight as to medical diagnosis,and cures for several  health conditions,  but yet everything from Famine to rare  diseases seems to be just out of reach of repair.

    What are your thoughts on this subject? please feel free to put a suggestion in the Forum, This has been an ongoing curiosity for hundreds of years, to which there seems to be a big debate .

       Some Problems associated

               Do you have Balance problems?

     There are many conditions that can cause us to loose our  equilibrium. In most cases  activity and exercise and abstaining from certain foods will help lesson the problem for some people, sugar and salt can aid into    contributing to fluid build up in some effecting the inner ear .

   Most people know how to take care of themselves properly but  some  choose to ignore it and want to do what they want to do no matter what  the consequences are.  Some smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco,  even with all of the information available, they feel they can outrun the eventuality. Even if they escape Cancer, tobacco still ages a person and causes other complications. You may be able to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and maybe loose weight . But how about  your balance? Have you had weird sensations of feeling like you are not really there?   Do you loose your balance if you get up to quick or turn to quickly ?

   There are certain exercises that can help those with these problems " The National Institute of Aging"tells of a test you can do to see if you are effected.

    Put on a pair of comfortable shoes. Then stand with your arms relaxed at your sides. Lift one foot about six inches off the floor and hold that pose for 30 seconds.

  Did you feel a little shaky?  Many do it is very common with age.  As one ages  so does our body senses , such as our eyes for sight, our ears for hearing and guess what so does our  nervous system.   These all play apart  in our BALANCE.

   Hip fracture are one of the leading causes  death or  disabilities in the elderly.

 Falls  don't have to be the inevitable consequence of aging.  Be consistent and balanced is the key. ( No punt intended)

Our eyes, ears, and central nervous system are key to maintaining stability.

Vision immediately tells us where we are in relation to the rest of the world. To get an idea of how important it is for balance, try standing on one leg with your eyes closed. And, of course, visual cues allow us to adjust our body’s position so we can steer around obstacles in our path.

Another important source of our sense of balance is the inner ear, with its three fluid-filled semicircular canals and two other chambers, the otolithic organs (the utricle and saccule). Nerve receptors in the semicircular canals are sensitive to rotation and sense when you turn your head to one side or another; those in the otolithic organs register changes in vertical and horizontal position and sense when you tilt your head up and down. Wherever you move your head, the vestibular nerve relays its precise position to the central nervous system.

The central nervous system also gets information from nerve receptors embedded in muscles and tendons. These proprioceptors (pronounced respond to muscle contractions throughout the body, and the brain uses the information they convey to create a constantly changing map of your position. When you lift your right leg, for example, the map is revised, and you maintain your balance by subconsciously shifting your weight to your left leg.

Enemies of equilibrium

Conflicting reports from the three systems can set our heads a swim. In fact, seasickness is a prime example — the eyes say the cabin is steady, but the inner ear says you are rolling back and forth, up and down.

Balance can also suffer from malfunctions of a single system. These may be caused by a number of disorders:

Neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and strokes can affect balance. The reasons vary. Parkinson’s disease, for example, leads to slow, stiff movement, so people lose the ability to make the many small adjustments necessary to stay on their feet. Physical therapy for neurological conditions can help to maximize balance and minimize the risk of falls.

Diabetes causes nerve damage in the feet, making it more difficult not only to walk properly but also to sense the terrain underfoot. Meticulous foot care, including medical pedicures and attention to sores, can help prevent toe amputations that may affect balance.

Vertigo has several causes. Ménière’s (pronounced men-YAIRS) disease is a result of excess fluid in the inner ear that distorts signals from the semicircular canals. Sometimes it can be controlled with dietary changes — such as avoiding salt, caffeine, and alcohol — that reduce how much fluid the body retains. Other cases require medication or even surgery. Benign positional vertigo (BPV) is caused by calcium chloride crystals dislodged from the otolithic organs that are afloat in the semicircular canals. As they are buoyed along, they occasionally brush against nerve endings and transmit the erroneous report that the head is rotating. BPV can be treated by Epley maneuvers, which involve moving the head in a sequence of positions that directs the floating crystals into a part of the inner ear with fewer nerve endings. We’ve posted some additional information about Epley maneuvers on our Web site at www.health.harvard.edu/healthextra.

Finally, perhaps the most common cause of vertigo — and perhaps loss of balance over all — is the aging of the vestibular system. They do their best, but old eyes, ears, hearts, and livers don’t work as well as younger ones, and the same is true for the inner ear’s vestibular apparatus.