They have linked up with wonderful partners in creative ways such as internet dating, working out at the gym, joining volunteer groups, getting out to entirely new environments, or by enlisting the support of friends--to meet wonderful, fit guys who have continued to improve with age.

A fun-filled and inspiring book is Senior Fitness by Ruth Heidrich, PhD (Lantern Books, 2005). This particular Dr. Ruth, who divides her time between British Columbia and Honolulu and jaunts elsewhere to speak, is an inspiration. She has held three world records for her age group at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas and has won eight gold medals in the Senior Olympics.

Ruth had breast cancer at age 47, made some life style changes, and now has been cancer free for over two decades.  Ruth makes the point that the top killers of Canadians are to a great extent preventable by changes in our diet and exercise habits. Even impotence can be diet related, as a reduction in blood flow to the penis, common in men who have hardening of the arteries, poses distinct challenges when it comes to sex. Use of drugs including tobacco and alcohol makes matters worse. Being put on pharmaceutical drugs is the band-aid approach, not a cure for the underlying problems.

Dr. Ruth Heidrich in 2008 on her 73rd birthday (and not finished yet, by a long shot!

Clearing the arteries, which can be done by a clean diet, exercise and smoke-free lifestyle, is a potent solution. Many women sail through menopause, barely noticing the change and then proceed smoothly without a reliance on hormones such as horse estrogen. New research is exploring the gentler effects of similar plant estrogens derived from flax.

In my own experience, making exercise a regular habit has proven benefits. At age 50 I headed off for a 17,000 foot pass in the Himalayas with a few friends. At 60, I began annual participation in triathlons. (I generally come in first in my age group and near-last in the whole race.) Several years ago when my car died, I decided  not to replace it, and to either car share or use a bike.

Vesanto's triathlon at age 61 Harrison Hot Springs, BC

Though vegan, I make sure my calcium and vitamin D intakes meet recommended levels, and my bone density is holding its own. Ruth and I have both shown slightly improved bone density since age 50. She is a master athlete whereas I just potter along happily with an hour a day of vigorous exercise, mainly weight bearing, that includes aerobics and weight classes at the gym, power walks, cycling, and the occasional kayaking, or one or another type of skiing.

Many of us find that as we get older, we get fatter, at the rate of a pound or two a year. How do we keep our weight in check? Plenty of options are advertised, though most are doomed to failure.

Recorded attempts at dieting began a thousand years ago when William the Conqueror found he could no longer ride his horse because he was too fat. He decided to try a fluid diet and stayed in bed drinking alcoholic beverages instead of eating food. His attempts met with some success, as he was eventually able to get back on his horse. However, success was mixed, because within the year, he fell off his horse and died.

A better choice is to center your meals on simple, natural plant foods, plenty of them raw.

Here is Ruth’s recipe for health:

Vesanto Melina is a registered dietitian and co-author of The Raw Food Revolution Diet, The New Becoming Vegetarian (US) and Becoming Vegetarian (same book, in Canada), Becoming Vegan, Raising Vegetarian Children and of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada’s position paper on vegetarian diets.  Consultations: www.nutrispeak.com