Longevity with Vitality

Gardenlover

Gardenlover

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Longevity without vitality is useless. (In my opinion)

I don't want to live a long life without vitality. I don't plan on being in a nursing home and I hope that mindset doesn't change. I'd rather take a fast ride down a short road. I don't mean to be an in a Macbeth mood as I love life, I just don't want a slow death when I go.

So what's the cure, how do you live life to the fullest until the end?
 

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The old tried and true gets you to the finish line in good shape: Eat a sensible diet, get an hour a day of some physical activity/activities you like doing, don't sweat the little things, don't be a couch potato, keep your mind active, get enough sleep to keep you from being a slug when you're up and about, enjoy life.
 
treeguy64 said:
The old tried and true gets you to the finish line in good shape: Eat a sensible diet, get an hour a day of some physical activity/activities you like doing, don't sweat the little things, don't be a couch potato, keep your mind active, get enough sleep to keep you from being a slug when you're up and about, enjoy life.
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There is no tried & true. And IMO it is irresponsible to suggest that there is. You either have good genetics, or you do not.

Again I'll refer to the fact that Jack LaLanne [the] health guru of the 50's-60's lived till 96, while George Burns, [who lived the nightclub/casino life style] lived till 100.
 
Gardenlover said:
I don't plan on being in a nursing home and I hope that mindset doesn't change. I'd rather take a fast ride down a short road.
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Yup

Not sure how to be in control of that down the line

I wrote down a synopsis of life as I see it awhile back;

Seems life is divided up into indistinct sections of which we ease in to and out of, like a balloon coaxed thru a small opening, morphing sometimes without notice:


Eating/pooping (part 1, discovering texture)

Preschool (intro to social, sharing)

School (the teacher is God)

Teenage (high school hell, for teen and parent, hormones are an entity requiring exorcism, the teacher is Satan)

College/military (fun, fun, fun; learn, drink, fornicate, kill)

Pre-parental Early adult (more fun, but serious, sipping not chugging, serious pursuits, mating, career)

Parental (joy)

Parental hell (see teenage)

Midlife (see early adult, attempts at hindsight adjustments)

Grandparent (brief joy)

Grandparental hell (hiding, see teenage)

Musing Youngish Geezer (lazy boy-crossword-Jeopardy sessions, looking upon mate with renewed ardour,
reflecting, attempting things you did with ease years ago)

Geezer (whazzat? Whoozzair?)

Eating/pooping (part 2)...Nurse!? I did it again (toothless smile)

Dirt nap
 
rgp said:
There is no tried & true. And IMO it is irresponsible to suggest that there is. You either have good genetics, or you do not.

Again I'll refer to the fact that Jack LaLanne [the] health guru of the 50's-60's lived till 96, while George Burns, [who lived the nightclub/casino life style] lived till 100.
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[CENSORED] Yeah, what the hell, eat like a pig, sit on your ass all day, never get interested in anything other than the latest scandal on Jerry Springer. Sounds like a great plan because no matter what you do, your health is determined only by your genes. What garbage!
 
Gardenlover said:
I don't want to live a long life without vitality. I don't plan on being in a nursing home and I hope that mindset doesn't change. I'd rather take a fast ride down a short road.
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I definitely don't want to end up in a nursing home and will do everything in my power to avoid that if at all possible, rather do a Dr. Kevorkian instead. Don't think that taking a fast ride down a short road is my cup of tea either. :p I just try an appreciate life and make the best of it every day. I agree with others here that we should definitely eat wisely and keep moving and most of all, stay positive. Like they say, 'use it or lose it', and that goes for physical and mental.
 
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I don't want life without being able to take care of myself and most of all I want to die with dignity. That's what I want,what I'll get may be a different story.
I try to stay active, and do things that I enjoy. My to do list is endless. I don't take meds at this point but won't rule out taking any that will make me more comfortable in the future should I need them, but I''ll take nothing just to prolong a miserable life if that should be my fate.
 
Jim Fixx, who started the jogging craze of the 80's was a lean running machine who ate a careful diet, ran every day and still died at 52.

Jerome Rodale who espoused natural foods and vowed to live to 100 died at 73 on the Dick Cavett tv show.

Even if you follow a reasonable fitness regimine, genetics still plays the final hand.
 
Llynn said:
Jim Fixx, who started the jogging craze of the 80's was a lean running machine who ate a careful diet, ran every day and still died at 52.

Jerome Rodale who espoused natural foods and vowed to live to 100 died at 73 on the Dick Cavett tv show.

Even if you follow a reasonable fitness regimine, genetics still plays the final hand.
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Fixx had been in terrible physical shape before he began jogging. He did not have a regular physician. Autopsy revealed heavily clogged arteries hinting at a poor diet. FWIW, I never read that he carefully watched his diet. In fact, most online articles say that he believed his running enabled him to keep eating junk food.

Yeah, he also had bad genes, granted, as his dad had died of a heart attack at a young age. Still, I believe had he kept up on his internal workings with a checkup every now and then, he might still be around.
 
I agree with the OP's opening line: "Longevity without vitality is useless."

I don't want to be warehoused in a SNF waiting to die but I could be content if my mind was still active and my vitality of spirit was still alive.

For me, the internet would be a big part of surviving and thriving as my world continues to get smaller.

When my mind starts to go I won't be far behind!

GentleDependentKilldeer-size_restricted.gif
 
Life is meant to be lived, I have worked on this most of my life. Have seen friends pass on, some in senior centers and some still in their homes. Most of those in their homes still enjoyed their lives doing what they wanted / could do. Those in the senior centers were a mix, almost all missed their homes.
My thoughts.
After living up here and being so lucky to enjoy this life so close to what I love. I could not stand to be put in storage. I agree 100% that living without a life would not be for me.
I have placed do not resuscitate order on my medical records and I won't be hooked to machines.
 
treeguy64 said:
The old tried and true gets you to the finish line in good shape: Eat a sensible diet, get an hour a day of some physical activity/activities you like doing, don't sweat the little things, don't be a couch potato, keep your mind active, get enough sleep to keep you from being a slug when you're up and about, enjoy life.
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I agree with this 100%, and not only agree, I live it, with the caveat that not sweating the small things gives me hard time sometimes because I'm an over-thinker and a perfectionist lol!

That said, living that way is not a guarantee. It most definitely maximizes your chances to "get to the finish line in good shape" as @treeguy64 so eloquently put it! ;) But genetics DOES play a part, and that can't be ignored. Sometimes taking care of our health won't necessarily extend our lives much beyond what our genetics dictate, but the difference is it WILL give us a much better quality of life within that time frame.
 
Llynn said:
Jim Fixx, who started the jogging craze of the 80's was a lean running machine who ate a careful diet, ran every day and still died at 52.

Jerome Rodale who espoused natural foods and vowed to live to 100 died at 73 on the Dick Cavett tv show.

Even if you follow a reasonable fitness regimine, genetics still plays the final hand.
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Exactly !

I lived the healthy life for 50+ adult years. I ate properly, plenty of veggies , fish as a mainstay, followed by chicken, both baked/grilled. Low fat high protein. Light alcohol consumption, and And I did some sort of regimented exercise most days of the week...about an hour. Mixed it up so as not to get stale/bored.

I had a heart attack at 50, [3 stents] I now also have, severe arthritis, spinal stenosis, pre-diabetic .

Everything my parents had, I have........So please do not preach the "clean" life to me. Without good genetics ......... we have a far less chance of good health late in life..
 
treeguy64 said:
[CENSORED] Yeah, what the hell, eat like a pig, sit on your ass all day, never get interested in anything other than the latest scandal on Jerry Springer. Sounds like a great plan because no matter what you do, your health is determined only by your genes. What garbage!
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Your words, not mine.......I never said anyone of those things..........And our health is determined by our genes !
 
Genetics is a big factor but it's merely a good start to longevity. I've lost 6 good, close friends and many more acquaintances due to conditions related to the use of tobacco. Several in their 60s, none older than 72 at death.

I will be 87 this year and I've never smoked. I've done (and continue to do) other things injurious to my health but never smoked. My lungs are good, my heart is good, my brain still functions adequately. I live alone and do what's necessary for day to day life for myself with the exception of driving. I can't prove there is a connection but ................
 
Longevity depends on, in order of importance (IMO):

1. Genetics
2. Diet
3. Lifestyle
4. Environment
5. Luck

Re #4 note = You can have great genetics, eat the right food, and live a healthy lifestyle, but if you live in a house or town with toxicity or have a job handling toxic materials, you'll die from cancer and other illnesses.
 
I've lost several friends who succumbed to breast, pancreatic and other cancers despite lifetimes of healthy habits, but lost many more far too early because they did NOT take proper care of their bodies.
More than a few died early, extremely unpleasant deaths because they didn't take their diabetes nearly as seriously as they should have.
 
StarSong said:
More than a few died early, extremely unpleasant deaths because they didn't take their diabetes nearly as seriously as they should have.
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Would you please tell me a bit more about this? Thinking I could use a big scare.
 

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