Just a few days after returning home from three full weeks exploring Cambodia, I found myself in tears on a not-so-comfortable plastic exam table in my chiropractor’s office.
Three weeks of hiking, biking, and wandering through temples in 100+ degree tropical heat – and I had felt fantastic. But suddenly, back in New York’s deep winter freeze, I could barely walk.
The pain was excruciating. What in the world had happened? Was it the shock of returning to sub-zero temperatures? Was my hip out of alignment after 30 hours of flying coach?
I honestly had no idea. Unfortunately, the professionals I relied on didn’t seem to know either.
I’ve always been someone who takes responsibility for my health – and does so naturally. As a naturopathic doctor, I’ve spent decades helping people restore balance in their bodies.
But this pain?
This was a new level of “Dear God, please help me.”
So, I went to see a chiropractor I had known for years – someone I respected, someone I had even rented office space from in the past.
He examined me briefly. Then he looked up and said:
“Well, Shirley… after all… you ARE 64. What do you expect?”
I’ll tell you what I expect. And it certainly isn’t that.
What I thought – but managed not to say out loud – was simple:
What in the world does my age have to do with finding out what’s wrong?
As someone who helps women over 50 reclaim their vitality every day, I know firsthand that age is not a limitation.
The Quiet Dismissal of Age
This story isn’t really about my injury.
(For the record, I did heal completely over the following year. It was one of those humbling life events that knocks you down – and makes the recovery even sweeter.)
What this story is really about is something millions of people experience: The subtle dismissal that comes with age. That moment when a professional waves away a legitimate concern with a single phrase: “Well… you’re older now.”
Suddenly your symptoms feel smaller. Your concern feels inconvenient. Your expectations feel unrealistic.
If your practitioner is using age as an explanation instead of investigating your symptoms, it may be time to find a new one.
And quickly.
I Hear This Every Week
Many of my clients arrive already carrying this belief. They say things like:
- “Well, I’m 55 now.”
- “I just turned 60, so I guess things are going downhill.”
- “I suppose this is just what happens.”
Years ago, a young woman sat across from me in my office. Chin resting in her hands. Elbows on my desk. She was exhausted, sleeping poorly, and struggling with low mood. Then she sighed and said, “Well… I AM 32, you know.”
Thirty-two.
My response was gentle but clear.
“Time to buckle up, honey. You’ve got a long way to go. Let’s get you up and feeling great again – and soon.”
The Language of Dismissal
Many people have heard some version of these phrases from healthcare professionals:
- “Well, that’s normal for your age.”
- “After 60 the body just slows down.”
- “That’s part of getting older.”
- “Your labs look normal.”
- “You’re in the right range.”
- “It’s probably just menopause.”
- “Let’s keep an eye on it.”
- “Try managing your stress.”
Often these comments aren’t intended to be dismissive. But what patients frequently hear is this: “Nothing can really be done.”
What’s Happening Under the Hood
Most physicians are not dismissive because they don’t care. They’re working inside a system designed primarily to diagnose disease, not always to optimize vitality.
Typical appointments last 10–15 minutes. Symptoms like fatigue, hormonal shifts, inflammation, brain fog, or stubborn weight gain often require deeper investigation. If lab results fall within statistical ranges, doctors may genuinely believe everything is fine.
But here’s the reality: “Normal” is not the same as optimal. And the absence of disease is not health. A person can be technically normal – and still feel far from vibrant. When symptoms don’t fit neatly into a disease category, the easiest explanation often becomes aging.
It Happens Outside Medicine Too
The medical world isn’t the only place age bias appears. Recently, my partner and I went out for dinner at a casual Mexican restaurant. Our young server approached the table, pointed to the QR code menu, and asked with a slightly patronizing smile:
“Do you know how to use a QR code?”
I smiled politely. But inside I was thinking: Actually, honey, we build QR codes.
Enough already with the quiet senior shaming.
Many people over 50 are running businesses, traveling the world, mentoring younger generations, writing books and learning new technologies every day.
Age does not equal incompetence. And it certainly does not equal irrelevance.
The Truth About Aging
Aging is real. But decline is not automatic. The human body is remarkably adaptive.
When supported properly through nutrition, detoxification, hormone balance, movement, and mindset, it can repair, rebalance, adapt and restore itself.
This is the work I love most. Helping people over 50 reclaim their:
- energy
- clarity
- strength
- confidence
- and joy for living.
Because the truth is this: Your age is not your limitation. It’s simply your starting point.
Ready to stop accepting ‘normal for your age’ as an answer? Download my free guide: 15 Signs Your Body is Out of Balance- That Most People Ignore.
Also, “Becoming Her: The 6-week Total Transformation for Inspired Women 50+ who are ready to become their most vibrant selves” starts April 8th. Learn more HERE.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you think “That’s normal for your age” may be the most discouraging phrase in modern healthcare? How many times have you heard it since blowing your 50 candles? Have you heard it at an earlier age? How has it affected your mindset?
