For trying to live as long as possible?

[ToastMarmalade]

I’m not one of those Silicon Valley millionaires, but I have a kid with special needs and I’m thinking, I want to live as long as possible to be around for them.

I wasn’t that healthy in life, I’ve smoked a bit, drink sometimes, now going through the menopause and put on a bit of weight. I have high cholesterol but managed to bring it down with a better diet.

I’ve watched the programmes on the Blue Zones with interest (places with people over 100) and newer information like being able to stop diabetes before it starts through diet, makes me think, it’s not too late to really slow down ageing? YANBU

Or am I being daft (YABU) and I’ve done the damage already?

I hope that if I do:

• weights 15 mins x3 a week
• walk 15 mins every day at a fast pace
• dance class 2x a week
• eat less processed foods, more vegetables, porridge, legumes, less meat, Mediterranean diet
• drink mostly water and only 1 or 2 cups of tea of coffee
• volunteer more around my community
• lose some weight to be more in the middle of a healthy BMI
• sleep better

That I might add 5 - 10 years of my life!

Ultimately we just don't have control over our length of life but living healthily within reason can't hurt - as long as you also allow yourself to live for today too. I know someone so caught up in living healthily for tomorrow that his todays are miserable and he's loosing friends over his insistence on them not following his obsession

I don’t have a particular yearning to live to a very old age but my job is physical and I do need to stay healthy/fit enough to keep working until I’m in my late 60s as won’t be able to retire until then. The fact that my job is physical is obviously helpful in itself for keeping me fitter for longer. I rarely drink alcohol but I do need to cut down on sugar and try and get more sleep!

But then my parents were incredibly fit and healthy, very active, never smoked, light drinkers, lots of exercise including cycling, skiing and hiking and they died at 65 and 66- both got cancer. It’s luck of the draw sometimes but it still makes sense to look after yourself- quality of life is so much better if you’re fit and well.

@frivlot we all have to die some time. You're completely missing the point.

@5128gap yes I never could have imagined completely overhauling my diet and lifestyle. Took me over a year too. Need to go slow especially when increasing fibre to reduce the side effects. I followed theguthealthdoctor and guthealthmd and others on Instagram who advocate focusing on adding foods to your diet instead of focusing on what you can't eat, including eating at least 30 different "plant points" a week. As you say, I was too full to eat junk food. I counted recently and I eat well over 40 different plants per week on average.

A family member (late 50s) has started suffering from quite serious health problems in recent years. She says she doesn't know how I live on "rabbit" food and "it's alright for you, you like eating salad and all that stuff". Despite seeing the hell I went through when unwell and the dramatic change to my health over the past few years, she doesn't even want to try to make some small changes to her own diet/liftestyle. Maybe some of us have to teach rock bottom before we will consider it.

@CarolHath what point do you think I have missed? I think it's good to have a healthy diet but I think your physical environment matters as does your social connections so it's nigh on impossible to mimic the blue zones especially by diet alone. I also don't think the fact I eat healthy means I'm protected from all illnesses.

I genuinely think it should be illegal to work more than three days a week. I think so many of our problems would be solved by working less, physical health, mental health, more time spent with kids reducing their stress levels, more time to make and see friends, more time to do things that help the environment and communities ( shop local/ repair stuff/ maintain a garden). Just everything would be better!

Also you might add 5-10 years but you might not be able bodied.
Everything in moderation. Less stress and happiness is a massive factor xx

@squirrlebutkin completely agree. Life is too busy these days, too stressful, a rat race. It is having a massive impact on the nations health

@ToastMarmalade would love it if you tried out the things you have listed for a few months and come back to this thread to give us an update. I guarantee you will feel and look much healthier/toned/happier

OP also remember to see friends, do things such as watch comedy shows as laughter is so good for us. Also do things for your brain such as crosswords and eat oily fish.

It sounds sensible and will make life nicer, stress easier to manage too.

You don't know what age you would otherwise die without those lifestyle improvements. But they'll almost certainly be beneficial. There's loads of evidence that physical activity slows cognitive decline, and you'll feel better about yourself which is good in itself.

Go for it!

@squirrlebutkin yes I have much more time to cook from scratch, have family time see friends, extended family, have alone time & then couple time. I'm so much more content.

This. Two of the absolute fittest people I know, perfect BMI, perfect diets, non smoking hardly ever drank, athletes at national and in one case international level, had severe strokes in their 60s.
The things you do OP are all good and will improve your life. But it is also right to try to build support networks for your child for the future so it isn't all you a f no-one else.

@CarolHath counted recently and I eat well over 40 different plants per week on average.

I am trying to up my intake but can’t even think of 40 different types! Do you eat an 80 gram portion of each type of plant?

Yes, keeping fit and slim is so advantageous as we age. I want to be pinging about for as long as possible please

Even herbs count as veg/plants. As do unsalted nuts and seeds.

It won’t do any harm trying, but sometimes the damage is already done.

Just because we all know healthy people who died too young from diseases doesn't mean a healthy lifestyle isn't worth bothering about, of course it is

I was just coming here to mention Peter Attia. He also has a podcast.

@Celibacyinthesticks not necessarily. Different colours/types of the same fruit/veg etc count. So green/yellow/red pepper counts as three points, different varieties of apples, cauliflower. As PP said herbs/spices count as 1/4 point each, nuts/seeds all count, as do all varieties of legumes etc. so even if you put pearl barley and red lentils in your soup that's two more plant points.
It's a lot easier than it sounds. Every week try to buy one new plant to try or even just a different variety than you normally would. Each plant feeds different microbes in our gut that in turn helps to produce short chain fatty acids. Look up the guthealthdoctor Megan Rossi. She does plant points challenges and explains the science behind it all.

I think you are looking at it the wrong way. I'm not sure how you can possibly know if you have prolonged your life. But being as healthy as possible while you are around seems like a good idea. And your plan seems like a good one.

Thanks @CarolHath that’s really helpful, I didn’t realise different varieties and colours of the same fruit or veg counted, and herbs and spices would not have occurred to me but now you’ve pointed it out makes perfect sense! Will look up Megan Rossi, thank you.

I don’t count my fruit and veg intake as I eat a ridiculously high amount. I simply try and make each meal as colourful as possible, I find you can’t go wrong with this.

This is so great and so inspiring, thank you! 😁

@5128gap what you are doing sounds fantastic, I feel so much more positive having read your posts. I’ve noted down your diet which looks really good, porridge, water, legumes and vegetables should really naturally get my cholesterol down, and has several other benefits.

@CarolHath that’s so helpful, I will take up your challenge and this October I aim to make some marked changes, and will report back! I’ll get a Drs blood test at the end to see if there is some objective difference.

I really like the idea of ‘crowding’ out unhealthy for healthy foods. That seems like a very workable idea. What I sometimes get caught out on is trying to lose a bit of weight, feeling hungry, and eating less healthy foods than when I’m not trying to lose weight. Slow and steady is key.

I am trying to find support for my child, but the longer I have in a healthy state the more I can do to make sure that happens. It’s not just about prolonging life, but improving my chances of being chronically ill.

As a single parent it’s quite scary, wondering how DS will cope. At the moment I’m looking after my mother, who is in her 70s and has lung disease and also DS who has high needs. It’s overwhelming at times, and I’ve found I’ve been neglecting my health, mentally and physically.

When your life is tough (as mine was when I started my life changes) there's something both soothing and empowering about taking care of yourself and activily working to be fitter and stronger.
The rituals of researching recipes, making nutritious food, taking myself for a walk somewhere lovely, giving my body the rest it needed, made me feel cared for (by me!)
At other less enthusiastic times I'd power up the hills chanelling Sarah Connor telling myself I had to get strong to take on what was coming!😂
When you're in a difficult situation you can't change its very uplifting to be able to make other positive changes where you can.

Just keep eating well, and keep exercising, dont smoke or drink.