George Bernard Shaw said that “youth is wasted on the young”. Mr. Spock [Science Officer on the Starship Enterprise], said “live long and prosper”. Dr. Laurel B. Yates reports that the first may no longer be true and the second is now a reality. That’s really good news for our generation! With a healthy foundation we can plan to go boldly into the future with good health and happiness.
Dr. Yates identifies 5 behaviors that have the potential to exceed “good genes and good luck”. They may hold the key to a future which allows you to live well, live long, and enjoy it. You may not agree that these 5 steps are 'easy', but you’ll appreciate the “significance that these behaviors in the early elderly years (all of them modifiable) so strongly predict survival into extreme old age.”
“More than 2,300 healthy men” were followed for 25 years. The men responded to yearly questionnaires about changes in health and lifestyle. Researchers also tested their mental and physical functioning. At the end of the study, "970 men had survived into their 90’s”.
Abstain from smoking - smokers doubled their risk of death before 90 yrs. compared with non-smokers. Weight management - obese men raised their risk of death before 90 yrs. by 44%. Blood pressure control - high blood pressure raised their risk of death before 90 yrs. by 28%. Regular exercise - reduced the risk of death before 90 yrs. 20-30% based on exercise protocol. Avoiding diabetes - diabetes raised the risk of death before 90 yrs. by 86%.
DON’T WASTE YOUR YOUTH! “An individual does have some control over his destiny in terms of what he can do to improve the probability that not only might he live a long time, but also have good health, and good function in those older years.” Adopt these 5 steps now and thumb your nose at George Bernard Shaw later!
See you at the next Star Trek Convention? Live Long and Prosper!
- Nancy Labels: Health, Nancy
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