The Longevity Thread...

[0xdeadbeef 1651]

1 hour ago, Reagan1k said:

I'm no big critic either because they do a ton of good in general, but you are 100% correct and most of those medicines are designed to alleviate symptoms of the underlying issue and not to correct the issue itself.

I don't begrudge them b/c we all chase the money in our professions to one degree or another, but the pharmaceutical companies can make a hellua lot more money soothing chronic symptoms (and then the symptoms those meds cause, and those meds cause....) than they can fixing the problem.

Back to my earlier post about chewing......The vast majority of the drugs (both prescription and OTC) in the digestive health space for fixing heartburn, acid reflux, gut problems, etc. are just soothing symptoms that could otherwise be resolved by fixing the underlying gut health issues and resetting the digestive process to its natural state.  But, they can offer symptom-fixers to a generally lazy population that doesn't want to be disciplined in how they eat....who choose to pop a pill after eating rather than modify how, what, and when they consume food.

That's just one example.

I don't blame them, but I have a choice as to whether I participate in that cycle of commerce and lifestyle.

The docs are especially in a bad spot b/c if they told patients the truth, they'd most likely be blasted on social media and otherwise labeled as uncaring, shaming and hurtful instead of "fixing" the problem.

 

We're not the only ones to notice this. In the Dr. Attia book on longevity (Outlive), he coined the phrases Medicine 2.0 where we are today and have been since the 17th century where doctors just find and treat diseases, and Medicine 3.0 where he says we need to be where it "shifts the model of care from a focus on disease treatment to prevention—with a longevity lens."   

Does Big Pharma greed play into that, almost certainly, but I think it's at least as much or more because of your last statement.  If a Doctor told an obese person who has otherwise good blood work that they need to lose weight, they would get blasted because there are "no problems". The reality is excessive fat is a ticking time bomb.  Easier to just treat the problems.

[Snake Diggity 4624]

Great thread and timely as the bulk of the posters on the site are transitioning into being olds.

I consider the 5 pillars of longevity to be genetics, sleep, exercise, diet, and stress.  So I focus on the 4 of those I can control while being aware of the implications of the one I can’t control.  
 

Quote

Genetics: 3 of my grandparents lived into their late 80s (and they all ate poorly and 2 of them were alcoholics at one point) and the 4th died from smoking; all of my biological aunts and uncles are still alive, with the youngest being in their 60s.  My parents just hit 70 and are still very active.  So I feel like I should have good luck in that regard.  However, 7 of my mother’s 9 brothers have stints in their heart, so that’s a concern.  My testosterone is low but now low enough for my doc to suggest shots.  I have a low (but >0) calcium score on my heart.  My cholesterol and tri-glycerides are high; the PA wants me to get on statins but I’m trying to lower those naturally.  Only med I’m on is Nexium for heartburn and I’m thinking of trying to wean off of that next year.   I am turning 45 next year so will get a colonoscopy.  I am interested in the annual (expensive) cancer tests I’ve heard some people are doing.

Sleep: For the past few years I have been really really focused on sleep and I feel like it has made a world of difference in my mental health; my depression has been alleviated big time.  But not so much benefit in my physical health, as I still always feel tired.  I am almost always in bed by 10pm, often by 9pm.  My alarm is set for 6:30.  I got a smart ring earlier this year, and it shows I am getting plenty of sleep, but lack in deep sleep.  I haven’t really figured out how to fix that, as supplements and exercise have not helped.  So that’s my current focus is trying to figure out how to increase my sleep efficiency.  

Exercise: I have always exercised enough to maintain a healthy weight, and I am currently within 5 lbs of my ideal weight.  My current exercise regimen is: Mon: run a 10k; Tue: 15 min yoga and 10 min ab workout at home; Th: 30 min of push ups and pull ups; Fri: run a 10k.  Also, I walk my dog for 30 min at least twice a week, and my elementary aged kids keep me fairly active, especially on the weekends.  I would like to add in some less structured cardio (like basketball) and some weights, but all in all I think my routine is as good as I can hope for; I really like the way I look, and despite chronic fatigue and age-related injuries, my body feels healthy and strong.

Diet: I have a really really bad addiction to sweets and junk food in general.  It comes and goes, but especially around Halloween and thru the holidays I eat way too much sugar.  Reducing my sugar and unhealthy fat intake is by far the most glaring aspect of my health that needs changing, it’s just been too difficult for me to overcome.  I have dramatically lowered the amount of red meat I eat, and substitute in more beans, and I have noticed a difference.  My alcohol consumption has gone way down over the years, and it’s now rare for me to drink more than 1-2 drinks total during the week, but I still often drink 4-5 beers at least once on the weekend and binge drink 5-6 times a year.  I have been seriously considering quitting altogether; it just doesn’t feel as good as it used to and the consequences have gotten worse.  But I really don’t think my current rate of consumption represents a meaningful risk to my longevity.  I don’t consume too much caffeine, usually 1 cup of coffee or 1 soda or 1 glass of tea each day.  I have found certain foods make me feel good, so I have been trying to eat more of them: blueberries, salmon, walnuts, spinach, pinto beans, and avocado all seem to be good for me.  I take a lot of supplements, but mostly as experiments.  I have set I take in the morning for energy/mood and a set I take at night for sleep/pain.  Who knows how much the placebo effect is the root, but fish oil and creatine seem to help my mood/energy.  Turmeric works for pain/soreness.  Cherry juice helps for staying asleep (but not sleep quality or falling asleep).  The jury is out on the others: multivitamin, NAC+niacinamide, Quercetin+Bromelain, Fenugreek+Maca, Ashwaghanda, L-theanine, CBD oil, probiotics.  I only take each of them once a week, spread out.  I will probably stop taking all of those once the bottles run out if they don’t convince me they’re doing something.  I may add in a zinc supplement.

Stress: this is my Achilles.  I have always been a morbid worry wort and am pretty sure I have a mild form of OCD.  Having kids increased my stress dramatically.  On the flip side, I have good social connections and a relatively low stress job (for the money).  I am working on trying to reduce my day to day stress but I feel like I’m fighting genetics, lifestyle, and the foundation of my personality.  I am currently reading “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl and it is giving me some perspective and a short term boost in my ability to put stressful things into context that makes them less stressful.  But if I die before 70, it will probably be stress-related.

TLDR: I am good at maintaining a healthy weight thru diet/exercise and getting plenty of sleep.  I am bad at stressing out over little shit and eating too much junk food.  

Edited Tuesday at 04:24 PM by Snake Diggity

[Snake Diggity 4624]

Another factor in my longevity is the fact that my job is sedentary.  I realized recently that this year marks 20 years of having jobs that have me sitting at a desk for 40+ hours per week, and for the last 10 years I’ve worked from home so I’m not even commuting or walking around an office to socialize.  There’s a lot of recent research that shows that’s a significant risk factor, even if you control for exercising and maintaining a healthy weight (and a recent article said standing desks aren’t really the answer).  I probably only have another 7-12 years of work left.  But I have been thinking more and more about changing careers to do something more active (although I’m not at all sure what that would be).

Edited Tuesday at 07:06 PM by Snake Diggity

[0xdeadbeef 1651]

6 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Another factor in my longevity is the fact that my job is sedentary.  I realized recently that this year marks 20 years of having jobs that have me sitting at a desk for 40+ hours per week, and for the last 10 years I’ve worked from home so I’m not even commuting or walking around an office to socialize.  There’s a lot of recent research that shows that’s a significant risk factor, even if you control for exercising and maintaining a healthy weight (and a recent article said standing desks aren’t really the answer).  I probably only have another 7-12 years of work left.  But I have been thinking more and more about changing careers to do something more active (although I’m not at all sure what that would be).

I'll have to go look for that article when I have time, but that description of standing desks fits with my personal experience.  I work in software and work from home, so I bought a standing desk a few years ago.  Sounded great, but I found I can't actually do serious work when I'm standing. Conference calls, sure, but anything involving reading, studying, typing, programming or analysing (so basically my job)  is 3x slower, so I don't stand.  It's been zero benefit during the work week, but where it has helped me is on weekends.  On Friday evening I put the desk in standing mode and it prevents me from mindlessly sitting down on and getting sucked into work on the weekend. That may sound unnecessary, but when you work from home and you like your job, keeping separation is a issue. 

 

[South Austin 52504]

32 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Another factor in my longevity is the fact that my job is sedentary.  I realized recently that this year marks 20 years of having jobs that have me sitting at a desk for 40+ hours per week, and for the last 10 years I’ve worked from home so I’m not even commuting or walking around an office to socialize.  There’s a lot of recent research that shows that’s a significant risk factor, even if you control for exercising and maintaining a healthy weight (and a recent article said standing desks aren’t really the answer).  I probably only have another 7-12 years of work left.  But I have been thinking more and more about changing careers to do something more active (although I’m not at all sure what that would be).

My job (real lawyer, not just Surly lawyer) is also fairly sedentary.  Unless I'm in court or at a site inspection, most of my working day is at a desk, or sitting a conference room in a deposition.  That's pretty much been my day job since 1999.  

I've also read a recent article saying that standing desks aren't as beneficial as advertised, and that some movement every half hour or so is preferable.  For the last few years I've tried to make it a point 2-3 times a day to walk briskly around the perimeter of my floor.  And since I read about the 10-Minute Walk, after lunch I walk around my block downtown for 10 minutes, work and weather permitting.  And I also do a 10-minute walk right after dinner, which helps make up for the time sitting on my ass at the office.  That on top of my early morning workout routine.  But still, sitting at my desk for most of the day is not great.

Edited Tuesday at 07:39 PM by South Austin

[troph 24798]

I was going to say the same thing, standing desks may not be that much more helpful. what is helpful is getting up and walking 3-4 times a day during the work day. you can combine that with breakfast and lunch (the 10 min walk after eating routine) and then you only have to do it once more. I'm sorta lucky in that my ADHD forces me to get up and walk around the house usually about once an hour. so I'm on a 5 min walk every hour plus walking after dinner at least. and none of that is part of a workout.  Heck, i'm so bad at it, even when it's time to relax I will mill around the house aimlessly almost like a fish constantly on the move. no wonder my spirit animal is a trout. ha.

[Reagan1k 3024]

My Oura ring provides a steady reminder of "Time to stretch your legs?" alarms /alerts after I've been sedentary at my desk for too long.  As long as I take note and do something about it, there's a benefit.

It is a little bothersome on long drives when I might not stop for a few hours and it wants me to.  I guess I'd be heathier yet if I did pull over even if just to walk around the car, but especially at night that's a negative for me.  I just want to get where I'm going.

 

[Jerry Callo 8703]

1 minute ago, Reagan1k said:

My Oura ring provides a steady reminder of "Time to stretch your legs?" alarms /alerts after I've been sedentary at my desk for too long.  As long as I take note and do something about it, there's a benefit.

It is a little bothersome on long drives when I might not stop for a few hours and it wants me to.  I guess I'd be heathier yet if I did pull over even if just to walk around the car, but especially at night that's a negative for me.  I just want to get where I'm going.

 

Pull over, leave the car in drive, jump out, and chase after it.  

[Herbie Hancock 7347]

My daily regimen:

Fish oil
Milk thistle extract
D3
Magnesium
Zinc
Juice of 2-4 lemons

I’m not a fan of glucosamine supplements. The bulk of the studies are inconclusive as to their effectiveness, and several of which have suggested that the placebo effect is responsible for the positive feedback in previous studies.

Creatine and glutamine are proven to have positive benefits, but the majority of society are not reaching the level of physical exertion that would necessitate supplementation with those two. If you eat a balanced diet you are most likely not in need of either.

[Post Oak 20213]

I have never heard of milk thistle extract. Thanks

[South Austin 52504]

3 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

I’m not a fan of glucosamine supplements. The bulk of the studies are inconclusive as to their effectiveness, and several of which have suggested that the placebo effect is responsible for the positive feedback in previous studies.

Creatine and glutamine are proven to have positive benefits, but the majority of society are not reaching the level of physical exertion that would necessitate supplementation with those two. If you eat a balanced diet you are most likely not in need of either.

My internal medicine doc said something similar about glucosamine, and said I'd be better off saving my money.  Since dropping it, I haven't noticed any more joint pain.  In fact, my joint pain is considerably less, but I think that's because I've incorporated a lot more serious stretching and more balancing exercises in my lower body routine. 

The doc didn't say whether he thought creatine was good or bad, but my creatine levels were in the high range, so he told me to get off of it.  He wasn't alarmist, but told me unequivocally to stop taking it, so I did.  I've been off over a year and a half, my creatine levels are back in the normal range, and haven't noticed any change in my workouts or recovery.  Like you alluded, I'm not trying to get yuge, and for the most part I lift in the 8-12 rep range to failure, so maybe creatine wasn't all that helpful for me.  I do think that when I got back to lifting 10 years ago creatine helped me add on quite a bit of lean muscle in that first 8-10 week period, but that could have been all in my head.

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:12 PM by South Austin

[troph 24798]

I lost a fair amount of muscle the last 5 months, I need to get back on the weight lifting train. At 40-43 I was in the best shape of my life. My weight is great now but I need to get back on it. 

I will say I think hand eye coordination ball sports like tennis and pickleball are supposed to be fantastic for brain health and they are not continuous cardio which is supposed to not be as good as other forms of exercise. I can tell you that the work it takes to focus enough to succeed and the decision making required to succeed often times decisions made in a half second wears me the fuck out in one hour of practice. That seems like it’s a good thing. Note I go really hard at it for an hour and my coach doesn’t really accept anything less than peak focus. So it really is an hard workout mentally. Add that spatial recognition or the decline in it is linked to early signs of dementia and other memory related diseases and I think I’ve found my sport.
 

Edited Wednesday at 02:10 PM by troph

[South Austin 52504]

Get back to lifting, @troph.  I tell people that when I started lifting again around 40 I felt like a completely different person.  More in shape, better endurance, less aches, better sleep, and more regular bowel movements (yes, regular shitting is so much better).

And I'll admit, there's also some vanity at play, to quote Lester Burnham.  

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

I’ve pretty much given up alcohol except in terms of socializing with friends 1-2 times per week. Can’t recall the last time I had alcohol at home for no reason. Alcohol destroys my sleep but I allow myself if I get the socializing aspect. Even then I cap it at 3.  And if I’m out with friends who don’t drink, I’m absolutely fine copying them. To be clear,  I like drinking but don’t like the impact of it.

strangely I’ve upped my exercise level recently and now I can barely sleep thru the night. I’ve tried melatonin which only helps me get to sleep faster which was never the problem. Hopefully this is just a short term transition.

[troph 24798]

Just now, South Austin said:

Get back to lifting, @troph.  I tell people that when I started lifting again around 40 I felt like a completely different person.  More in shape, better endurance, less aches, better sleep, and more regular bowel movements (yes, regular shitting is so much better).

And I'll admit, there's also some vanity at play, to quote Lester Burnham.  

When I was lifting in my early forties regularly I was so toned I felt great. I looked great. Not gross, just that type that you know takes care of her body and looks pretty damn good naked too. I loved walking down the street and feeling my legs say damn we are in good shape. And honestly at that time I had classic tennis thighs which to me are the hottest legs a woman can have. i don’t look bad, but I gotta get that back. 

[South Austin 52504]

7 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

To be clear,  I like drinking but don’t like the impact of it.

Hangovers are probably the reason I keep my drinking in check.  Probably a good thing for me that a legitimate hangover cure hasn't been invented. 

7 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

strangely I’ve upped my exercise level recently and now I can barely sleep thru the night. I’ve tried melatonin which only helps me get to sleep faster which was never the problem. Hopefully this is just a short term transition.

When do you exercise?  I've read that exercise later in the day might affect when your body is able to shut down for the evening, but others can speak more intelligently on that.  

And do you take any sleep supplements other than melatonin?  As mentioned on this and other threads, magnesium and l-theanine might also help with sleep.

Edited Wednesday at 02:19 PM by South Austin

[South Austin 52504]

3 minutes ago, troph said:

When I was lifting in my early forties regularly I was so toned I felt great. I looked great. Not gross, just that type that you know takes care of her body and looks pretty damn good naked too. I loved walking down the street and feeling my legs say damn we are in good shape. And honestly at that time I had classic tennis thighs which to me are the hottest legs a woman can have. i don’t look bad, but I gotta get that back. 

Yeah, the ego boost of looking in shape is a great narcotic.  Do it for other reasons, but that's a nice benefit as well.

[Goofyboy 3293]

I’ve pretty much given up alcohol except in terms of socializing with friends 1-2 times per week. Can’t recall the last time I had alcohol at home for no reason. Alcohol destroys my sleep but I allow myself if I get the socializing aspect. Even then I cap it at 3.  And if I’m out with friends who don’t drink, I’m absolutely fine copying them. To be clear,  I like drinking but don’t like the impact of it.
strangely I’ve upped my exercise level recently and now I can barely sleep thru the night. I’ve tried melatonin which only helps me get to sleep faster which was never the problem. Hopefully this is just a short term transition.

Make sure you get your A1C checked. I found out I’m pre-diabetic and that really fucks with how easily you can become dehydrated. If I’m not very careful, I get a hangover off of one drink. I - like you - hardly drink anymore.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

2 minutes ago, Goofyboy said:

Make sure you get your A1C checked. I found out I’m pre-diabetic and that really fucks with how easily you can become dehydrated. If I’m not very careful, I get a hangover off of one drink. I - like you - hardly drink anymore.

Good call out. I just fell into the pre diabetic level at my last annual. Doc didn’t suggest I do anything about it yet except better overall habits.  Focusing on more exercise, cardio and weights. Slowly progressing with that.

@South Austin I’m trying to exercise in the mornings only. Going out for a 8pm run is far in my past.

[Frank Drebin 5639]

On 11/18/2024 at 6:16 PM, Chewbacca said:

It's amazing to me that more healthcare professionals aren't screaming this from the rooftops.  Muscle mass and strength training is so critical as we get older, as you say.

I started strength training seriously about a decade ago.  Now at age 49, I'm stronger than I've ever been in my life.  I can bench 305#, squat 425# and deadlift 425#. I'm sure that's not much to some folks here, but I'm damn proud of it.  I'll keep strength training as long as I'm able. I also take creatine daily along with vitamin D.

That's damn good.  I am 48 started lifting in the last year for the first time in ten years.  I can only bench around 240 right now, but it has gone up pretty rapidly.  I have monkey ass long arms, so bench press has never been my strength.  What seems to make the most difference in my bench is doing a lot of push ups on a daily basis.

My long arms are great for dead lifts. I plan on lifting and doing resistance training the rest of my life.  It is just as important as cardio.

Had my heart scanned recently (MRI) and a calcium test (I think that is what they call it).  And got a clean bill from my cardiologist.  Had to pay out of pocket.  But man the sense of relief from the results is worth the cost.  I am going to do a stress test with contrast in a couple months also. 

I am hoping to get my VO2 max tested at the same time.  I think the measurement from my apple watch is bullshit.  It has gone down or stayed flat since I started training for a marathon in June.  And I can run pretty much all day right now as long as I keep a pace where my HR is below 160.  In June, I could barely run a mile.  I have averaged 25k steps a day between walking or jogging since June, whereas I was averaging 11k steps a day from January to June.  Yet my Vo2 max barely moves (gone up 4 points)?

 

[Frank Drebin 5639]

19 hours ago, Snake Diggity said:

Another factor in my longevity is the fact that my job is sedentary.  I realized recently that this year marks 20 years of having jobs that have me sitting at a desk for 40+ hours per week, and for the last 10 years I’ve worked from home so I’m not even commuting or walking around an office to socialize.  There’s a lot of recent research that shows that’s a significant risk factor, even if you control for exercising and maintaining a healthy weight (and a recent article said standing desks aren’t really the answer).  I probably only have another 7-12 years of work left.  But I have been thinking more and more about changing careers to do something more active (although I’m not at all sure what that would be).

I have a walking treadmill that slides under my stand up desk.  I walk at least 2 miles on my walking pad before lunch and 2 miles after lunch.  And it's usually 3 and 3.  I also do 15 flights of stairs 3x per day at my office.  You can be active in most sedentary jobs if you want to.

[Rimbo 25935]

1 hour ago, Goofyboy said:

Make sure you get your A1C checked. I found out I’m pre-diabetic and that really fucks with how easily you can become dehydrated. If I’m not very careful, I get a hangover off of one drink. I - like you - hardly drink anymore.

Oh, that's fucking interesting. I've been struggling to handle even one drink, and this year's tests came back pre-diabeetus.

 

[Goofyboy 3293]

Oh, that's fucking interesting. I've been struggling to handle even one drink, and this year's tests came back pre-diabeetus.
 

I started Googling after I was extremely hung over one Monday. The day before, I had donuts and kolaches from Shipley’s for breakfast and then went and drove a skid steer in the heat for 4 hours. I was drinking water and Gatoraid (more sugar) while working. I thought I was fine. I had TWO drinks with dinner that night and was massively sick from 1am or so till damn near 2pm Monday.

The sugar spike, the heat and poor hydration threw my entire system off and then I tossed gas on the fire with booze.

I now limit to a glass of good wine here and there and water before and after.

[Herbie Hancock 7347]

In the last decade, particularly the last five years, I have seen a massive increase in non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Dialysis clinics also seem to be popping up everywhere as well.

I would urge caution with regard to consistent use of NSAID’s and Tylenol. My mother is 65 and I would estimate she takes 2-4 ibuprofen or aspirin a day. Every day. For probably close to two decade if not longer. That’s not ok. Not to mention that the inflammatory process is how your body repairs itself; so you’re inhibiting that when you take NSAID’s.

[Armybrat 40844]

The pacemaker tech nurse checked my device Monday and said the battery has 9.5 years of charge remaining. 
I laughed.

At least I can still ride my stationary exercise bike a total of two hours per week to keep limber.

Am down 75 lbs from my peak weight several years ago but still have about 50 to go. Hope I can get there so as to contribute that much less to global warming when the crematorium is fired up for my carcass.

 

[troph 24798]

1 hour ago, South Austin said:

Hangovers are probably the reason I keep my drinking in check.  Probably a good thing for me that a legitimate hangover cure hasn't been invented. 

When do you exercise?  I've read that exercise later in the day might affect when your body is able to shut down for the evening, but others can speak more intelligently on that.  

And do you take any sleep supplements other than melatonin?  As mentioned on this and other threads, magnesium and l-theanine might also help with sleep.

for me I get the best benefit of working out after the work day as it clears the stress and emotional BS. But my natural bedtime is 11-1130pm so that's enough time to wind down.

I'm going to continue to advocate for this sleep aid, it's all in one, one stop shop for sleep needs with the exception of melatonin (it has it so if that's a no-no for you, this one is out). The only thing missing is magnesium glycinate.

only caveat is that they give nutritionists first shipments so buying direct comes with delays sometimes.

body health sleep supp

20 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

The pacemaker tech nurse checked my device Monday and said the battery has 9.5 years of charge remaining. 
I laughed.

At least I can still ride my stationary exercise bike a total of two hours per week to keep limber.

Am down 75 lbs from my peak weight several years ago but still have about 50 to go. Hope I can get there so as to contribute that much less to global warming when the crematorium is fired up for my carcass.

 

nah man, you've got many more years. keep it up!

[troph 24798]

27 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

In the last decade, particularly the last five years, I have seen a massive increase in non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Dialysis clinics also seem to be popping up everywhere as well.

I would urge caution with regard to consistent use of NSAID’s and Tylenol. My mother is 65 and I would estimate she takes 2-4 ibuprofen or aspirin a day. Every day. For probably close to two decade if not longer. That’s not ok. Not to mention that the inflammatory process is how your body repairs itself; so you’re inhibiting that when you take NSAID’s.

for aches and pains I've migrated to a topical balm or freeze spray. I did take ibuprofen the last month on the reg to tamp down chest inflammation but I'm off it now. cardiologist told me to take it and he gave the best and most stern warning I've ever heard re NSAID's. most docs say nothing. He said, get off it as soon as you can, and don't take it unless you have to.  seems like the right advice for all meds quite honestly.

and there are supps that are hard on the liver too, we all should take inventory and check liver toxicity / impact of what we take. an example - CBD is processed by the liver, I'm on a pretty heavy dose now, that's okay as it's part of my weaning off pharma right now, but the goal is to probably get that down quite a bit. there are other supps too that have liver implications.

2 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

Make sure you get your A1C checked. I found out I’m pre-diabetic and that really fucks with how easily you can become dehydrated. If I’m not very careful, I get a hangover off of one drink. I - like you - hardly drink anymore.

4.9 bitches.

Edited Wednesday at 04:26 PM by troph

[HouTex 1867]

1 hour ago, Herbie Hancock said:

In the last decade, particularly the last five years, I have seen a massive increase in non-alcoholic cirrhosis. Dialysis clinics also seem to be popping up everywhere as well.

I would urge caution with regard to consistent use of NSAID’s and Tylenol. My mother is 65 and I would estimate she takes 2-4 ibuprofen or aspirin a day. Every day. For probably close to two decade if not longer. That’s not ok. Not to mention that the inflammatory process is how your body repairs itself; so you’re inhibiting that when you take NSAID’s.

I agree on the NSAID's.  Several years ago I was eating 2 advil every morning for about 18 months for a severe case of tennis elbow.  At my annual physical my kidney function was way down.  I told my doctor about the advil and he basically said wtf was I thinking.  You shouldn't be on advil or tylenol for more than a couple of weeks.  Thankfully, there was no permanent damage and my kidney function bounced back.

[Reagan1k 3024]

2 hours ago, Frank Drebin said:

Had my heart scanned recently (MRI) and a calcium test (I think that is what they call it).  And got a clean bill from my cardiologist.  Had to pay out of pocket.  But man the sense of relief from the results is worth the cost.  I am going to do a stress test with contrast in a couple months also.

Consider the Cleerly test if you're concerned about coronary artery disease, especially if there is history in your family or previous lifestyle choices might put you at risk.  Calcium tests can be valuable as a baseline and for monitoring changes, but if you want to be sure and to strip out the uncertainty that still lies in the CACS, then it might be worth it.  CACS is a general guideline of probable risk, but not a diagnosis either way - good or bad.

CACS gives valuable data, but it can't tell you if there is actually a building blockage, where, or whether the plaque is calcified or not.  Cleerly can.

[tx 3 putt 76958]

i’d highly recommend everyone invest in a great mattress 

Edited Wednesday at 07:58 PM by tx 3 putt

[troph 24798]

56 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

i’d highly recommend everyone invest in a great mattress 

don't care, had sex.

[Rimbo 25935]

8 hours ago, troph said:

He said, get off it as soon as you can, and don't take it unless you have to.  seems like the right advice for all meds quite honestly.

This is 100% true.

[Herbie Hancock 7347]

I’m having trouble finding it at the moment, but there is a very good, very lengthy study that was finished a couple years ago that showed the body’s ability to build new muscle all but ceases to exist by the late 40’s in most males. Furthermore, beyond 50 your existing muscle begins to atrophy. There are things you can do to mitigate that, such as good diet high in protein and regular weight training, but for the most part whatever muscle mass you have by your late 40’s is the most you will have for the rest of your life. Just in case anyone was looking for antler reason to be health conscious. I’ll keep digging and see if I can find the abstract; I’m pretty sure it was from Harvard or Duke Health.

[South Austin 52504]

36 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

but for the most part whatever muscle mass you have by your late 40’s is the most you will have for the rest of your life

Interesting.  As I've mentioned before, my workout routine is not designed to get me swole.  But, for the past 10 years I've lifted and maintained a diet toward adding some amount muscle (i.e., lifting to failure, increasing amount of resistance, 1g protein per pound of body weight); yet for the past couple years it seems like I've hit a plateau.  Maybe that study is the answer.  

[Herbie Hancock 7347]

Yeah it showed your ability to build new muscle pretty much 100% stops, but the ability to stave off atrophy and preserve what you have built is absolutely still there and it can be accomplished with routine gym work and proper diet like you mentioned. Obviously the exception to this is exogenous substances well beyond testosterone, but that’s the exception not the rule, and I wouldn’t recommend that route.

[Bodhi 1124]

I agree with others, Outlive is worth reading.  It can get a bit deep in the weeds at times but overall it simplifies a subject many find complex and is highly actionable.  I think the general themes of healthspan have been covered already but I'll try to expand a bit on two:

1) The importance of high quality sleep has been discussed.  Caffeine (half-life of 5-6 hours) and alcohol really negatively impact sleep quality.  You may sleep plenty of hours but they will inhibit you from getting into the much needed "deep sleep" state.  I try and avoid caffeine consumption after noon and consume alcohol 1x weekly knowing my sleep will suffer.  I'm not about to start watching NU football sober.

2) Move more frequently.  I exercise 6x weekly but can be pretty sedentary otherwise.  While this isn't terrible its also not optimal.  Below is a brief video that makes a case for short bouts of movement throughout the day.  These are really easy to accomplish.

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

I've recently purchased a Whoop body tracker that I like but don't like the results so far. I like how it estimates the strain you're putting your body through each day, and if your rest/sleep is allowing you to fully recover or not. As previously written my sleep sucks lately so I'm in the red for sleep and recovery with Whoop.

In talking with long term Whoop users, they tell me how their experience is that when you have a few drinks at night, the Whoop numbers easily identify how your sleep is worse. 

[Reagan1k 3024]

27 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I've recently purchased a Whoop body tracker that I like but don't like the results so far. I like how it estimates the strain you're putting your body through each day, and if your rest/sleep is allowing you to fully recover or not. As previously written my sleep sucks lately so I'm in the red for sleep and recovery with Whoop.

In talking with long term Whoop users, they tell me how their experience is that when you have a few drinks at night, the Whoop numbers easily identify how your sleep is worse. 

Friends use Whoop and report the same thing about drinking, sleep, and Whoop catching it.  Sounds like a good product.

Wife and I use Oura. 

I don't drink but I can 100% see my sleep score affected and reflected in the app if I eat late. 

Even if I happen to sleep more hours, it's a less restful sleep and I see the difference in my heart rate, HRV, and the mix of sleep cycles....my score will reflect it.

My wife can see the difference if she drinks, without fail, just like the above for me eating late.

I've started double checking the accuracy each AM. 

I give myself 10-15 minutes to get my bearings and then decide if I feel rested or not, try to guess my score based on how I feel, and then open the app and let it calculate.  It's as accurate as it can be.

[HeHateMe 885]

Does anyone have experience with red light therapy?  Specifically red light beds.  Seeing them pop up in wellness clinics around where I live, Arizona, and have read enough to make me curious.  Would love to hear about someone with personal experience and if they saw noticeable health benefits.  Great thread.