Life style changes - would you?

Micheal · #1 07/12/14, 06:39 AM

Posting this in the "retirement" section because I'm looking for opinions from "older" folks. You know us'ins that are more set in our ways than the 20-40 something crowd would be.

Just having had a "first meeting" with a Cardiac Rehabilitation Group. I've been told that I need to do some major (over time) changes to my life style.
Why? (you may ask).
Answer: Cause it's "healthier" and will lead to living a better life.

Of course living the way I have has gotten me through over 70 years with more to come (hopefully).

So I'm wondering......
Would you be willing to change your life style to live a "better" (what ever that is) life????

Some changes:
Limit salt, this doesn't bother me since I don't use nor consume that much anyway. I also use more frozen veggies than canned although fresh is always preferred.
Cut out many dairy products, drink 1-2% milk and limit, if not cut out cheese. Don't drink that stuff they try to pass off as milk anyway, but do love my aged 3-5 year old cheddar...
Cut back on fried foods - baked is better.
Limit snacks to fruit and veggies.
And finally do "formal" exercise at least 3 times a week.
There were more but I can't remember them off hand.

So being as "old" as you are would you make certain "life style" changes to your life so you could be "healthier" because ............ ?

Of course, please remember there is no guarantee that by doing this you will live any longer....

Wolf mom · #2 07/12/14, 08:16 AM

Aside from doing most of your list already, and believing in moderation, I'd never cut out anything entirely. But, that's me, not your Doc. Take it away from me and that's all I want.

I agree, there's no guarantee you'll live any longer, but you may, just may, live an easier, more productive/active life; able to do more things that you enjoy doing rather than sitting in a wheel chair or not being able to walk more than 10 feet without gasping for breath.

As far as "better" life, we all have to define that for ourselves. Just like the word "happy".

Ardie/WI · #3 07/12/14, 08:33 AM

LOL! Next month, I'll be 72 and I'll be darned if I even want to live a ripe old age.

Therefore, I eat what I want, when I want and stop eating when I'm full.

Oddly enough,the tests on my heart show it has improved in the past three years. My BP is good too.

where I want to · #4 07/12/14, 08:36 AM

I keep remembering the old Rumpole of the Bailey aphorism about no vice being so small that it is worth giving up for two years more in a nursing home.
Unfortunately the choice is not between dying earler or later but of being miserably unhealthy while not being quite bad enough to die.
I have no anwer but a thought that if the pain of depriving myself of something is outweighed by the joy of being around to experience things still giving pleasure, I go for the deprivation. Otherwise no.

newcolorado · #5 07/12/14, 10:34 AM

I am 82 and been on the diet for 4 years. Plus I am on a blood thinner that limits more what I can eat or drink. It is either do it or be sick for me. Blood test once a month if stays where it should other else can be once a week. I would rather stay on diet and not get jabbed all the time. I walk and he wants a mile a day. I am Afib heart trouble. Wt must stay down. My doctor thinks I am an healthy 82 year old. And got lot more years. I gave him copy of my living will and medical POA. I am 80 miles from him and he does not want me come in the bad weather. (narrow mountain pass to go over) Is it worth it. Yeah, I think so. Clinic /hospital is about half mile from me and I use that for blood tests and ER. I live alone.

Ramblin Wreck · #6 07/12/14, 11:11 AM

I'm kinda' in line with Wolf Mom. So far, my health is fine, thanks be to God. The only thing the Doc wants me to do is take Lipitor (or a similar non-generic drug that costs big $'s) to lower by borderline high cholesterol. I could also stand to lose a few pounds I picked up while working on a consulting assignment away from home a couple of years ago.

I do believe a person is better off if they can stay active and not become a couch potato. That doesn't mean it has to be formal exercise sessions, but it's ok if it is scheduled/formal. A cousin of mine swears by yoga, and she is as limber as when she was a teen. But hey, I can still touch my toes, so it's all good.

frogmammy · #7 07/12/14, 01:06 PM

They want you to live to be 120. The first doctor that has a patient do that wins a prize!

Mon

simi-steading · #8 07/12/14, 02:04 PM

I know I'm not as old as someone you're looking for answers from, but I thought I'd just add a little to maybe help you motivate... I really don't think what you've listed is much of a lifestyle change, especially if it adds even 1 more year of good living to your life.. To me, it looks to be more of a change in food flavors

I just turned 50 in April, and I'm finally starting to realize I'm getting older, and I don't mean number wise... Hurts to get down and up from the floor.. heck, even the bed... can't see as good, wasn't very active, always eating bad, and my body was telling me about it...

So, I decided it was time to get out from behind a desk, and out of the city, and start living better.. healthier.. Mind you though, I'm still not gonna give up my chocolate and scotch...

So far, we've quit our jobs and got all of our household stuff moved.. We feel SO much less stress, even during a move.. Just no stress of work, other people, and traffic..

We've stopped eating out every day, and now fix a lot of good meals, and I'm not talking fried.. .OK, we do wilt some lettuce... that's almost fried right? We are feeling SO much better.. my wife and I have both lost weight, her almost 30 pounds.. I know our salt intake has dropped massively...

In the middle of all those changes, I've also stopped smoking... I've not had a cigarette in a month now.. I've been using electronic cigarettes though.. I have gone from 24mg of nicotine, and I'm now down to 4 mg... . AND, I'm not using it very often... I"m getting close to giving it all up all the way very soon...

Both my wife and I have made some really serious life changes in the past month and we're feeling fantastic.. both physically and mentally...

And that mental part is a HUGE difference.. The exercise, eating better, not smoking (helps her too breathing cleaner air)... That's helped so much mentally.. We are accomplishing things.. We get a big project done that has overwhelmed us looking at it, and we are proud... We made our selves stick it out to the end, and we reap a reward after each thing off the list... Mentally, it's wonderful knowing how changes can make life so much better..

OH, BTW, my grand father is 92 years old.. .He does a lot of what his Dr's tell him too, but not all.. he still has a vice or two, but that man will still get on his bicycle and ride 15 miles several times a week.. I hope I got half what he does at that age physically...

COSunflower · #9 07/12/14, 03:47 PM

I think it depends on your quality of life. When I was working (up until April) I ate alot of fast food (although alot of it was salads), never had enough time to eat slowly and actually enjoy it. Ate breakfast on the road and multiple cups of coffee or tea to get thru the day. My arthritis was killing me and I was SOOO tired. Retiring was the best thing I ever did. The stress relief was amazing after the first month getting used to not going to work...I only eat when I am hungry and can take a nap when I need it. I'm JUST starting to feel like I'm not so tired anymore. I do need to get back on my Dr. Fuhrman's "nutritarian" way of eating. It's been hard since my son's family has been here. They eat healthy but alot differently than I am used to.

COSunflower · #10 07/12/14, 03:56 PM

But...back to the question

I would be willing to change habits if it made a difference to my daily living - making it easier to get around and do stuff - but probably not so enclined if it only meant that I would live longer. What's the use of living longer if you are not happy or feeling deprived???

Micheal · #11 07/13/14, 06:40 AM

Hummm, seems as though most everyone would make the life style changes. Which is a good thing I guess?
I personally gave up smoking bout 28 or so years ago, drinking alcohol bout 9 years ago, drinking any caffeine bout 5 months ago, heck I've even given up lying.

But they were all things I just stopped doing not cause I had to nor was told to it was just something in my body/mind said it was time to quit.... so I did.
It's the same bout going to the gym twice a week, just something I thought it time to start doing. As to what I eat, my food choices over the years have been always changing. From years past to present it is now less meat of any sort, more fresh veggies (dependent on garden), way less salt of any sort, and as Wolf mom posted "everything in moderation".
But again these were all my deciding on the changes.......

So as I'm typing this I'm beginning to think it isn't so much the changes it's being told I have to............ That's something I've always had trouble with the "being told" to do something that effects me personally...... specially when I can not see any real benefit in it.
I'm sorry but to me I see no reason to try to live up to someone else's idea of a "healthier" life style. Specially since over time they themselves can't get it right either - remember bout eating eggs!!!!!

But as others posted "That's just me".......

But I really do thank everyone for their thoughts.

simi-steading · #12 07/13/14, 07:04 AM

I doubt your Dr is saying you HAVE to do something.. it's a suggestion... which you can take or leave... He's just doing what you are paying him to do... looking out for your best interests...

jwal10 · #13 07/14/14, 09:30 AM

I try not to see a doctor if I can help it. One told me I had to change my diet because he said my cholesterol was high. I did everything he wanted, no change. He put me on meds, no good. He was killing me. I went off everything and back to my old ways. I saw him years later, he was heavy and smoked like a chimney but I would still see him out jogging (kind of a fast walk) He looked miserable. He had a full blown heart attack at 45,so bad he isn't doctoring anymore. I'm still doing good the old way. I'm not working either, It was stress the whole time for me. No stress, no problems....James

TnAndy · #14 07/14/14, 10:03 AM

Average lifespan for US males is 70.9 years.

For US physicians, it's 73.

They outlive the rest of us an average of 2.1 years.

Big deal. Almost statistically insignificant. Seems to me if they were all that good at their profession, it would be 10 years or more.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11020591

Maura · #15 07/16/14, 12:20 PM

I would take the doc’s advice under consideration. I do my own research. For instance, salt isn’t such a big deal. But, if you eat a lot of prepared food or a lot salty snacks, salt will be an issue. I don’t, so I don’t watch my salt. It is not a one size fits all. Same with milk. Going from 2% milk to 3.5% is only 1.5%. Less fat means more lactose. Is that good? If you do not otherwise eat a lot of fat, whole milk is fine. Also consider that whole milk when I was a child could be as high as 8%, so 3.5% is really low fat. You need at least 2% fat in milk or your body cannot absorb the calcium, so nobody should drink skim or 1%.

Same with cholesterol. Statistics show that those with the lowest cholesterol in any age group die first

Yes, I’ll make changes, but I have to be convinced that it is a good thing, not just a cookie cutter approach.

**Shrek** · #16 07/16/14, 12:53 PM

I plan to enjoy life the way I want until I die regardless if that day is tomorrow or 20 years away.

Whenever my control freak doctor starts preaching such and such lifestyle changes will add years to the end of my life, I cut him off by saying that I plan to continue enjoying the few pleasures I enjoy and have no intention of adding onto the diapered and demented end of life most all of us go through for at least awhile anyway.

Tabitha · #17 07/16/14, 01:44 PM

Those are non issues for me, I eat as little out of a store as possible. I do not think curtailing fat is healthy, but eating bad fat is unhealthy.
Avoid processed foods, esp. sugar and white flour.

My Dad lost his stomach to cancer. He was the most upbeat person I ever knew.
Of course he had a long list of things he was not supposed to eat. He never paid it one bit of attention. There he was, eating wild mushrooms he had found, (he was an expert) high on his no no list. I said, boy they are going to be heavy on your stomach. Dad said, of course not, I do not have one. When he went for his checkups the professor called in other Drs. to see my Dad, he was the poster boy of doing fantastic. For breakfast Dad ate either a raw onion or big Radishes shredded, good bread and butter, an egg, his self gathered herbtea. He enjoyed it immensely. He walked twenty miles on regular hikes all the time. When he was 85 he still took groups of tourists on hiking tours. Dad would not touch junkfood with a pole, not for health reasons, but because it is junk. Who would eat junk. He died at age 87, I assume of old age or because it was time to call it a day, the Dr. said there was no reason for him to have died. He went to a birthday party, was the life of the party. of course. then he fell asleep in front of the TV and never woke up. That was on Thursday, on Tuesday he had been at choir rehearsal. of course walked the mile to church.
Mother just died age 90. She also came close to the edge around sixty. I get the impression that folks who escape death appreciate everything a lot more and have more zest for life .We might be healthier if we had that zest beforehand.

Micheal · #18 07/19/14, 07:10 AM

Its interesting reading the comments again.
To add to the list of things needed to change (over and above eating habits):

Exercise - My going to the gym twice a week is not good enough - need 5 days out of the seven of "formal" exercise. This is to include stretching, aerobic, and strength. Oh you also need to know what your "target" heart rate is (mine is 124) or you can use the Borg RPE scale (a scale based on how you feel during exercise).
No, going for that walk/stroll doesn't count, nor does cutting, splitting, stacking firewood, nor working in the garden, or doing yard work, etc...

Medications - It's very important to "take as directed" and on the time schedule told to you by the doc.

Emotional health - Keep doing the things you enjoy, try doing something new, stay involved, be active... Deal with or at least mange stress in your life. Take time to relax. If needed get help in dealing with emotional problems.

Sooo, If'n you want to comment on these please remember:

This has not a thing to do with living longer nor having a better life; it's all about having a "healthier" life style!!!!

WildBillTN · #19 07/20/14, 03:24 PM

For the "formal" exercise, have you thought of tai chi? Works for me.

Micheal · #20 07/21/14, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillTN

For the "formal" exercise, have you thought of tai chi? Works for me.

To be honest; No.

The examples given me were of standard type exercises involving weights, treadmill, stair climber, chair (something to hold on to while stretching), resistance bands, etc...

Mostly pushed was the fact that I have to get my heart rate up to the "target" and hold it there for a time.... And of course, to build up muscle mass; something that is normally lost during the "aging" process.