Actually realizing that I could reduce the rate at which I age never crossed my mind. When ever I got a new ache or pain, I examined each one in front of the mirror an tried to decide if it was just passing or if this was one of the ones I was going to have to live with.
One method I used was to keep mental track of it. Is it worse or is it letting up? Should I tell someone? I could tell my wife and we could talk about it.
If I tell the doctor that might cause xrays or a MRI. That could be thousands of dollars, or if not that, pills to take forever. I usually decide to keep it to myself and wait and see. Then something happened to change my outlook forever when a friend of mine became sick and wanted to explore alternative medicine.