Question: So far what have you found out about ageing?

Norman Lazarus answered on 11 Mar 2013:

As you know nearly everything in the world ages. Trees, plants, animals and humans. This is probably a good thing because if nothing aged the world would quickly fill up and would be filled up by those things which grew the fastest. Lets look at humans. From your own experience you have met people of many different ages. What is interesting is that, when you look at old people, people of the same age appear to age differently. Some may still be able to run, sail round the world,etc whereas others seem to just potter around and do not very much.So, one question is how can we get older people do be more active. It turns out that exercising regularly is the best way there is to slow down the effects of ageing. This means that say a 60 year old exerciser will be in much better physical shape that a non-exercising 60 year old. The clear message is this: if you want to have an active life with a high quality then go out and exercise. The more you do the better. Alas! not many people like to exercise which is one of the tragedies of our present way of life.