The oldest woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal is Lida Peyton Pollock. She earned it as a member of an archery team in 1904, when she was 63 years and 333 days old.
Clearly, she felt much younger than her chronological age.
Since then, more and more evidence of the important difference between chronological age and biological age has emerged.
The latest comes from researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Their study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, shows that a woman's biological age — determined by analyzing the degree of her DNA methylation, a chemical modification to DNA that's part of the normal aging process — can predict her risk for breast cancer.
They found that for every five years a woman's biological age was older than her chronological age, her risk of developing breast cancer went up 15 percent.
The good news is that you can take proactive steps to make you feel 5 to 15 years younger. Start today with these six tips:
1. Enjoy nine servings daily of fruits, veggies, and 100 percent whole grains.
2. Ditch red and processed meats.
3. Get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity five or more days a week.
4. Sleep seven to eight hours nightly.
5. Love your friends and family.
6. Laugh a lot.
And guys: It works for you too.