My Philosophy on Aging
Limping a step in the march of time
but all my strokes are with a paddle.
My heart and mind so often agree
but my body just wants to dawdle.
Don't unless it really must do
but afterwards step on the throttle.
These days I try to find a good wind
to sail me away from pill bottles.
Nice poem! I'm reminded of the most terror inducing story that Stephen King, I think it was, wrote. About a walk that ended in death except for that one winner. You HAD to keep moving. I'm not a great fan of those exercises but that one was notable.
These days the floor is much farther away than it used to be. There is a persistent kink in the back and I wish I had new feet. But I'm still moving!!! I can still sail and swim and do plenty. And I intend to keep doing it as long as possible.
Amen!
I'm having some construction done at my place, doing some of it myself. The Contractor/Carpenter is 61 and only does small jobs where he gets to work with is hands mostly rather then doing paper work or handling subs. Yesterday I installed a half dozen corner floods on the house constantly up and down a ladder wiring in and mounting those fixtures. The carpenter asked my age and when I said 78 he asked why I was doing that. I answered "because if I didn't do it then I couldn't do it". That should make sense to anyone my age.
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Getting old sucks.
But, it's what we got.
I'm not much of a poet. My head says, "Yeah, you can still do that." My body says, "You're gonna be hurting."
It's a proven fact that birthdays are good for you. The more you have the longer you live!
Yeah, my brain is still 21 but my body is almost 70. So things I do today end up as things that hurt tomorrow. :P
Quote from: Frank B. on Jun 28, 2025, 10:21 AM"because if I didn't do it then I couldn't do it".
Exactly! Gotta keep the wheels oiled.
I would say that the most notable "symptom" of my aging, among numerous "minor" ones, is reduced stamina. Gotta take frequent breaks when doing something strenuous. But my plan is to keep doing!
I'm not much of a poet, been writing one for years that starts "there once was a man from Nantucket". Trying to make it about sailing, but for some reason it keeps going another direction. Until then, I'll just enjoy yours!
I'm really trying to stay healthy. At 71 (in 2 weeks) I can still run, kind of. Did 5 mi this morning but it took an hour. I'm not complaining. My weight is really good and this year I've cut my alchahol consumption down to about 3 drinks a week. (Instead of 3 a day) I eat whole foods and rarely fast food. I have a soft spot for ice cream but keep that to once a week. I start every morning with a set of 24 stretches. Finally, I plan each day for doing things that will make me feel good the next day. It works, about 50% of the time. My main complaints are fatigue and general soreness. Getting up from the couch and stepping out of the car after a 2 hour ride are issues. Sitting in a coach boat for a couple of hours is worse.
I hate the things that will never be better. Arthritis, for one, and memory. I had a cancer scare last month but it appears that I dodged that bullet. I'm really doing very well. I never thought that I'd say this, but it seems to me that 70 is a great age to be. I'm a competitive person. I like to compare my health to where my father was at this age. I couldn't beat him at golf, but I seem to be winning this contest.
If you really want to fine-tune that, I recommend reading How Not to Die, by Dr. Michael Greger. Many people say they simply can NOT stop eating animal products, but I can tell you that when I did, the arthritis that was beginning to warp my fingers stopped. Just stopped.
I don't eat grain. Meat is a must.
This is more than any of you want to know, but putting it into print is good for me. Thanks. I have considered going vegie, but cutting out grain has done a lot for me. I've been doing that for 4 or 5 years. I used to weigh about 192 lbs. I ate too to eat too many ultra processed foods, which were mostly grain based. I haven't completely eliminated it, but maybe 95%. When I really keep it to a minimum, my aches and pains subside noticeably, and I have fewer days when I just don't feel that great. The one big difference is that I just eat less. I don't feel hungry after eating one helping and I don't binge on snacks. As far as pain goes, my knees are fine, and the mild hip pain that I've had for decades remains mild. I have arthritis in both thumbs, but it bothers me less when my diet is right, and it doesn't hold me back any. My weight levels off at about 182.
I've been on my 3 drinks a week plan for all of 2025. With every day drinking I noticed several issues. One thing was that the taste didn't do much for me. Now, when I do drink a beer it reminds me of how beer used to taste, when I was really young. Same thing with wine. I usually have 2 glasses with dinner when Tami and I go out for date night on Thursdays. I buy a little higher quality, and savor the taste. One or two glasses is enough, and I never drink after dinner and I have more energy for reading in the evening. This has resulted in clearer thinking, more energy, and another 10 lbs of weight loss. Now I'm maintaining at 172 lbs, eating as much as I please, of the right foods.
Next stop is the sleep specialist. 15 years ago I was dozing off in the classroom. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea but Tami and I had just become a thing and sleeping with an octopus on my head was a non starter. The neurologist started me on Trazedone and Flonase, had me raise up the head of our bed, and I tried to keep my weight down. That helped enough that I didn't doze off any more. However, the urologist that I'm seeing, about my prostate, suggested that having to get up to use the bathroom, at night, could be a combination of enlarged prostate and sleep apnea. I have an appointment later this month. I'm hoping that improved sleeping will further improve some of the above concerns, and eliminate the need for the Trazedone. (I quit using the Flonase a few years back) I'm taking 4 meds now, and one less would be a good thing. Will probably need to keep taking the Staten, Singular, and my new med for peeing urgency.
Who knows how much improvement there may be?
It sounds like you have a good plan. My wife an I are on what could be called a modified Mediterranean diet. Lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and what I would call primary grains. Red meat about three times a month, but fish more often. Salmon, Maihi, Cod, flounder, shrimp, scallops, oysters. Chicken is skinless, boneless breast halves that I brine and grill six at a time and put them in the freezer for pull out meals later, we split one. Lean pork occasionally. Usually at least two meatless days a week. Eggs or course and dairy OK. Fried, usually fish about every couple of months when I get that urge. We do eat cereal once or twice a week but it is granola that we make ourselves so we know what is in it and there is nothing you cannot pronounce in it. We buy olive oil by the half gallon. I also make my own Kimchi and Sauerkraut, the probiotic boost. We eat nothing ultra processed. And over time it is not a diet it is just what we have become comfortable with.
We don't eat out much, have gotten tired of being disappointed.
I used to have a drink before dinner then a glass of wine with. Have cut out the before drink.
At 78 we seem to be doing better than our peers, but that is subjective, and the goal is quality of life rather than to outlive others.
Two of our three sons are vegetarians but not vegans. The third is mostly vegetarian. They are healthy.
I think longevity is mostly genetic and attitude. My maternal lineage is loaded with those that have, in a high quality of life manner, reached 100 plus or minus 3. My paternal lineage not so good, 80 plus or minus 3.
That sleep thing is tricky, as I've aged have become more likely to have trouble after waking up in the middle of the night. I've installed Indow sound blocking panels in the bedroom and that seems to help a lot, we live in a noisy area.
If you can ever figure out that thumb thing, pass it on. Me too. Grip is not affected it is turning a knob, tying my shoes, adjusting a tool, those manipulative actions than are very painful.
Here's my take...
Everyone talks about Climate Change (Slow but steady increase in temperature).
But I think the real problem is Gravity Change (Slow but steady increase in the pull of gravity)
Each year that shovel full of snow is harder to lift. Those grocery bags are harder to get out of the back seat. Lifting those photo albums up to the top closet shelf. Even stepping on the scales prove the earth is pulling down on me more and more each year.f Can't the Government do anything to stop this Gravity Change??
Note: I'm 83, widower living alone (but have a new lady friend), and ride motorcycles as well as solo sail my 21 ft Santana. So I'm not really complaining. Life is good, Thank God. And Thank my Parents..I was lucky in the gene pool.