aes Learn the Secrets of Staying Young Researchers at Yale University recently announced that a good attitude about aging added nearly eight years to a person’s life. Many people were surprised, but not Barbara Morris. A pharmacist and author of Put Old on Hold, Morris is living proof that getting older can also mean getting better. Although she looks like she is in her 40s, Morris is actually in her late 70s. Not only does she look younger than her age, but she is also free of the diseases that so often spoil the golden years. Morris’s secret? “Take control of your health and your life, starting now.” Here are a few of her suggestions on how to stop, or at least 1 What's the most common mistake that people make when it comes to aging? Barbara Morris: Accepting our culture's ideas about growing older, which are all negative. ‘The truth is, we have an enormous amount of control over how we age. Stop saying, “Oh, I’m getting old,” when you forget something, or “I'm too old to do that.” And don’t listen to your friends when they tell you that, either. § What's the best way for people to start changing their attitudes toward aging? Barbara Morris: First, decide that this is something you really want to do, It’s not vain to want to be healthy in old age. After you make the commitment, start educating yourself and taking charge of your health. You're going to have to change the way you eat, the way you think about food, and learn what anti-aging nutrition is all about. Get on the Internet, look at the excellent publications in health food stores, go to the library, and educate yourself. | What role do doctors play in slowing the aging process? Barbara Morris: It’s very important to find a traditionally trained doctor who specializes in anti-aging. You need to check your health on a regular basis. | What about work? Many people can’t wait to retire, but you don’t think it’s such a great id Barbara Morris: Retirement is a disease. After about six months of retirement, so many people are bored. And they may have financial problems, too. So I encourage people to stay at work as long as possible. = You're still working in a pharmacy, writing, and staying fit. What's a typical day like for you? spoil verb ex Barbara Morris: I work six, eight, sometimes ten hours @ day. When | £0 affect something in a way. Tcome home at nine o'clock at night, immediately do some exercise, | that makes it worse Its absolutely essential vain noun someone who is vain is very proud and thinks they are very attractive or special nutrition noun * | What do you tell people who think supplements are too the seeree ct eed ai expensive? effect on health and growth Barbara Morris: | tell them staying healthy costs a lot less than being sick. supplement noun se a pill or special food that — aaa you take or eat when your food does not contain everything that you need What sort of supplements do you recommend? Barbara Morris: If people take nothing else, they should at least take a multivitamin every day.