We all accept that getting older is inevitable, and now leading clinicians have revealed the exact age when different body parts start to decline, most alarming being the brain and lungs.
 
French doctors have found that the quality of men's' sperm starts to deteriorate by 35, so that by the time a man is 45, a third of pregnancies end up in miscarriage.
 
Here, with the help of leading clinicians, Angela Epstein tells the Daily Mail the ages when different parts of the body start to lose their battle with time.

 
BRAIN - Starts ageing at 20
 
As we get older, the number of nerve cells or neurons in the brain, decrease. We start with around 100 billion, but in our 20s this number starts to decline. By 40, we could be losing up to 10,000 per day, affecting memory, co-ordination and brain function.
 
FERTILITY - Starts ageing at 35
 
Female fertility begins to decline after 35, as the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries start to fall. The lining of the womb may become thinner, making it less likely for a fertilised egg to take, and also creating an environment hostile to sperm.
 
HAIR - Starts ageing at 30
 
Male hair loss usually begins in the 30s. Hair is made in tiny pouches just under the skin's surface, known as follicles. A hair normally grows from each follicle for about three years, is then shed, and a new hair grows. Most people will have some grey hair by the age of 35. When we are young, our hair is colored by the pigments produced by cells in the hair follicle
known as melanocytes.
 
GUT - Starts ageing at 55.
 
A healthy gut has a good balance between harmful and 'friendly' bacteria. But levels of friendly bacteria in the gut drop significantly after 55, particularly in the large intestine. As a result, we suffer from poor digestion and an increased risk of gut
disease. Constipation is more likely as we age, as the flow of digestive juices from the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine slows down.
 
BREASTS - Start ageing at 35
 
By their mid-30s, women's breasts start losing tissue and fat, reducing size and fullness.
Sagging starts properly at 40 and the areola (the area surrounding the nipple) can shrink considerably.

 
BLADDER - Starts ageing at 65
 
Loss of bladder control is more likely when you hit 65. Women are more vulnerable to bladder problems as, after the menopause, declining estrogen levels make tissues in the urethra -- the tube through which urine passes
-- thinner and weaker, reducing bladder support. Bladder capacity in an older adult is generally half that of a younger
person -- about two cups in a 30-year-old and one cup in a 70-year-old.
 
LUNGS - Start ageing at 20
 
Lung capacity slowly starts to decrease from the age of 20. By the age of 40, some people are already experiencing breathlessness.This is partly because the muscles and the rib cage which control breathing stiffen up.

 
VOICE - Starts ageing at 65
 
Our voices become quieter and hoarser with age. The soft tissues in the voice box (larynx) weaken, affecting the pitch, loudness and quality of the voice. A woman's voice may become huskier and lower in pitch, whereas a man's
might become thinner and higher.

 
EYES - Start ageing at 40
 
Glasses are the norm for many over-40s as failing eyesight kicks in -- usually long-sightedness, affecting our ability to see objects up close.

 
HEART - Starts ageing at 40
 
The heart pumps blood less effectively around the body as we get older. This is because blood vessels become less elastic, while arteries can harden or become blocked because of fatty deposits forming on the coronary arteries -- caused by eating too much saturated fat.The blood supply to the heart is then reduced, resulting in painful angina. Men over 45 and women over 55 are at greater risk of a heart attack.

 
LIVER - Starts ageing at 70
 
This is the only organ in the body which seems to defy the aging process.

 
KIDNEYS - Starts ageing at 50
 
With kidneys, the number of filtering units (nephrons) that remove waste from the bloodstream starts to reduce in middle age.

 
PROSTATE - Starts ageing at 50
 
The prostate often becomes enlarged with age, leading to problems such as increased need to urinate. This is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia and affects half of men over 50, but rarely those under 40. It occurs when the prostate absorbs large amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone, which increases the growth of cells in the prostate. A normal prostate is the size of a walnut, but the condition can increase this to the size of a tangerine.

 
BONES - Start ageing at 35
 
'Throughout our life, old bones are broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone-building cells called osteoblasts -- a process called? one turnover'. Children's bone growth is rapid - the skeleton takes just two years to renew itself completely. In adults, this can take 10 years. Until our mid-20s, bone density is still increasing. But at 35, bone loss
begins as part of the natural ageing process.

 
TEETH - Start ageing at 40
 
As we age, we produce less saliva, which washes away bacteria, so teeth and gums are more vulnerable to decay. Receding gums - when tissue is lost from gums around the teeth - is common in adults over 40.

 
MUSCLES - Start ageing at 30
 
Muscle is constantly being built up and broken down, a process which is well balanced in young adults. However, by the time we're 30, breakdown is greater than buildup, explains Professor Robert Moots. Once adults reach 40, they start to lose between 0.5 and 2 per cent of their muscle each year. Regular exercise can help prevent this.

 
HEARING - Starts ageing mid-50s
 
More than half of people over 60 lose hearing because of their age, according to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

 
SKIN - Starts ageing mid-20s
 
The skin starts to age naturally in your mid-20s.

 
TASTE AND SMELL - Start ageing at 60
 
We start out in life with about 10,000 taste buds scattered on the tongue.
 
This number can halve later in life. After we turn 60, taste and smell gradually decline, partly as a result of the normal ageing process.

Protect your Liver By Dr. Willie T. Ong (Internist and Cardiologist)
 
Most people know how to protect the heart, but do you know how to care for your kidneys? The kidney's job is to help remove various toxins (drugs and food wastes), and expel them through the urine. 

As we grow older, our kidneys will also start to age. A problem with kidney disease is that majority of patients have no warning symptoms.

Some time ago, interviewed Dr. Elizabeth Montemayor, a nephrologist at the Philippine General Hospital.

Here are 10 ways to protect your kidneys:

1. Limit your salt intake  

Too much salt is not only bad for your blood pressure, it's also bad for your kidneys. Many die of kidney disease, which can be partly attributed to a high salt intake and fondness for fish sauce, soy sauce, plain salt and salted fish. Even instant noodles, chips and nuts are teeming with salt. The problem with salt is that it encourages the body to retain water, and can increase your blood pressure (which damages the kidneys).

2. Don't load up on high protein foods such as meat and steaks

A high protein diet makes the kidneys work twice as hard. Pretty soon, your kidneys could get tired and some of the weaker kidney cells can die. A friendly reminder to people on a high-protein Atkin's Diet or South Beach Diet. The time-tested doctor's advice of moderation in everything will serve you well. Eat a balanced diet of rice, vegetables, fish and fruits and you can't go wrong.

3. Keep your blood pressure at 130/80 or lower!  

If your blood pressure is above 140 over 90, this can cause kidney damage within five years. The kidneys are said to be "happiest" with a blood pressure of 130/80 or lower. To help control your blood pressure, you should limit your salt intake, reduce weight and take medicines for high blood pressure, if needed.

4. Keep your blood sugar below 120 mg/dl 

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of kidney failure. A person with uncontrolled diabetes for 5-10 years may develop significant kidney damage. Consult your doctor and keep your blood sugar under control with diet, exercise and maintenance medicines.

5. Drink 8 glasses of water a day 

Doctors usually advise people to take in 8 glasses of water a day, but this really depends on your age and condition. If you're sweating a lot and work outdoors, you may need to drink more than 8 glasses a day. However, if you are above 65 years of age, you may do well with just 6 glasses a day. Drinking enough water also prevents the formation of kidney stones.

6. Watch your intake of pain relievers and other drugs 

Taking pain relievers like mefenamic acid and ibuprofen for a prolonged period of time may cause kidney damage. Because of this, we should limit taking these medicines to only a week, or just take them as needed. For those with chronic arthritis, try to look for other ways to relieve the pain such as using a hot water bag, pain reliever ointments, or the safer paracetamol tablet.

7. Be careful with tests and procedures using contrast 

Some tests, like CT Scans and MRIs, and angiograms, use a contrast dye which helps doctors delineate the organs better. The problem with such dyes is that they can cause kidney damage. To be safe, I would strongly advise you to consult a kidney specialist before undergoing such procedures.

8. Don't drink too much Vitamin C 

Excess vitamin C (ascorbic acid) ! can lead to the formation of kidney stones in predisposed individuals. If you need to take vitamin C, a dose of 500 mg or less is safer.

9. Don't rely on food supplements to protect your kidneys 

The above tips are so far the best tips to care for the kidneys.

10. Get a kidney check-up 

Simple tests, such as a complete blood count, BUN and creatinin, and a urine analysis are the first screening tests for the kidneys. Finding a trace of protein in the urine can alert the doctor of possible kidney disease.

Bottomline is: Kidney diseases are expensive and difficult to treat. Let's take the necessary steps to protect our kidneys today.

"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is like expecting the lion not to attack you because you are a vegetarian. Think about it."

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish. If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh. 

To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats. 
They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish. And they did not like the taste of frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. 

So, fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste. The fishing industry faced an impending crisis! 

But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan . How did they manage? To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark. 

The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move. The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh! 

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull? Basically in our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active. If you are steadily conquering challenges, you are happy. 

Your challenges keep you energized. Don't create success and revel in it in a state of inertia. You have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference. Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go! 

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character!" - Albert Einstein.

கடந்த, 40 ஆண்டுகளாக, ஒரு லட்சத்திற்கும் மேலான மரக் கன்றுகளை நட்டு, பராமரித்து வரும், 65 வயது பெரியவர், கருப்பையா: அரியலுார் மாவட்டம், கல்லுார் தான், என் பூர்வீகம். அப்பா சிதம்பரம், ஒரு காந்தியவாதி. அவர் செய்யும் சேவைகளை, நாங்க சின்ன புள்ளையா இருக்கும் போதே பார்த்திருக்கிறோம். ஆடு, மாடுகளை ஓட்டிக்கிட்டு, நான் மேய்ச்சலுக்கு போவேன். செல்லும் வழியில், கீழே எந்த பேப்பர் கிடந்தாலும், அதை எடுத்து படிப்பதை பழக்கமாக வைத்திருந்தேன்.அதில், பூமி வெப்பமடைவது பற்றியும், அதிக மரக்கன்றுகளை வளர்த்தால், பூமி வெப்பமடைவதை குறைக்கலாம் எனவும், எழுதப்பட்டிருந்தது.அதனால், எங்க ஊரு, கருப்பையா கோவில்ல, முதல் மரத்தை நட ஆரம்பித்தேன். அது வளர வளர, எனக்கு ஆர்வம் அதிகமானதால், மரக் கன்றுகளை, நானே உற்பத்தி செய்ய ஆரம்பித்தேன். அப்ப ஆரம்பித்தது தான், இந்த மரம் நடும் வேலை.தினமும் நான்கு மணி நேரம், ஆடு, மாடு மேய்ச்சிக்கிட்டு, மரக்கன்றுகளை நட கிளம்பி விடுவேன். இப்படி உள்ளூர் மற்றும் வௌியூர்ன்னு, பல பகுதிகளில் மரக்கன்றுகளை வைத்தேன்.பின், இதுவே என் முழுநேர வேலையாக மாறியது. சுடலை கண்ணன் என்பவர், கலெக்டராக இருந்த போது, அவரிடம் மரக்கன்றுகளை நட அனுமதி கேட்டு, அரசு நிலத்தில் நிறைய மரக்கன்றுகளை நட்டேன். அதன் பின், அரசு சிமென்ட் ஆலைக்கு மரம் நட, என்னை அழைத்தனர்.கடந்த, 40 ஆண்டுகளாக, ஒரு லட்சத்திற்கும் அதிகமான மரக்கன்றுகளை நட்டு, அதை பராமரித்தும் வருகிறேன். ஆல், அரசு, அத்தி, வேம்பு, புங்கன், தேக்கு, மகிழம், மா, பலா, எலுமிச்சை, கொய்யா என, பல லட்சம் மரக் கன்றுகளை, நான் சாகும் வரை வளர்த்துக் கொண்டே இருப்பேன்.சுற்றுலா தலங்களான, கலியுக வரதராஜ பெருமாள் கோவிலுக்கும், லெமூரியா கண்டத்தில், கடலாய் இருந்து வெளியே வந்த திட்டையையும், பார்க்க வரும் சுற்றுலா பயணிகளிடம், மரக்கன்றுகளை தருகிறேன். மேலும், அரசு மற்றும் தனியார் நிறுவனங்களுக்கு, இலவசமாக மண் பரிசோதனை செய்வதுடன், அங்கு மரக்கன்றுகளையும் நடுகிறேன்.தற்போது, 65 வயது நிறைந்த நான், அரியலுார் அரசு சிமென்ட் ஆலையில் பணியாற்றி வந்தாலும், மரக்கன்றுகளை நடுவதை நிறுத்தவில்லை. என் சேவைக்கு, பாராட்டு பத்திரம் வழங்கி உள்ளனர்.சுண்ணாம்பு சுரங்கம் உள்ள கந்தக பூமியை, பொதுமக்கள் கடந்து வருகையில், நான் வைத்த மரங்கள், ஈரக்காற்றை அள்ளித் தெளித்து, சிரித்தபடி தலையாட்டி வருவது மகிழ்ச்சியாக உள்ளது.

The Concept Of Letting Go

A  good example of how dependencies trap us, is that of the monkey; you can trap a monkey by giving it a jar with peanuts in it. The monkey puts its hand in the jar to get the peanuts. On having its hand full of peanuts it can't get it out of the jar, so it has got trapped. To free itself the only thing it has to do is let go of the peanuts and that way it will be able to take its hand out. That is how we are at times; we don't let go and we stay trapped in situations, in people, in the past. 

Along the way, we will find a lot of jars with peanuts in and branches to settle down on - many scenes that will attract us and please us. The dependency begins, almost without our realizing, when we begin to feel the desire to be in these situations. The pleasure turns into desire, the desire turns into need and the need turns into habit, then to dependence and finally into an addiction. It is fine to enjoy the branches, but let us keep awake and alert - conscious of our freedom - in order not to fall into dependence; enjoying the branch or jar without it trapping us.

A Little Wisdom goes a long way.When you give you will always get it back.

A father left 17 camels as an asset for his three sons.

When the father passed away, his sons opened up the will. The Will of the father stated that the eldest son should get half of 17 camels while the middle son should be given 1/3rd (one-third).The youngest son should be given 1/9th (one-ninth) of the 17 camels.

As it is not possible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, three sons started to fight with each other.

So, the three sons decided to go to a wise man.
The wise man listened patiently about the Will. The wise man, after giving this thought, brought one camel of his own and added the same to 17. That increased the total to 18 camels.

Now, he started reading the deceased father’s will.
Half of 18 = 9. So he gave the eldest son 9 camels.
1/3rd of 18 = 6. So he gave the middle son 6 camels.
1/9th of 18 = 2. So he gave the youngest son 2 camels.

Now add this up: 9 plus 6 plus 2 is 17 and this leaves one camel, which the wise man took back.

MORAL: The attitude of negotiation and problem solving is to find the 18th camel i.e. the common ground. Once a person is able to find the common ground, the issue is resolved. It is difficult at times. However, to reach a solution, the first step is to believe that there is a solution. If we think that there is no solution, we won’t be able to reach any!