Taking charge of your own health

When I was younger and had young children I avidly followed the advice of a nutritionist called Adele Davis, who was very keen on telling people how they should eat and feed their families.
Then I read that she had died aged 71 (cause of death not specified).

Genetics have as much a part to play as life-style.

My grandmother died aged 90, she never did an exercise class in her life, although she did like old tyme dancing. Her favourite foods were a good cooked breakfast and roast dinners. She did like the occasional brandy. My dad always very fit, walked miles and ate healthily. He became suddenly ill aged 78 and died within weeks, his body just seemed to shut down.
By all means stay fit and active so that your quality of life is good, but don't imagine you are in some way extending it. My brother and I decided my dad's body cells were just programmed to shut down when they did.

My first husband was a 37 year old super-fit Royal Marine when he died very suddenly of a heart attack. That was after coming through 8 tours of Northern Ireland, the Falklands War and various other 'troubles' without a scratch. So much for keeping fit in my opinion.

Agreed ;)

Yes I think you should take care of yourself as much as you reasonably can without excess in any area.
My dear sister's husband was very fit; played football, cricket, regularly did 10 mile walks and cycled 11 miles each way to work for years.
He suffered a l-o-n-g drawn out illness for some 9 years before his early death. When he had to retire, he had many cards, one of which said "I always told you all that exercise was no good for you" They both laughed.

Also the people that are killing themselves with drink and drugs are often massively unhappy through life events and are self-medicating. They need help, not condemnation. Is it one in three vagrants on London streets are ex-servicemen, suffering from PTSD. May have got that figure wrong, but it says something.

Oh Atticus. All that exercise and eating healthy makes you come across as smug and self righteous. Friends are there for you in your darkest of hours and help get you through your most worrying of days not a vegan diet and a kettle bell! Make time for friends in your life too by being accepting of others to reap the most benefits in life.

Hi Atticus! I'm a vegan too! Nice to know there are other vegans on this site! I recently had blood tests done, and everything was fine. Regarding exercise, I carry my ten ton, 7 months old baby grandson around a lot in his sling, and that seems to be all the exercise I need!I also carry heavy bags of shopping because I don't drive.I eat a healthy, balanced vegan diet and eat when I'm hungry, rather than having set meal times.My weight stays stable with this eating pattern, and I don't need to think about it. Then only health problem I have is migraine, which I've suffered from since being a very small child.I feel lucky to enjoy good health and I never take it for granted, because we don't know what lies around the corner.

Hi Atticus! I'm a vegan too! Nice to know there are other vegans on this site! I recently had blood tests done, and everything was fine. Regarding exercise, I carry my ten ton, 7 months old baby grandson around a lot in his sling, and that seems to be all the exercise I need!I also carry heavy bags of shopping because I don't drive.I eat a healthy, balanced vegan diet and eat when I'm hungry, rather than having set meal times.My weight stays stable with this eating pattern, and I don't need to think about it. Then only health problem I have is migraine, which I've suffered from since being a very small child.I feel lucky to enjoy good health and I never take it for granted, because we don't know what lies around the corner.

Hi Atticus! I'm a vegan too! Nice to know there are other vegans on this site! I recently had blood tests done, and everything was fine. Regarding exercise, I carry my ten ton, 7 months old baby grandson around a lot in his sling, and that seems to be all the exercise I need!I also carry heavy bags of shopping because I don't drive.I eat a healthy, balanced vegan diet and eat when I'm hungry, rather than having set meal times.My weight stays stable with this eating pattern, and I don't need to think about it. Then only health problem I have is migraine, which I've suffered from since being a very small child.I feel lucky to enjoy good health and I never take it for granted, because we don't know what lies around the corner.

Good for you Atticus. If you enjoy your exercise routine and it makes you feel good then go for it. I don't think it's smug to want to be the best that you can be. Life isn't fair and hands are not dealt evenly. I know this as much as anybody, my former husband, fit and athletic at the age of 60 died of a sudden heart attack while out running. My brother, much loved and with everything to live for, struck down with motor neurone disease in his 40's. I go to the gym, walk, do weights, basically just do my best to keep ill health at bay. That's not smug, it's just sensible and responsible and taking charge of my own health as much as possible.

My dad never smoked in his life, never drank, exercised at the gym, walked everywhere and was fit and healthy. Died of cancer in March. Also had dementia. My mother who smoked since being 13, is an alcoholic and hasn't exercised since 1990, is still going, both the same age, 76 years old. (Divorced).

When your time is up, your time is up.

I'm with Cagsy on this one I'm afraid and feel guilty for a sedentary lifestyle. I work from home too so the only exercise I get is if I find time to walk to the post office - I rarely leave the house but if I can I will walk rather than driving as I hate trying to park the car! I think we eat fairly healthily, don't smoke and I only have 1 glass of wine a night - my OH doesn't drink at all. He's overweight despite being in a job that involves walking up and down a factory all day, has high BP and had various ops over the last few years for non life threatening issues. Our jobs are both stressful so we don't escape that either. I've been healthy all my life but have suddenly developed a problem which I need to investigate as soon as I can get to the doctors and worry that this lack of exercise could be a contributing factor. Well done to all of you who are getting out there and doing what you can even with debilitating illnesses. My parents played golf into their mid 80's, cooked everything from scratch, didn't smoke and mum never drank but both developed dementia so it's not always the lifestyle to blame.

My 96 yr old MIL smokes 20 a day, 2 bottles of scotch a week , red meat and 2 overcooked veg is a typical meal, has never exercised etc. And lives independently.This isn't evidence that you shouldn't look after your health, rather that it is a bit of a lottery, an interaction between genes and environmental factors, which I guess we all acknowledge. Trouble is we don't know which card we have drawn in life's lottery, so I guess we should look after our health but not get all evangelical about it. Life is for living, enjoy it while you can.

Since my dh passed away 4 years ago I've eaten very badly and suffer from extreme anxiety. I'm half a stone overweight and generally I'm in a bit of a state on most days.

I had blood tests taken recently, and a 24 hour BP monitor. To my total ATONISHMENT everything was normal and at nearly 70 I'm on no medication.

I agree with previous posts that it's mostly down to what genes you inherit. My mother ate badly, suffered from her nerves and only developed health problems in her early 80s.

I'm hoping I'm the same, so fingers crossed.

Having said all that it is of course a good idea to exercise, eat well etc.,

SuzieD your MIL sounds in fine fettle!

My MIL is not in fine fettle, she has numerous health problems, but she continues to smoke and drink on the grounds that it does her good. She manages to cook her own meals and gets by with lots of care from her long-suffering family.

My DM always said 'everything in moderation' which sort of fits with the way I live my life. We aren't going to live for ever! Probably keeping as fit as we can within the bounds of our fading strength is all we can do. I find walking our very active dog gets me out exercising, fresh air, social contact. And I do treat myself every so often. I'm not into suffering. Life's too short!

As for being stress free.....suggest someone lets my family know. ?

I just wish we weren't so judgemental about people's health and fitness when we don't know their personal circumstances. As a few have said, life can be a lottery and longevity down to luck and genes much of the time. I also dislike pugilistic metaphors used about cancer ie "fighting" cancer or "losing battle bravely fought", when often there's no choice in the matter. You don't see that someone's died after "brave battle" against heart disease or diabetes for instance.

I think the cancer metaphors are probably because of the nature of the treatment, Lazi. As it is often quite gruelling, it can be a struggle to stay positive, and the fatigue that is associated with all of the treatments really does have to be battled with.

I have heard the metaphor used about fighting a long illness, which is not necessarily cancer.

BTW why do you have such an objection to this? In what way do you find it inappropriate?

I dislike these terms Jud because I agree some cancer treatments can be gruelling, and some days it can be difficult to just get out of bed, without in addition the burden of feeling you must "fight" the illness. I can see where you are coming from with the need to remain positive, but I think the guilt of feeling you did not fight hard enough if you suffer a relapse, through no fault of your own, must be hard to bear. Unfortunately it can be just the nature of the disease.

I don't think the OP was smug. S/He was asking opinions on what we do to safeguard our health. That doesn't mean that if you adopt those measures, you are immune from serious illness, which can strike anyone at any time.

But I would like to ask you though Atticus why you think a vegan diet is a particularly healthy one. I know some studies have shown that a vegetarian diet is associated with greater longevity, but this is not proof that a vegetarian diet will necessarily help you live longer.

Personally I think that the reduction of added sugars in one's diet, and the consumption of fruit and vegetables to provide fibre, are the most important things to concentrate on.

As far as exercise goes, things which improve strength and balance, like Pilates, are as important as aerobic exercise for older people, as they help prevent falls which is often the beginning of a lower quality of life due to the subsequent injury that is sustained.

Vegan diets are inevitably really short of Vitamin D. Recently recognised at national level that we are nearly all short of this essential vitamin. So if a vegan then lots of nude sunbathing essential
judthepud "Everything?" I think I'll skip the class A drugs and the cigarettes, even in moderation.

Ah no Jess hard drugs and cigs not included! My mum was thinking of diet I think

Ain't it all a mystery, this healthy living stuff? My parents both lived far longer than their own parents, but they did nothing special except a daily walk down the road and back. My dad had a physical job all his life and stomach cancer took him. Mum got dementia and choked on her dinner cos she ate too fast.

I'm overweight. I have scoliosis and it limits what I can do without triggering that terrible back pain that results if I am not careful.

I am also a smoker.

I should be banned from this website for my unhealthy lifestyle, but I've only just joined, so hope I might be accepted for the time being.

I've tried and tried to stop smoking, but my hubby smokes too, and has no intention of giving up. I've tried and tried to lose weight but my hubby is a huge eater (and drinker) and has no intention of changing his diet. Every day I suggest we go for a walk, but he hasn't got time (???) or doesn't feel like it. It's like fighting a losing battle.

I know, well enough, I don't have to live like my husband does, but it makes it harder to change if the person you live with is scoffing biscuits all the time. Ironically, his blood pressure is perfect, his liver function, diabetes and all those other tests are perfect, he has no health problems, so why should he change?

You have no answers, I know, but it is getting to me and something has to be done about me. Maybe someone on here has some words of wisdom that will kick-start me into sorting out my health.

Yours hopefully

Meg