I’m 35 too and, especially now that my child-bearing days are behind me, I’ve also become very interested in my own health. I had my first non-OB/GYN physical in many years this summer and have been slowly trying to exercise more and eat more healthfully. While some of these efforts take more time, I look at it this way: my committing myself to my own health and well-being benefits my family in many ways. Not only am I a better role model for my kids, I’m also doing what I can to ensure that I’ll be able to take care of them and of myself for as long as possible.

Off to learn more about Dr. Furhman. Thanks for the introduction!

I think it was on Dr. Fuhrman’s website that there was mention of the earlier occurance of puberty in today’s kids than in kids 100+ years ago. The key takeaway was that later puberty is an indicator of slower aging. That is, a body that goes through puberty at 11 or 12 years of age (as is common today) is aging more quickly than one that goes through puberty at 16 or 17 (as was common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). The piece I read (this article isn’t it, but alludes to the same ideas) discussed that if our children are aging more quickly as adolescents, then they will age more quickly throughout life.

At any rate, as I think about pee-wee football teams and all the other symptoms of modern American parents’ desire for their children to be bigger, stronger, sooner, paired with your comment about the effects of testosterone, I continue to be amazed at the long-term effects of the Western diet and cultural preferences.

As for me, I think 100 might be a litle too long. Anything past 80 and I’ll be ready to meet my maker.