13 surprising signs that you will live long

[shootingstar]

Thx, the link mimi. Interesting. I certainly agree that having some friends helps a person for mental longevity. Many studies involving geriatric residents have shown this.

It did just occur to me now, that all of my friends whom I've had close friendship for over last 25 years, are healthy folks..except for perhaps 1 who has a whole history related ....to her endometrosis and bowel....long story involving surgery and aftermath. Before she was quite healthy..

I did not choose any of these long term friends nor have kept those friendships based on their physical activity interests or whatever similar. But ironically over the years, we have shared on how we are each voluntarily adjusting diet, activities to include some fitness...all kind of evolving organically without each of us involved in the personal change over a long period time. I think it's more about choosing friends who have self-respect which extends to their own awareness of their own health.

[Crankin]

I told our cycling friends that they were being a good influence on us...
I really am having trouble to listening to my other friends complaining about being "fat." They think that they could "never do what I do" and they just don't want to work hard at exercising. It's too hard, according to them.
That's why I give a lot of credit to the one who just started cycling. She's keeping at it, even though she thinks it's "too hard" to try and get faster on the hills.

[kelownagirl]

It's vague because it's a mainstream recap of a scientific study. Usually, when they say 30% lower risk of death, they mean a lower chance of dying prematurely. The mainstream media tends to simplify too much in my opinion. I would assume that the people who didn't do housework likely had a cleaning service and were less active. Naturally, if you have a house cleaner and you spend your free time riding or working out, the data wouldn't apply to you. The main point here is that being activity reduces your chance of dying prematurely from things such a heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and even cancer.

If you want to see another presentation with very similar information in a more 'scientific' format, check out this link.

Why Fitness Matters

The http://fitnessrocks.org website itself is also very good and you can subscribe to the podcast to hear weekly reviews of scientific studies about longevity.

How do they establish a "30% lower risk of death?" Ever? or only during the housework hour? What were the other subjects doing? Riding motorcycles drunk and without helmets? or nibbling blueberries?

And they figured this out by studying people in their 70s and 80s...Does the result apply to anyone older or younger?

Still, pretty interesting things to think about.

[OakLeaf]

Usually, when they say 30% lower risk of death, they mean a lower chance of dying prematurely. The mainstream media tends to simplify too much in my opinion. I would assume that the people who didn't do housework likely had a cleaning service and were less active.

Considering that life expectancy at birth in the USA is 77.8 years, what constitutes a 30% lower risk of dying "prematurely" for people in their 80s?

I think this is pretty clearly one of those things where a marker is not a cause but an effect. People in their 70s and 80s who are still able to do their own housework are obviously healthier than those who can't.

I spent most of the months of July and August looking at mortality statistics and believe me, when you look at what treatments and tests "they" are using those statistics to support, let's just say it was an eye-opener. Morbidity statistics are much harder to come by, and there's a reason for that.

Sorry for the thread drift - it just illustrates why I don't put a lot of stock in this stuff, either the media version or most of the medical journal versions. Show me (1) a biochemical reason why the alleged "cause" is actually a cause, and (2) a real improvement in the quality of life of human subjects, then I'll give it some credence.

[kelownagirl]

Again, because we can't see the actual study, we can't really speculate but... I'm thinking that the study was probably not so much about what the 70-80 years old were currently able to do, but rather a comment on how much they'd done over a period time, such as their adult lives. I agree with you that 80 year olds who can do their own housework are healthier than those who can't and you definitely cannot prove a causal relationship in any way. However, if we could see the whole study, we might find out that in general, people who had been doing their own housework over their adult lives (ie an example of being physically active), were healthier than people who can been sitting on their butts all their adult lives and therefor lived longer and/or had fewer chronic diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

Take a look at the links I posted. The data there is much clearer and gives more reasons for an actual causal relationship between living a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight and not dying prematurely from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer. I find it very clear and compelling and even if it's not completely correct, I'm not going to use it as an excuse to sit on the couch all day and eat crap.

Considering that life expectancy at birth in the USA is 77.8 years, what constitutes a 30% lower risk of dying "prematurely" for people in their 80s?

I think this is pretty clearly one of those things where a marker is not a cause but an effect. People in their 70s and 80s who are still able to do their own housework are obviously healthier than those who can't.

I spent most of the months of July and August looking at mortality statistics and believe me, when you look at what treatments and tests "they" are using those statistics to support, let's just say it was an eye-opener. Morbidity statistics are much harder to come by, and there's a reason for that.

Sorry for the thread drift - it just illustrates why I don't put a lot of stock in this stuff, either the media version or most of the medical journal versions. Show me (1) a biochemical reason why the alleged "cause" is actually a cause, and (2) a real improvement in the quality of life of human subjects, then I'll give it some credence.

[pardes]

I LOVE cheeseburgers.....I just don't eat them more than once a month. That may cost me a few microseconds off my life, but it's worth it.

[kelownagirl]

I was just watching the slideshow again (the one I posted) and wanted to point out that the World Health Organization estimates that 80% of coronary heart disease, 80-90% of type 2 diabetes, and 35% of cancer could be prevented if people followed a healthy lifestyle (don't smoke, maintain a healthy weight, exercise 30 minutes a day, and eat a healthy diet - more veg/fruit, less meat etc). These three chronic diseases have been shown to be the top three causes of premature death in Americans, as well as putting a tremendous strain on the health care system.

[Crankin]

Well, I think that our medical providers have become so used to people who are in the 80% category that when they actually have to deal with someone who is fit, like my husband, they don't know what to do. Sorry for the thread drift, but it seems pertinent to our situation right now.
He has a terrible family history on both sides. Heart disease and strokes galore. He started exercising and eating better at age 42 or 43. Almost five years ago (he's 52 now) he started getting the classic jaw and neck pain when we were running. Tests showed nothing, but he did have high cholesterol and BP. He started on meds, got those down promptly. The next year, the pain returned when cycling. It got worse and worse, but still the stress test showed nothing. After we insisted, he had an angiogram, and of course, there were 2 80% blockages, so they put stents in.
All was fine until a year later, again when riding, he had pain. We went to the ER, and they sent him for another angiogram. Nothing had changed and they couldn't figure out why he was having the pain. Now, all of a sudden, after 3 years, he is having it again, but only when his HR is above 140, and at the beginning of rides. Guess what? The cardiologist says, "So, just don't ride that hard." They just don't get it.
Because he is so fit, it's easy for him to keep his HR low. If he keeps it low for awhile, then he can let it get up with no pain.
I insisted he get a second opinion at Brigham and Women's. We are going there in 2 weeks, with the hope that there might be a cardiologist that has actually met a fit person.

[OakLeaf]

Haha Robyn that made me laugh because it harkens back to why I changed the ringtones on my phone.

Not once but twice in two weeks when I was dealing with that stuff this summer, the phone rang while I was running and it was a doctor's office. Just what I was running to escape - but I was answering my phone in case it was an emergency. Both my father and father-in-law are in very poor health (well actually my father-in-law is in very GOOD health for his age, he's just 92), and especially with my father-in-law, my husband would definitely just leave town without me if he couldn't reach me.

So anyway... I answered the phone, I explained to the doctor's scheduler why I was breathing so heavily, and she said...

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD SIT DOWN."

Bwa-ha-ha...... or something Nothing like a doctor's office telling you NOT to exercise - when the condition they're calling you about can ONLY be benefited by exercise...


Anyway I'll send good thoughts that everything turns out OK for your husband.

[Crankin]

Exactly! We have another friend who has the same cardiologist here in Concord. He is at least 50 pounds overweight and last year had a 90% blockage in the main artery leading to the heart (sorry, i have forgotten my anatomy). The doc just keeps telling him to "lose 50 pounds," with no suggestions for how he should do it. Now, I do give the doc credit for really keeping up with the trends in medications, changing things up, and getting my husband's cholesterol ridiculously low. But, like you said, he is telling my husband not to do what they are trying to get most Americans to do. He has softened the message a bit, though.
And it took several calls to the Brigham to find a cardiologist with experience with endurance athletes.

[deeaimond]

I have a grandmother who takes handfuls of pills every morning (Literally) and being rather young (24), it used to be all about excess weight when i was younger, but these days, when I feel my heart pounding during exercise, I'm just thankful its working right.

I guess we all have different reasons for exercising, but I think keeping ourselves healthy is important. My dad got hypertension when he was in his late 20s. I have an obese 16 yr old brother, and I feel despair everytime i look at him...

At the end of the day, its doesn't matter what people around you say or do, we need to do it ourselves. If only to keep our lives meaningful. Nothing meaningful in staying alive on handfuls of pills. Life is boring if all you can do is potter around and watch TV.

[deeaimond]

oh and I think i need to quit my diet coke habit.

[Crankin]

Oakleaf, an update, even though this is off topic a bit. My husband went for a 64 slice CT scan at Mass General; again nothing had really changed. The cardiologist here in Concord said there was a slight narrowing of one artery, but it is the same thing that has shown up every year since he had the stents put in. So, after some pushing, Steve said, well, what can I do? They decided to put him on Indur, a long acting nitro drug. Since the angina is stable and Steve knows exactly when it will occur and he can make it go away, the doctor felt this was the best solution. This way, he can take it slightly later in the morning, if it is a day he is riding to work and back home, since it lasts for 12 hours.
The doctor at Brigham and Woman's was very good. I didn't go with him for the appointment, but Steve felt satisfied that he was talked to like an intelligent adult who is not going to stop exercising! This guy said, sure you could go in for another angio, but there is a risk to that. He felt that since all of his other numbers (cholesterol, bp) are excellent the Indur was a good choice. Steve is taking the absolute lowest dose and he shouldn't get any of the problems people get when it stops working after a while because your body builds up tolerance to the drug. This doctor also said that the angina is a separate issue from the past blockages and plenty of people have angina who do not have other heart issues. So, in the end, he told Steve if he keeps up the active life style, most likely he will die of something else, as long as he keeps being active and stays on top of any changes in his symptoms. And, he explained the reason why the pain goes away after riding for awhile; apparently the body produces natural nitro.
So far, the drug seems to be working, but he still is warming up much longer and not riding so hard for every ride.

[OakLeaf]

That sounds like good news - thanks for the update. I'm glad he has the OK to continue to be active - and hoping that he'll get back to being able to push as hard as he wants.

[tulip]

I actually LIKE cleaning my little house. I do a thorough cleaning every couple of weeks, and it takes me about an hour. I have 11 windows and I clean them in the fall and in the spring. If that'll extend my life a little, great.