Published On: Tue, Apr 5th, 2011

There is much “old age” you can prevent….start now…

By: Oleda Baker 

To live longer with greater Health & Lots of Energy – there is one important word to live by….P-R-E-V-E-N-T-I-O-N…

I’m not sure how it all came about, although, I do remember as a young teenager my father used the word “preventive” a lot.

He made a decision to change his lifestyle in his early 40’s. Until then he had been overweight, tired and a cigarette smoker. When he developed a limp in one leg, he went to see a doctor who told him to “get a cane.” That remark infuriated my father so much that he stomped out of the office, did his own research to find the cause and began to take charge of his own health…and life. He stopped smoking, lost weight and built a home-made gym in the garage. Most evenings he took long walks after dinner. His limp disappeared and he stayed slim the rest of his life. I remember admiring his resourcefulness, and I believe that it marked the beginning of my own efforts to prevent health problems before they acted up …and then carried it further throughout my life.

Today we have so many more ways to gather up health information than my father did….it’s there for the taking. You can google any question, there are books to read. and then there is your own responsibility for health exams and checkups.

As a New York model I also studied other, more experienced models, who had been in the business a long time. What did they know and do – and what did other people in the beauty and health and fashion business know – that kept them looking and feeling younger for their age.

When I was very young I thought models were just born “that way.” But stepping into New York City’s high fashion world, I soon learned differently. Whatever natural beauty they possessed, “the look” came just as much from the inside glow and health. I watched them take care of themselves and found it fascinating that they paid as much attention to the things that affected them inside as what made them look good on the outside. There was no part of their body they were not concerned about. Nutrition, diet, exercise and proper sleeping habits were always on their minds, especially the ones that lasted in the business. I was 38 years old when I stopped modeling with Wilhelmina to start my business. At the time, I was one of the oldest still in the high fashion world while many others had to move on. I went on to model for my own company and still do at age 76….who would ever thought it back then!

I know that taking care of my body from the inside enabled me to celebrate my silver jubilee with great health and flexibility and that it was my father’s stick-to-itiveness that inspired me. I’m hoping that, with I can similarly inspire you!

 

Always remember:  “It’s not the older you get, the sicker you become; rather, the older you get, the healthier you’ve been.”

Until next time,

Love, Oleda

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