One thing about life is inevitable - the aging process. Called 'growing up' during the younger years, it becomes 'aging' as you reach the stage when the changes are less appealing.

It's true that time takes its toll on the body. Gravity goes to work. Muscles become less flexible. Skin loses elasticity. Bodily functions slow. It's all part of the natural process of aging.

Today some 78 million Americans are "baby boomers" born between 1946 and 1964. It's a fact that age is sneaking toward every woman in that age group.

In order to reduce the devastation of age on your body, it's important to understand the aging process. So what actually happens to a woman's body as age creeps in?

Skin and hair

Probably the first obvious changes occur to the hair and skin. As hair follicles are altered, hair loses its color, turns gray and becomes more porous. This change is unique to each person and depends largely on heredity.

Due to the fact that skin loses its elastic quality and becomes thin, small lines set in and sooner or later, deeper wrinkles appear. The muscles in the face lose flexibility causing cheeks, jowls, upper lip, and eye lids to droop. One day you look in the mirror and wonder whose reflection you see.

Eyes and ears

As you age the eye becomes less able to produce tears, the retina thins, and the iris stiffens causing the eye lens to become cloudy and seeing clearly to become difficult.

At about the same time, the walls of the auditory canal of the ear thin and the eardrum thickens. A gradual hearing loss may occur.

Menopause

Sooner or later every woman will go through menopause. Aside from cessation of menstrual flow, hot flashes, and mood swings, declining estrogen levels affect other bodily functions.

Muscle mass declines at menopause. Metabolism slows causing weight gain. Extra pounds that once surfaced on the hips and thighs begin to stick to the middle instead. Bones begin to thin. Cognitive ability declines.

Loss of estrogen affects vaginal elasticity, urinary continence, flexibility of blood vessels, the tune-up of all female organs, and the protection of the cardiovascular system.

Heart and veins

During the normal process of aging, the heart, which is a muscle, becomes less efficient in pumping blood through the body. At the same time, a build-up of fatty deposits forms in the blood vessels. Like other body parts, the vessels become less elastic with time.

The combination of a less efficient heart muscle and stiffer or even blocked arteries prevents the proper flow of blood throughout the body. This may result in hypertension, heart attack and stroke.

Hardly noticeable on the outside, these changes are often called silent killers as they sneak up on the inside.

Musculoskeletal system

Muscles in the body do much more than make you strong. They actually hold every organ and every bone in place. Over time muscles lose strength and flexibility much like a used piece of elastic.

You see the changes on the outside of the body. But on the inside, much less visible, the inability of muscle to hold bones in the proper position along with actual bone destruction may cause more annoying and painful changes.

At approximately age 35, bones reach their greatest mass. They then begin to dissolve and are absorbed faster than new bone is made. Not reaching desired bone thickness during teenage years, reduced estrogen production with menopause, and general wear and tear cause them to shrink in size and density.

The combination of muscle and bone deterioration results in restricted movement and lack of coordination. Strength diminishes. You simply lose the power and ability to do the things you once did. You have a tendency to sit longer and do less (which is the worst thing you can do). Falls become more likely and more potentially dangerous to other parts of the body.

"The most common problem women face during the loss of muscle and flexibility is loss of independence," says Dr. Michael Adams, family physician at Adams Family Practice in Marion.

"It's both a psychological and physical concern," says Adams who is also certified in age management. "Because not only do you lose the movement you once had, the way you feel about yourself is affected."

Digestive system

The entire process of digestion slows as you age. The intestinal area diminishes and the flow of secretions from the stomach, liver, pancreas, and small intestine decreases causing digestion to slow and bowel function to change.

Muscles around the esophagus weaken. Acid reflux becomes noticeable. Food choices, the way in which food is broken down in the mouth, and stress add to the seriousness of the problems that often occur.

"Many people don't realize that the digestive process begins as soon as food enters the mouth," Adams says. "The shifting of teeth as well as dental health has an impact on digestion. Good dental hygiene is essential to maintaining the successful breakdown of food and alleviating inflammation in all parts of the body."

Pelvic organs/bladder

Nearly one-third of women over age 50 experience problems with bladder control due to the fact that muscles around the bladder lose strength to hold it up and the tube through which urine passes becomes thinner.

"The weakening of the muscles in the pelvic area, caused both by childbirth and declining estrogen levels, allows a shift in the position of the bladder and the female organs," explains Dr. Pamela Hodges, OB-GYN, FACOG, at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah. "Problems caused by this movement include back pain, general discomfort, pressure, and urinary incontinence."

"At times these organs actually protrude to the outside of the body through the vagina and rectum," says Hodges, who offers a new vaginal procedure incorporating mesh fabric to lift and hold the bladder in place at Western Baptist Hospital.

Metabolism

Metabolism decreases as age increases causing weight gain and sluggishness. Basically the entire body slows down. You feel tired more quickly. The body simply is not capable of breaking down calories and using them efficiently as it once did.

"If you continue to eat the same number of calories as you did earlier in life, you will gain weight," says Becky Lewis, registered dietician and licensed dietary nutritionist at Franklin Hospital in Benton.

"Obesity is the most frequent and potentially dangerous problem seen in women as they age because it leads to diabetes, heart problems, high cholesterol, and hypertension all of which can be deadly. Coronary heart disease and stroke are the number one cause of illness and death in North American women."

There is a natural decline in the body's ability to use sugar in the bloodstream as age increases, and the ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) to bad (LDL) shifts in favor of bad. These natural changes that lead to disease are compounded by weight gain.

"Not only do obese patients eat an unhealthy diet, they feel less like exercising. Nothing could be worse for the aging woman," Lewis says. "Women must reduce food intake and increase exercise to retain normal weight. A healthy lifestyle can improve how you age."

A teaspoon of prevention…

The good news is that the mark for being "over the hill" is moving. No longer is 40, 50, or even 60 years of age considered "old". There is still life ahead. And what we do with life today affects life tomorrow.

With new medical technology and easily accessible information, you can take preventative steps starting today to diminish the devastating effects of aging.

* Keep moving - Cardiovascular exercise combined with strength training will increase your metabolic rate and build muscle mass, which in turn, helps you control weight and move more easily. The more muscle you build, the faster your metabolism. The more calories you burn, the less weight you gain.

So what can you do?

Walk. It's cheap and easy and can be done at home or work. Start gradually - maybe ten minutes a day - and work up.

Wear a pedometer to monitor how many steps you take. You can burn 100 calories for each 2000 steps (approximately one mile) you take. Walking the recommended 10,000 steps daily burns 500 calories. Burning 3,500 calories is equal to one pound. Keep in mind that every little bit helps.

Stay active. Bend and stretch at any age. Challenge your body. Calculate what percentage of your day is spent being active and how much you spend sitting, driving, sleeping.

Then compare that to how active you were when you were younger and find a happy medium that works for you. Plan to exercise daily and do weight bearing exercises at least twice a week to stay flexible, increase strength, and manage your weight.

* Make healthy food choices - Be mindful of what you eat. Nourish your body from the inside out. Since calorie needs decline with age, eat less and choose more wisely.

Traditionally most Americans fill the dinner plate with a large portion of meat and too little vegetables and fruits. The American Institute of Cancer Research has developed what they call "The New American Plate" which advocates filling your plate with two-thirds or more of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and beans, and one-third or less with animal protein.

Once you begin to see your proportions differently, reduce the portion sizes. The combination is a major step in managing weight and preventing chronic disease.

American restaurants are notorious for serving extra large portions. Drink a glass of water before your meal to help fill you up without overeating.

Stop eating at the first sign of being full and forget about leaving the rest. Don't be shy about asking for a doggy bag. Remember, if you eat it and don't need it, it's being wasted anyway.

* Get nutrition from the kitchen, not the lab - According to the American Dietetic Association, you need eight to 10 vegetables and fruits a day to provide anti-oxidants necessary to fight disease; fiber for proper digestion; four whole grain servings such as whole grain bread, bran cereal, or brown rice a day; and only four to six ounces of lean meat with fat trimmed.

Eat three to five servings of low fat dairy products daily for calcium and vitamin D. Three small meals a day are recommended. Avoid fast food or commercially prepared meats. Consume no more than 2,400 mg of salt per day. Read labels on processed foods which tend to be high in sodium. Change mindless eating to mindful eating.

* Drink water - Six to eight glasses a day. When you notice thirst outwardly, the cells on the inside are actually crying out for water. Cell reproduction for skin, bone, muscle, kidney function, metabolism, and heart health all are dependent on water. Remember, you may not be sick, you may actually be thirsty.

* Laugh - Laughter releases "feel good" hormones called endorphins that boost immunity and reduce stress hormones. Hearty laughter expands the lining of blood vessels and improves blood flow much like a brief aerobic workout. So, enjoy a funny movie. Reduce stress, be positive, and make each day a masterpiece.

* Get plenty of sleep - Sleep is important for overall well-being. Insufficient sleep increases hunger and stress and impairs metabolism. But before you reach for a sleeping pill, try sprinkling lavender, vanilla or green apple scent on your bed sheets. Or eat a bedtime snack of walnuts, yogurt or milk which are all rich in natural sleep inducers.

* Sharpen the mind - No matter where you live or how old you are, it is important to keep your mind active. Read, do crossword puzzles, diversify your interests, find a hobby. Leave a memoir for your family by writing your life's story.

* Learn to celebrate your body and the aging process - the first and greatest step in aging gracefully is to make up your mind that you are going to work on a healthy lifestyle.

Make gradual changes until they become a natural part of life. Be consistent in adoption of exercise and good health habits.

You have a choice in how your body ages and how you control the aging process. Taking time to focus on yourself helps you as well as your loved ones. It's never too late to begin.