4 widely believed aging myths that aren't true

Aging myths are sometimes wrongly presented as facts. Here are four big myths about aging that you should know.

Hardly. A more accurate statement would be that creaky, achy joints are an inevitable part of not exercising.

• Just ask researchers from Monash University Medical School in Australia. When they assessed 146 women ages 40 to 67 with no history of knee osteoarthritis or significant knee injury, and then compared their findings with the women's physical activity history, they found that women who exercised at least once every two weeks for at least 20 minutes had more cartilage in their knees, suggesting that they were less likely to develop arthritis.

While osteoporosis is definitely a condition that's more prevalent in older people, it's also one that's very preventable.

• For instance, a study of 424 female centenarians found that only 56 percent had osteoporosis, and their average age at diagnosis was 87. That's not bad, particularly considering that these women grew up in a time long before we understood the benefits of diet and exercise on bone.

Ha! If that were the case, then identical twins would age identically. But they don't.

• A major study from European and American researchers evaluated the lifestyle habits and medical history of 40 pairs of identical twins ages three to 74. As the twins aged, the researchers found, not only had their health taken different paths, but their genome changed from identical to one that showed several differences. Genetically speaking, the oldest pair of twins was the least alike.
• How so? It all gets back to the "nature vs. nurture" argument. You might be born with the healthiest set of genes nature can provide; but how you live your life (the nurture part) determines how those genes behave over the next 90 years.
• It turns out that what you eat, how much physical activity you get, even your exposure to chemicals can change your genes through methylation — a process that plays an essential role in maintaining cellular function (changes in methylation patterns may contribute to the development of cancer).

Creativity does not suddenly end once you reach a certain age, in fact, creativity offers tremendous benefits for older people.

• For the past decade multiple institutions have been studying the impact of art and music participation on older adults.
• In one study of 168 healthy older adults, those who joined a choral group were in better health, used less medication, and had fewer falls after a year than a similar group of older adults that didn't join the chorale.
• The singing group also said they were less lonely, had a better outlook on life, and participated in more activities overall than the nonsinging group, which actually reduced the number of activities they participated in during the year.

Some of what you hear about aging is simply not true. Keep this guide in mind and remember the truth about aging.