Scientists: you really are only as old as you feel
[29 January 2003 - Reuters Health] Expressions like "You're only as old as you feel" may be cliches, but according to a new study they can have a positive effect on a person's mental and physical wellbeing. Researchers from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston found that so-called "memorable messages" about aging can persuade people to change their lifestyle as they grow older. Dr. Sherry J. Holladay and colleagues wanted to test if pearls of wisdom about the benefits and drawbacks of growing old actually have any impact on the way younger people live their lives as they get older. To find out, they asked 104 people ages 18 to 77 to fill out a questionnaire detailing one specific memorable message they recalled and how it had influenced them. The results were published recently in the Journal of Communication.