Health and Aging

[Ed Schenck]

Many of you doubtless read of Bill and Mary having to set aside cruising plans when Bill suffered a heart incident recently. Many of my sailing friends worry me because of their lack of fitness. I am not saying Bill was not fit, I only know him from here on SBO. But Mary did post something on Facebook about his weight. And then sometimes I wonder if fitness even matters?

From years of racing bicycles and running I consider myself relatively fit for 70. I still ride like I am in training but I do it for fun and for sailing. A lot of my sailing friends however are more into partying. Some are in their 80’s and still working the foredeck. So then I think maybe luck and genetics are the answer. Maybe working out only takes away from boat work and sailing. Or maybe delays the inevitable by a little.


I have quite a lot of experience with aging and health. My first wife of forty-two years was diagnosed with leukemia less than ten months after we retired. She weighed 120 pounds, never drank or smoked, and race walked five miles at least four days a week. My second wife lays in bed with Lou Gehrig’s. She also weighed 120 pounds, was a downhill skier, and very active. Almost makes a person want to smoke and drink.

So are you into fitness? What I can say for sure is that I am able to work long and hard when I go to the lake. I don’t need electric winches and can still pull the main all the way to the top by hand. And flake it and cover it after a day of 90 degree sailing. As a caregiver I get very little sleep but find I don’t really need it. There are some plusses I guess even though I wish it didn’t take so much time. Time I could use for the boat.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Ed, sorry to hear about your issues.

Like Yogi Berra said, "Half of the thing is 90% mental."

Regardless of shape (and my skiing accident three years ago and subsequent second emergency surgery six months later when the original plate broke!), I've found that sailing or even working on the boat takes care of mental attitude. Things are not quite as "easy" as they used to be, but this winter has been wet and cooler than normal out here, so I've been sailing a LOT less. And not happy about it.

This past two weeks has been the first since last fall that I've been out at anchor two weeks in a row. For years I sailed every week.

Getting back to that makes me feel a LOT better, mentally and physically.

Good luck.

 

[Steve Dion]

Ed: For most of aging has a lot to do with our gene's. We know people at our marina that were old in their 50's, then we have our senior that is going to be 88 or 89 this year. While he does not sail any longer he still acts more like a 60 year old. His mother lived to be 100+ (and he said he is shoot'n to eclipse her).

 

[Tim R.]

No smoking. Drink in moderation.

Every weekend we are either hiking, swimming, mountain biking, snow shoeing or skiing.

Workout at the gym at work when I find the time.

My wife works out every day religiously.

We are both blessed with good genes. Low blood pressure, low standing heart rate and low cholesterol.

Of course, there could be a bus out there with ours names on it. That is why we will shove off in a few years to see the world.

 

[Me and Boo]

Several of my friends and I have compared notes about aging. Primarily how we are still somewhat young in our 60's while our grandparents were old in their 50's. Much has to do with improved medicine and we did not work on farms or in the hard industries.

 

[seadaddler]

Luck

I just got together with old high school friendsds who have not see some 30 years and we all were surprised how much we changed but looking at each other not knowing what health problems we each have.
They said nick you look so good how do you stay so fit,they were out of shape and over weight but I was always pretty active in all sports but now at 65 and bad back and shoulder surgery has slowed me down but think of all the years working so hard and now finally get to retire want it to last and so I try as much as possible eat right and stay active and work out at the gym as much as possible,so far i am very lucky and living the american dream.

 

[Ross]

Most of our aging is dependant upon our genes but we can over come that by either positive or negative excess. The folks that study these things are finding that moderation in everything including moderation is the factor that levels the playing field.

 

[justsomeguy]

moderation in everything including moderation

And then there's the quote about "life isn't about arriving at the end looking good, but sliding into the end sideways, tires smoking, exclaiming "What a ride"!" Or something along those lines.

 

[thinwater]

And then there's the quote about "life isn't about arriving at the end looking good, but sliding into the end sideways, tires smoking, exclaiming "What a ride"!" Or something along those lines.

Life’s journey is not to
arrive at the grave safely
in a well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
totally used up and worn out, shouting
‘…man, what a ride!’


George Carlin.

 

[FastOlson]

Getting Old / When to Stop

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252605

A great thread on age and sailing.......

LB

 

[med2463]

My thoughts on your posting, Ed. I have no idea why I'm still alilve when 24 of my 50 high school classmates have died. I am not smug about it, only grateful. Bill had 2 major heart attacks in his 40s, resultling in significant heart damage. He has congestive heart disease. His recent heart episode was arrhythmia, and he now has an ICD to prevent (hopefully) instant cardiac death. It didn't help any that for the past few months we worked our butts off on the boat to get it ready for long-term cruising and ignored exercising. We are re-evaluating our cruising plans. One of the drawbacks of long-term cruising is the periods of not getting off the boat and walking. Our boat isn't big enough for a treadmill. We may cruise for 1-3 days at a time in our wonderful SW FL cruising grounds and then go back home to exercising. His Dr says if we had been anchored out, he would have died. Fortunately, we live 5 minutes from a great hospital.

 

[Eddie7045]

People have a tendency to overlook the importance

of attitude and spititual well being. I am a hospice volunteer and one common denominator that I've seen among those who make it beyond 90 is ATTITUDE. Physically, it is good to aviod things that do not work well. I gave up coffee, which I dearly loved, and reduced my salt intake and was able to completely get off all B/P medication. It was a sacrifice but well worth the trade.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

The Secret to Living to a Ripe Old Age ..........

................... is to choose your parents carefully.

Damn, too late now. :cussing:

 

[Dougo]

I'm 52, worked in parks all my adult life, horse farm prior to that. I reckon I can run circles around many of the guys 1/2 my age (evidenced by some recent Boy Scout outings). Moderation and staying active doing pretty much anything is key!

 

[Ross]

Re: People have a tendency to overlook the importance

Accidents and illness are game changers that we can't do much to avoid. 60 years ago your first heart attack was almost always a life changing experience that the doctors were helpless to treat. I have several friends that had a heart attack and had it treated and are living active normal lives at least two of them are still working construction.
We have today the medical means to prolong our health if we make proper use of it.

 

[Steve Dion]

................... is to choose your parents carefully.

Damn, too late now. :cussing:

Ralph:

That is exactly what I did. The only problem is my father decided to check out at the young age of 57 (first heart attack at 27). He had an aunt on mother side that made it to 103 and most of the rest of the family lived well into their 80's +.

On the mothers side of the family they go into their 90's.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL, don't you know!

 

[r.oril]

I turn 70 next month. Dad made it to 90 and Mom is still going at 89. I have some crap in my arteries and my wife has turned me into a salad eater.

I drink red wine, eat blue berrys, eat garlic and take meds for the LDL.

That said, I am making a short list for my bucket. Sailing as much as I can, travel where I can afford to go.

I figure to out do Mom and Dad and hope I can enjoy the ride.

 

[zeehag]

choose parents wisely, ENJOY living.

 

[Navicula]

guys......................I am 50 and I work hanging ductwork (big duckwork) up and down stairs........up and down ladders.......hot and cold heavy work...........in the morning I feel like I am 100......... i can hardly put my socks on, I am stiff with pains, but after an hour I can move like a twenty year old.........the doctor checks me out every year and I am not on any meds as of yet.......I do take a couple of vitamins and an aleve every morning.......................but I am very active....skate, ski, etc, etc.......but I worrie every day and every minute that I dont have enough time.............

we are all in the same boat
it just seem so unfair to everyone

 

[sandpiper10471]

Cataracts, prostate issues, broken rotted teeth etc. are all signs of longish life. Many of our colleagues didn't get the chance to develop these issues. We all need to be glad we have been blessed with the years we have experienced.