Prolong Your Life With This Attitude-"I've Gotta Hustle"
Vincent R. Moloney MD
As we get older we gradually weaken and lose some or a lot of our ability to do things. There are two reasons for this deterioration and they are the process of aging and the decline in usage of our abilities.
Any power, strength, faculty or ability that we possess as human beings, mental or physical, can be strengthened by repetition and increased usage. Conversely, the opposite occurs when we do just the opposite and stop using our abilities. When our faculties are relieved from being needed and required to function and are no longer used the body realizes this and allows something to happen called "atrophy" which comes from the Greek for "shrinking". This results in a loss of function. It happens to the physical such as strength, reflexes, balance, stamina, coordination, etc. and the mental such as arithmetic, percentages, planning, problem solving decision-making, judgment, etc.
While going through life we drop doing things one by one, especially the physical, while we are caught up in having too much to do. The biggest change comes when we retire at which time we no longer have to use our mental faculties as well as the physical ones. If we allow ourselves to sink into an inactive state we can end up in a sorry state in later life and we've all seen examples of this. Our powers do "atrophy".
We can do something about this. Remember the two reasons for deterioration: the process of aging and the decrease in usage. The process of aging cannot be stopped but perhaps it can be slowed. The loss of abilities due to decreased usage is where we can really make a difference.
First we address the easiest part, the physical. Institute a good aerobic exercise program consisting of 45 minutes of walking that benefits heart and lungs as well as muscles. Add to this a 20-minute weight lifting regimen for upper body and a few calisthenics and you should be fine.
The more difficult part is the mental decline. I see articles touting the measurable improvement resulting from mental "calisthenics" such as going through program of exercises designed to use mental functions. It seems a little lame to me. I think it's better to involve yourself in doing things that require the use of mental powers like part time jobs, an officer of various clubs and service organizations, computer and internet, writing letters to the editor, an online business and many things that are available. These will require the use of mental faculties and keep them strong and limber.
These activities should require you to be putting something on the line where the outcome is in doubt and depends on your successful completion of the task or project thus generating a degree of anxiety. Your best mental faculties are then called into play.
If you have enough of these activities you find yourself waking up in the morning and thinking, "I've gotta hustle" to get things done or I'll fall behind or fail. This also generates a level of anxiety that is communicated down into the deepest levels of bodily functioning where primitive processes such as defense against infection, immune system functioning, resisting cancerous changes, slowing cell breakdown and the aging process and resistance to deterioration in general are going on. These processes are galvanized in a positive way to help slow these negative effects.
This can go a long way towards prolonging our lives, keeping us healthy and maintaining us as capable functioning persons deep into old age.
End article.
About the author:
Dr. Moloney retired from Family Practice several years ago. He
has retained his lifelong interest in music and teaching and has
written a book explaining and simplifying music.
http:/www.musicsimplified.com/ http:/www.musicsimplified.com