Growing old is a strange experience. The body knows it's old but the mind doesn't.
Isn't this the truth !
A healthy diet & exercise may be the best way to grow old gracefully, but since my mid 40's, I abandoned this thought process and decided to live as I want and do as I please. I live a pretty stress free life, never being a 'suit', pretty much knowing I didn't want children of my own since the Vietnam War era, and never marrying. I don't know if i'll drop dead tomorrow at 65 or live to 93 as my mother did, I really don't care, I feel like i'm ready whatever happens and don't give it much thought. I've lived with several women for many years each time and never felt more stressed or lonely than when involved with the wrong person. Fortunately, I had some early success as an owner of a motion picture catering company and restaurant, this has helped sustain an early retirement. I've always been a young thinker, socially/politically liberal, and marveled at how so many acquaintances from my early years transitioned into the 'machine' we once raged against. Near everyone I knew divorced 2 or 3 times, attempted the traditional lifestyle of 2.3 kids and the white picket fence, became the 'suits' they swore they would never, and changed their political stripes towards something much more self serving. Personally, I'd be happy living in a bamboo hut so long as I had access to fish tacos, carnitas, beer, margaritas & R.O.D. every day, ... I don't need much besides a good conversation, and the less personal belongings I have helps relieve some of the symptoms from stress.
One other thing keeps my thoughts from 'worrying' over the aging process, ... less mirrors. My home was filled with them at one time, but following the Northridge earthquake several years ago, they all broke. I only replaced the bathroom mirrors, so now I don't know i'm any older than a 20 year old unless i'm shaving, ... or trying to get out of bed quickly, or trying to get off the floor, or get up off the couch, or ...