I’ve heard my beautiful, feisty, almost-90-year-old grandmother say, many times, “Getting old is better than the alternative.” Have you heard that one? Sure, maturity has its benefits, but it absolutely requires more maintenance. Staying healthy and vibrant through the years necessitates intention and time. With intention and time, you will get older, yes, but you don’t have to *look* or *feel* older. You’ll look and feel your best!

To me, that is anti-aging: to look and feel your best at any age. To understand anti-aging, first consider a few notes on the biology of aging. In general, as you age, your physical body trades in desirable traits for less desirable ones. I’m sorry - it’s true! Your skin shrinks and develops wrinkles. You lose muscle and gain body fat. Bone weakens and hair thins.

To be sure, aging is beautiful. I agree with my grandma; it beats the alternative! I am PRO-aging even though I’m going to offer you some anti-aging tips. Age away! But age gracefully. Here are ...

From 2007 to 2012, I was a resident in general surgery at NYU, and I worked a lot. Like, on the order of 80 hours per week. And I was proud of it! I was proud of my work but I was also proud of just the sheer quantity of work I did. My coworkers felt the same! In fact, physicians-in-training were named “residents” in honor of extreme work schedules. We virtually lived in the hospital, working busily from long before sunrise until after sunset.

walking uphill to work … both ways … in the snow … after working 36 hours straight

Such long work hours are ingrained in our culture. And it’s tradition for physicians from older generations to assert that the doctors of newer generations “have it easy.” Residents from every era of medicine have heard, “when I was in training” stories from more senior staff members. These stories often include some snarky comment about walking uphill to work … both ways … in the snow … after working 36 hours straight. This intergenerational jeering can also be...