Things that prolong life

[Eldros]

Every choice we make on every day can affect the evolution and how we feel every day.
Being active, keeping relationships with the people we love, and eating a diet rich in antioxidants may all be helpful.
It seems that over time, the little things we do on every single day have the most impact.
What are your thoughts?

 

[Nembra]

How do I envy those for whom the things stay little when done every single day. How do you imagine yourself actually making each and every one of those choices when habits don't form and routine is poison?

 

[Eldros]

How do I envy those for whom the things stay little when done every single day. How do you imagine yourself actually making each and every one of those choices when habits don't form and routine is poison?

I don't believe it's about getting it right every day; We will and won’t manage those things on different days.
I just believe small actions add up slowly. /But instead of just adopting a plan, we should decide what is important for our lifespan and make a plan to make those decisions as often as we can.
This also made me think of the people in this video.
It’s about some centenarians. I saw it a while ago.

 

[HoldAll]

I'm amazed nobody has mentioned exercise yet. Starting at age 30, you lose about 1% of muscle mass every year, and that loss will significantly speed up after you hit 60. It's called

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, and there's no cure for it

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. It basically means that if you want to feel young in middle age and beyond, you'll have to work for it. Muscles - use them or lose them.

Here's the fiendish double bind: The older you get, the physically lazier you become. You start to console yourself for the loss of all that youthful energy by eating more and more fatty or sweet comfort food, which in combination with decreased muscle mass will inevitably mean weight gain, which in turn will make exercising more difficult. Ageing also means a reduction of muscle-building testosterone and an increased recovery requirement between workouts; the older you become, the more will the deck will become stacked against you. It's unfair but so is life.

There's a saying in hatha yoga: "Old back, old person". It's not only muscles but also agility and balance. Doing light stretches several times a day, slowly arching your back while bending over, etc., can work wonders. You're not old unless you start moving like an old person. Can you put on your shoes without sitting down? Can you put on your socks without holding on to something for support? Can you reach over your shoulder and clasp your other hand as it comes across your back from below? Are you winded after climbing just a couple of flights of stairs? Do you have trouble navigating crowded sidewalks because you find it awkward to sidestep people rushing towards you?

Whenever I want to scare myself into exercising, I'd say to myself: "At least go for a long walk, or do you want to start rotting?" Because that's what ageing basically is unless you take active countermeasures. What's the point of prolonging life when you're weak, stiff, and plagued by preventable ailments?

 

[Eldros]

I'm amazed nobody has mentioned exercise yet. Starting at age 30, you lose about 1% of muscle mass every year, and that loss will significantly speed up after you hit 60. It's called

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

, and there's no cure for it

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

. It basically means that if you want to feel young in middle age and beyond, you'll have to work for it. Muscles - use them or lose them.

Here's the fiendish double bind: The older you get, the physically lazier you become. You start to console yourself for the loss of all that youthful energy by eating more and more fatty or sweet comfort food, which in combination with decreased muscle mass will inevitably mean weight gain, which in turn will make exercising more difficult. Ageing also means a reduction of muscle-building testosterone and an increased recovery requirement between workouts; the older you become, the more will the deck will become stacked against you. It's unfair but so is life.

There's a saying in hatha yoga: "Old back, old person". It's not only muscles but also agility and balance. Doing light stretches several times a day, slowly arching your back while bending over, etc., can work wonders. You're not old unless you start moving like an old person. Can you put on your shoes without sitting down? Can you put on your socks without holding on to something for support? Can you reach over your shoulder and clasp your other hand as it comes across your back from below? Are you winded after climbing just a couple of flights of stairs? Do you have trouble navigating crowded sidewalks because you find it awkward to sidestep people rushing towards you?

Whenever I want to scare myself into exercising, I'd say to myself: "At least go for a long walk, or do you want to start rotting?" Because that's what ageing basically is unless you take active countermeasures. What's the point of prolonging life when you're weak, stiff, and plagued by preventable ailments?

Maybe because my mother had two aunts who lived to be 93 and 97 years old, I've always been excited by those who live to be quite old. I've wondered how some people continue to maintain their independence and amount of activity for so long.
You're right, I think, that exercise - especially strength training - plays a key part. I also agree with what you said on mobility.
Being able to put on shoes, and climb stairs without help may be a far greater measure of feeling fresh than just appearing youthful.
Maybe the goal is to maintain as much strength, flexibility, and enjoyment of life as possible rather than avoid aging.
Also I remember a Netflix series about the – Blue Zones.
A funny over 100 year old Spanish couple lived on a hill, and when they went for groceries, they had to go up the hill back home. That was a great example of how exercise can preserve strength.

 

[HoldAll]

Maybe because my mother had two aunts who lived to be 93 and 97 years old, I've always been excited by those who live to be quite old. I've wondered how some people continue to maintain their independence and amount of activity for so long.
You're right, I think, that exercise - especially strength training - plays a key part. I also agree with what you said on mobility.
Being able to put on shoes, and climb stairs without help may be a far greater measure of feeling fresh than just appearing youthful.
Maybe the goal is to maintain as much strength, flexibility, and enjoyment of life as possible rather than avoid aging.
Also I remember a Netflix series about the – Blue Zones.
A funny over 100 year old Spanish couple lived on a hill, and when they went for groceries, they had to go up the hill back home. That was a great example of how exercise can preserve strength.

I wrote about ageing in my Martial Arts Journal (2 parts) in case anybody's interested. The first part has a short clip of Jamie Oliver in Okinawa with a 75 year old karate master. There are also other documentaries about the Blue Zone, Okinawa usually comes out on top. The second one features former karate and kickboxing champion Dominique Valera at 66 and how he kicks far above his head.

 

[Morell]

@HoldAll You're so right with exercise. It starts after 30 years of age. you have to start working out or start loosing strength. And honestly there is only one reasonable and right way to react to this challenge: Challenge accepted!

Working out myself most of the days. Now aiming for being able to do handstand... will be the first time in my life ever.

 

[Eldros]

I wrote about ageing in my Martial Arts Journal (2 parts) in case anybody's interested. The first part has a short clip of Jamie Oliver in Okinawa with a 75 year old karate master. There are also other documentaries about the Blue Zone, Okinawa usually comes out on top. The second one features former karate and kickboxing champion Dominique Valera at 66 and how he kicks far above his head.

Thanks for sharing! I'll check that out. I'd be curious to see how Dominique Valera does those kicks at 66 !
Also, I believe that genetics and the things we eat - such as coffee, green tea, dark chocolate, and maybe the occasional glass of red wine, all of which contain antioxidants - also play a part in the whole "how to prolong life" issue.
This made me think of the movie Sideways, with Paul Giamatti and Sandra Oh, I remember having a great time at the wine tastings they do while traveling.

 

[HoldAll]

I'd be curious to see how Dominique Valera does those kicks at 66 !

I absolutely love this clip!

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[Eldros]

I absolutely love this clip!

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It seems like he didn't have any issues with arthritis or low levels of collagen either . In fact, he's in a really good health.
Many people continue to take part in a specific hobby until the end of their lives.
Morihei Ueshiba, the founder and teacher of aikido, was still teaching aikido in 1961 at the age of 78.

 

[Frater M.M.]

Every choice we make on every day can affect the evolution and how we feel every day.
Being active, keeping relationships with the people we love, and eating a diet rich in antioxidants may all be helpful.
It seems that over time, the little things we do on every single day have the most impact.
What are your thoughts?

This is the boring and disappointing conclusion I came to after fighting it for many years on and off: Aristotle was basically right.

There aren't really any quick magical giant leap Hollywood film moments. Or, as we are on WF, let's say I got a goetic daemon to grant me a perfect gf, £10 mil, fame, a body like a young Schwarzenegger or Bruce Lee. Then what? What happens the following days, weeks, months? If I don't do (or worse, don't know how to do) the daily little things that help build and maintain all this, if I lack impulse-control/self-discipline, it's all going to fall apart again: gf leaves me, money all blown on nonsense, reputation lost, body gets wrecked again with poor diet/no exercise.

I'm amazed nobody has mentioned exercise yet. Starting at age 30, you lose about 1% of muscle mass every year, and that loss will significantly speed up after you hit 60. It's called

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

, and there's no cure for it

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

. It basically means that if you want to feel young in middle age and beyond, you'll have to work for it. Muscles - use them or lose them.

...

Whenever I want to scare myself into exercising, I'd say to myself: "At least go for a long walk, or do you want to start rotting?" Because that's what ageing basically is unless you take active countermeasures. What's the point of prolonging life when you're weak, stiff, and plagued by preventable ailments?

Yes pain (or fear of it) is a great motivator, as I have repeatedly discovered. Thankfully with rehab and now maintenance I am fitter and in better shape than I was when I was in my 20s/30s. I like gym, Pilates and running but there are endless options for other ppl to build cardio, strength and balance. I'm planning to keep going with these in one form or another till I drop.

 

[Eldros]

This is the boring and disappointing conclusion I came to after fighting it for many years on and off: Aristotle was basically right.

There aren't really any quick magical giant leap Hollywood film moments. Or, as we are on WF, let's say I got a goetic daemon to grant me a perfect gf, £10 mil, fame, a body like a young Schwarzenegger or Bruce Lee. Then what? What happens the following days, weeks, months? If I don't do (or worse, don't know how to do) the daily little things that help build and maintain all this, if I lack impulse-control/self-discipline, it's all going to fall apart again: gf leaves me, money all blown on nonsense, reputation lost, body gets wrecked again with poor diet/no exercise.

Yeah, I think that’s probably the annoying truth of it.
You can get everything you think you want overnight, but then you still have to be you the next morning and know what to do with it...
I guess the small daily things matter because they’re what keep everything you’ve gained from slowly disappearing again.
.Not very glamorous, but probably true.

 

[Accipeveldare]

Every choice we make on every day can affect the evolution and how we feel every day.
Being active, keeping relationships with the people we love, and eating a diet rich in antioxidants may all be helpful.
It seems that over time, the little things we do on every single day have the most impact.
What are your thoughts?

I have a set routine that I do everyday to stay healthy and grounded. I dont expect to get it 100% right everyday. However, every little thing I do. Every healthy meal I eat, every shower I take, every grounding meditation, every book I read, and every good moment I have with my loved ones is a step in the right direction. Even if I dont do it all in one day, (even if i try to) trying is better than not, and yes, it adds up.

 

[Digiquo]

This is the boring and disappointing conclusion I came to after fighting it for many years on and off: Aristotle was basically right.

There aren't really any quick magical giant leap Hollywood film moments. Or, as we are on WF, let's say I got a goetic daemon to grant me a perfect gf, £10 mil, fame, a body like a young Schwarzenegger or Bruce Lee. Then what? What happens the following days, weeks, months? If I don't do (or worse, don't know how to do) the daily little things that help build and maintain all this, if I lack impulse-control/self-discipline, it's all going to fall apart again: gf leaves me, money all blown on nonsense, reputation lost, body gets wrecked again with poor diet/no exercise.



Yes pain (or fear of it) is a great motivator, as I have repeatedly discovered. Thankfully with rehab and now maintenance I am fitter and in better shape than I was when I was in my 20s/30s. I like gym, Pilates and running but there are endless options for other ppl to build cardio, strength and balance. I'm planning to keep going with these in one form or another till I drop.

I would argue in the vast majority of cases, using magic, goetic or otherwise, to acquire such things will force you to make those developments on your personal discipline and willpower in order to manifest in the first place. The more life-altering the introduction to your life, the more change you have to personally undergo to acquire it. Suppose I wanted that Arnold Schwarzenegger bod. Magic won't instantaneously burn the fat off of me like it never existed. But it would redirect the forces and energies around me to nudge me in the direction of a mindset that makes me capable of achieving it through personal action. This has actually been my latest struggle in magical workings, using my will on myself to enact change on myself and create a positive feedback loop. I've discovered it's actually much harder than setting an intent on some external result. That kind of discipline doesn't come easy.

 

[Frater M.M.]

I would argue in the vast majority of cases, using magic, goetic or otherwise, to acquire such things will force you to make those developments on your personal discipline and willpower in order to manifest in the first place. The more life-altering the introduction to your life, the more change you have to personally undergo to acquire it. Suppose I wanted that Arnold Schwarzenegger bod. Magic won't instantaneously burn the fat off of me like it never existed. But it would redirect the forces and energies around me to nudge me in the direction of a mindset that makes me capable of achieving it through personal action. This has actually been my latest struggle in magical workings, using my will on myself to enact change on myself and create a positive feedback loop. I've discovered it's actually much harder than setting an intent on some external result. That kind of discipline doesn't come easy.

I think we're largely in agreement, but coming at it from opposite ends of the process?

Yes, in reality, I don't know of any magician who achieved an Arnie bod overnight. And, in fact, I do the same as you for the gym i.e. tap in to something to help nudge me into making a towards move to go to the gym when I'm feeling tired or lazy, etc.

Let's say I achieved an Arnie bod like this (which I never will), in some ways, it becomes even worse. I've no longer got a shiny goal to aim towards or "gains" to make. At best, some days may just be the dull grind of maintaining if I'm not in the mood for a session. So, yes, in reality for something like this, it's far better to be building character and using magic in that sense pre-goal/result to help sustain you post goal/result, as you say.

To take my thought experiment to the extreme, let's say you had a goetic daemon on tap that you could call on as much as you liked and could magically grant you an Arnie bod every night. So every night you draw the circles and triangles and whatever and shout at it in Latin to force it to give you an Arnie bod. And every day you just sit around drinking sodas by the gallon and eating pizza and watching TV, etc. At that point you've basically replaced going to the gym with the daily discipline of summoning a daemon. If you lack the discipline to maintain even that, the result disappears. And eventually you might decide it's less hassle just to go to the gym.

 

[Eldros]

I have a set routine that I do everyday to stay healthy and grounded. I dont expect to get it 100% right everyday. However, every little thing I do. Every healthy meal I eat, every shower I take, every grounding meditation, every book I read, and every good moment I have with my loved ones is a step in the right direction. Even if I dont do it all in one day, (even if i try to) trying is better than not, and yes, it adds up.

You’re right! Even going for a walk or a hike can really help. If I’ve had a stressful day or my head is all over the place, getting outside for a while - helps me clear my mind.
And I like what you said about books. I’m actually reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson now - it’s a great sci-fi book, almost 1,000 pages, and I’m only on page 130 so far I’ve still got quite a few pages ahead of me ..
But I like having little things in my day that make me feel good, without feeling like I have to do them perfectly.

 

[Frater M.M.]

And I like what you said about books. I’m actually reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson now - it’s a great sci-fi book, almost 1,000 pages, and I’m only on page 130 so far I’ve still got quite a few pages ahead of me ..

Yes, me too. Big book fan. I was wondering how you were getting on with Anathem. I enjoyed reading bits of Snow Crash and Diamond Age but just couldn't find the time/energy to take on Anathem or Cryptonomicon even tho they both looked interesting.

 

[Eldros]

Yes, me too. Big book fan. I was wondering how you were getting on with Anathem. I enjoyed reading bits of Snow Crash and Diamond Age but just couldn't find the time/energy to take on Anathem or Cryptonomicon even tho they both looked interesting.

I can see how Anathem might be a bit hard to find the time for
I’ve read quite a lot of sci fi over the years, but Anathem is actually my first book by Neal Stephenson. I started it because I found the whole monk/avout idea really interesting, especially the thing with the clocks.. I’m enjoying it so far, although I’m still only on page 130, so I’ve got a long way to go

 

[Frater M.M.]

Yeah, he's an excellent writer with great ideas. I remember Snow Crash as hilarious cyberpunk and Diamond Age was kind of Victorian cyberpunk with nanobots (not really sure how to describe it).

Not sure if we have a sci-fi book thread in WF or not. I'll have a look and start one if we don't. Could be fun to compare notes.

 

[Eldros]

Yeah, he's an excellent writer with great ideas. I remember Snow Crash as hilarious cyberpunk and Diamond Age was kind of Victorian cyberpunk with nanobots (not really sure how to describe it).

Not sure if we have a sci-fi book thread in WF or not. I'll have a look and start one if we don't. Could be fun to compare notes.

It could, I agree. Actually, Anathem isn’t just sci-fi -it also deals with Incanters and Rhetors, who are essentially a sort of wizards that can bend time and alter reality.