Author Topic: How to remain healthy long into old age  (Read 23191 times)

Zooport

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How to remain healthy long into old age
« on: October 21, 2014, 11:44:45 AM »
According to Dr. Furhman, you can live well into old age without many of the diseases that most face.  You can keep active and enjoy life without spending so much time being ill.  Alztimers (spelling?) diabetes, heart disease and many other ailments are a result of our eating habits. 

I was skeptical of this claim until I read his book.  http://www.amazon.com/dp/097996671X/?tag=mh0b-20&hvadid=3524278029&ref=pd_sl_5exe1qwkb9_e#   There are certain "phytonutrients" in certain leafy green vegetables that apparently do wonders for your body.  I have been following his advice for about 6 months now and the results are amazing.  I have energy, I can think clearly, and my bloodwork shows that I am healthier than I have been in years.  Just wanted to share.  It's a tough program to follow, but it works.  You have to give up some foods you love.
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Old School 213

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2014, 12:18:05 PM »
Zoo,

Have you ever listened to Mike Dolce or read his books? I learned of him while listening to a Joe Rogan podcast. He's got an interesting direction on nutrition and longevity while working with athletes. The testimonials are very similar to yours.

If I can get a few other books off my reading list I may pick his up or just go straight to his cook book.

Zooport

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2014, 02:32:54 PM »
No, never read him, but I'm sure Furhman does not have a corner on the principles.  They are probably quite similar.  I'm 57, so I'll let you know if he's right in 20 years.  :)
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PonoBill

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2014, 07:17:33 AM »
Judging by the friends I had when I was in my 30's, the most important thing is, don't die. My wife frequently mentions that she's surprised that I'm so willing to go see a doctor when I have some kind of symptom. I have too many late, lamented friends to do otherwise. I'm certainly no hypochondriac, but when I'm concerned about something, I see a doctor. And then I do what they say--more or less.

I'm going to get that book though. I eat relatively healthy--relative that is to most Americans. I stay out of fast food places, shop the outer edges of supermarkets (no processed foods) but until recently I ate out too often and drank too much wine and beer. So now I'm on the wagon, and I'm tired of restaurants anyway. Takes too much time, and the food makes me feel bad afterwards.

I'll let you know how that works when I'm 87.

Update: There's a new edition and a kindle version--just bought it, though of course it's not available with Kindle Unlimited: http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Health-Joel-Fuhrman-M-D-ebook/dp/B00CQOP44K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
« Last Edit: November 02, 2014, 07:25:57 AM by PonoBill »
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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2014, 08:04:49 AM »
There was one study of a lot of very old people who survived to be 100. It  found several who never took care of their health at all.  The researcher said that a lot of them did everything to their bodies short of throwing an atom bomb at it, smoked, drank, ate poorly etc. The only real correlation seemed to be people who continued to work at things they loved and several who continued to do physical labor of some kind i.e. they kept moving.

One male ate sausage and pancakes every morning, red meat, junk. When he did die and was autopsied, they said he had the arteries of a 50 year old.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your set), it seems that most of longevity is genes, and what you do and eat may help, but are no guarantee.

I think part of being psychologically healthy is prudence, which would include sensible diet and exercise, but keeping in motion seems to have a lot to do with maximizing your genetics.
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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2014, 09:38:39 AM »
Our genetics are the basis for our longevity. You get what you get then the art is to maximize the good stuff and minimize the bad stuff.
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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2014, 10:10:33 AM »
 How to remain healthy long into old age
Laugh, love, laugh some more... easier for some than others

My wife's grandmother lived to 96, was a smoker drinker. Most of the time I spent with her she was happy and had the loudest laugh.  Never worried that I knew of and was content.
Our thoughts have much to do with our health.
I have a healthy lifestyle. My genetics not so good.
Don't worry be happy!

pdxmike

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2014, 10:42:28 AM »
Based on my family history, the idea that genetics is key sure makes sense.  My dad's side seemed to be almost unaffected by horrible health habits.

One wrinkle though--the idea that some people live a long time despite horrible diets is only true to the extent we understand diet.  Some of the common dietary habits of people who are a generation or two older than us have been labeled horrible, but may not be at all.  The grandpa who eats bacon, eggs, butter and coffee every morning, and red meat regularly for dinner, may have a much healthier diet than his children who avoid eggs, fat and meat. 

So in a way, genetics is a mask.  If genetics weren't there as a factor, we'd be forced to re-examine current assumptions about diet, because we couldn't immediately assume anyone who's old but not eating based on the current standard assumptions about diet must be alive due to genetics. 
« Last Edit: November 02, 2014, 10:44:09 AM by pdxmike »

Subber

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2014, 11:26:13 AM »
Based on my family history, the idea that genetics is key sure makes sense.  My dad's side seemed to be almost unaffected by horrible health habits.

One wrinkle though--the idea that some people live a long time despite horrible diets is only true to the extent we understand diet.  Some of the common dietary habits of people who are a generation or two older than us have been labeled horrible, but may not be at all.  The grandpa who eats bacon, eggs, butter and coffee every morning, and red meat regularly for dinner, may have a much healthier diet than his children who avoid eggs, fat and meat. 

So in a way, genetics is a mask.  If genetics weren't there as a factor, we'd be forced to re-examine current assumptions about diet, because we couldn't immediately assume anyone who's old but not eating based on the current standard assumptions about diet must be alive due to genetics.

Yup.  The common thread of those who live so long may turn out to be avoiding sugar, cheap carbs, and certain fats and oils that were promoted as the best for you (corn oil, margarine, soy, cereals, sugar, "food pyramid, etc.)  It may just be...."follow the money" and avoid their products, and eat nature's (non-processed) products.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2014, 11:27:57 AM by Subber »
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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2014, 11:45:32 AM »
Each stroke is a youth injection.

Went to MDs about the ringing in my ears and they told me I had this condition called tinnitus.  Their only advice to alleviate symptoms were; no coffee or alcohol and exercise. 

Gee Doc i can see why they pay you the big bucks.

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2014, 12:38:04 PM »
Faddish diets such as these are really useful to the extent that they make people feel better on a day to day basis.  For this, I applaud Dr. Fuhrmann and his like.  However, the notion that a specific variation of a generally healthy diet will predictably add years of life is pseudoscience, given the enormous web of complexity that determines human lifespan.  There is certainly a mortality benefit from avoiding the high-calorie, high-fat, diabetes inducing western diet.  However, there are dozens of avenues of moderation to make this happen.  Titles such as "Dr. Fuhrman's Immunity Solution" imply a pretty misleading profit motive, given that most people in the developed world already have reasonably healthy immune systems. Same story with the vitamin industry.

The human micro biome is a fascinating topic but is predictably the latest target for dietary fads (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/opinion/sunday/there-is-no-healthy-microbiome.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region&_r=0).  However, as the NY times article describes, designing a study that shows that micro biome composition has a causative effect on long term health outcomes is extremely difficult.

Not eating crappy high calorie food, exercise, not smoking etc... all put the odds in one's favor.  However, I have seen hundreds of patients over the years who did all of these things the right way and developed cancer, or nasty autoimmune disease at an unfairly young age.   For this reason, I try with varying degrees of success to fill my life with laughter, fun forms of exercise, meaningful activities, etc.... with the goal of living longer, but more so to avoid having any major regrets if things were to change for the worse tomorrow. 

PonoBill

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2014, 01:45:05 PM »
Lots of pseudoscience out there. A lot more than real. As I said, I think the best approach is to not die. Live every day. Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Keep thinking, keep trying.

I don't know if it's cause or effect, but generally the saddest looking critters I see are the folks shopping in health food stores. I started reading the book--slow going because my bullshit detector keeps buzzing.
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Zooport

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #12 on: November 02, 2014, 03:30:11 PM »
Lots of pseudoscience out there. A lot more than real. As I said, I think the best approach is to not die. Live every day. Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Keep thinking, keep trying.

I don't know if it's cause or effect, but generally the saddest looking critters I see are the folks shopping in health food stores. I started reading the book--slow going because my bullshit detector keeps buzzing.

Yeah, I was thinking BS as I read the book, too.  But my health has improved tremendously since I have loosely followed his guidelines.  My cholesterol is back to healthy, my blood pressure is back to healthy, my energy is up, and I just feel better than I have in years.  (I sound like a shill, don't I?  I promise I'm not)  I'm not even doing everything specifically as the book suggests.  The main things I'm doing is staying away from processed foods, eating elemental, simple meats and veggies, and, most importantly, eating a lot of the green, leafy veggies he suggests.  Apparently, the phyto-nutrients in these are the key.  He states that medical science is just now beginning to realize the importance of phyto-nutrients, and traditional doctors may poo-poo the idea. 

Also, let's not confuse staying healthy into old age with longevity.  He does not say specifically that you will live longer, though you may; what he says is that you will avoid many of the diseases that are commonly associated with old age.  I would love to be relatively healthy and active in my old age until I drop dead doing something I love. 
« Last Edit: November 02, 2014, 03:37:18 PM by Zooport »
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PonoBill

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #13 on: November 02, 2014, 03:40:28 PM »
Me too, I'm still reading it. I'll give it a go. I already eat pretty well--my wife is a diabetic, so I get to be too. I'm more or less on the wagon, drinking a lot of water. Peeing like that fountain in Denmark. I'm also pseudo-paleo, I might as well be pseudo whatever this is.
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Zooport

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Re: How to remain healthy long into old age
« Reply #14 on: November 02, 2014, 03:48:49 PM »
Sounds like you are pretty much there already. 
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