Jack LaLanne

[retire@40]

Even when you do everything you're supposed to do to live forever, it doesn't work.

Jack ate all the right foods, exercised everyday, and had a positive mental attitude, but still "only" made it to age 96.

RIP Jack and thanks for trying to keep America healthy.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Living to 96 is one thing, but he apparently was also in good health until the end, not so easy. DH read to me from the paper (as I drank my morning coffee) that Lalanne never drank caffeine or ate sweets after his health epiphany at age 15. Maybe I'll only live to 76.

 

[W2R]

I admired his dedication to good health. He was always an inspiration.

 

[tmm99]

Well, at least he didn't die of heart disease or cancer or stroke (respiratory failure due to pneumonia).

 

[deserat]

I guess I'm confused by the statement of 'only 96 years old.' I think 96 is a pretty long time to live - just because we see more 100 year olds on TV (Jay Leno had twins on the other night), doesn't mean we should all expect that. Both my grandmothers made it to 89 and outlived all of their siblings - when they were young the diseases we have vaccines for killed many younger people (their siblings in some cases). One of my grandmothers was a nurse and dealt with polio - she used to climb through the window and clean herself off before allowing herself to get near her children - this was before the polio vaccine.

In addition, we have so many more options for surgery, pharmaceuticals, etc, for diseases like cancer and/or lifestyle diseases such that we are able to live longer. Jack lived quite a long life considering when he was born and what he lived through. I'm sure the exercise and clean living helped...he may have reached the six sigma of what his genes would allow.

 

[bbbamI]

I wonder if he ever gave Happy a bite or two of Snausages....

 

[braumeister]

Lalanne never drank caffeine or ate sweets after his health epiphany...

Ya picks yer poison and ya takes yer chances:

Eight Reasons to drink coffee

According to research, the potential benefits of caffeine for maintenance of proper brain functioning has only recently begun to be appreciated.

 

[Orchidflower]

Guess that healthy stuff must really work...96...who knew?

 

[TromboneAl]

I just learned that the "Jumping Jack" was named after him!

Here he is at 95 -- he looks about 80.

YouTube - Jack LaLanne at Age 95

 

[WB52]

Cheers to Jack LaLanne! He was an inspiration to us all in many ways. He was faithful to his workout routine, to his wife, to his dog. He seemed to walk the talk. I hope he is in Heaven now.

 

[audreyh1]

Even when you do everything you're supposed to do to live forever, it doesn't work.

Jack ate all the right foods, exercised everyday, and had a positive mental attitude, but still "only" made it to age 96.

RIP Jack and thanks for trying to keep America healthy.

Seems to me that this is a huge success story if he was physically active and healthy up till the end. Most people in their 90s are not!

Audrey

 

[steve88]

Even when you do everything you're supposed to do to live forever, it doesn't work.

Jack ate all the right foods, exercised everyday, and had a positive mental attitude, but still "only" made it to age 96.

RIP Jack and thanks for trying to keep America healthy.

wow how long do you want the guy to live?

 

[Martha]

I think Retire@40 was speaking tongue in cheek.

 

[TromboneAl]

Here he is at 70:

 

[GregLee]

Seems to me that this is a huge success story if he was physically active and healthy up till the end.

Yes, I agree that is the important point here for the rest of us.

 

[NW-Bound]

I just learned that the "Jumping Jack" was named after him!

Here he is at 95 -- he looks about 80.

Heck, I know people in their 60s who look like that.

 

[Tigger]

RIP Jack. :-(

In related news.
World Death Rate Holding Steady At 100 Percent

But solutions are being worked on.
SENS, FAQ

 

[Buckeye]

They should do an autopsy to check out the condition of his organs. I thought I read he died of pneumonia. Does that seem unusual?

 

[REWahoo]

I thought I read he died of pneumonia. Does that seem unusual?

Not to me. At 96 an ingrown toenail could be fatal.

 

[audreyh1]

They should do an autopsy to check out the condition of his organs. I thought I read he died of pneumonia. Does that seem unusual?

Once you get above 65 it's not uncommon to be given a vaccine for pneumonia - especially if you are hospitalized for some other reason. I think they give it to seniors who have a compromised immune system.

Audrey

 

[mountaintosea]

Hey maybe if he drank a little wine he would have lived longer! Seriously, I was sad to hear he passed this morning!

 

[Meadbh]

They should do an autopsy to check out the condition of his organs. I thought I read he died of pneumonia. Does that seem unusual?

Not at all. It's the commonest terminal event in older people who don't have cancer, heart disease or stroke.

 

[haha]

Not at all. It's the commonest terminal event in older people who don't have cancer, heart disease or stroke.

My Dad, who would be 100 if he were still alive said that pneumonia used to be called "the old man's friend".

I'm sure it is not very pleasant, but at least it doesn't go on very long. You either get well, or die, which has lot to be said for it.

By the way, as the doctors here know very well, even fairly young people get pneumonia all the time.

Ha

 

[REWahoo]

My Dad, who would be 100 if he were still alive said that pneumonia used to be called "the old man's friend".

My dad used the same description.

 

[retire@40]

wow how long do you want the guy to live?

Well, considering he worked out 2 to 3 hours a day, 7 days a week for 80 years (that's about 8 solid years of his life exercising), and he didn't indulge in a chocolate bar or cup of coffee once in a while, I would expect him to go on just a little more.

Plenty of people make it to 100 or more without all those hours dedicated to exercise and eating healthy foods. Jack's brother even made it to 97 which makes me wonder if Jack would have made it to 96 even if he had exercised less and eaten less healthy foods.

I'm not advocating trading carrots for donuts, but having a piece of birthday cake once in a while isn't going to kill you.

Bottom line is that Jack was promoting something generally good for humanity and he appeared to be healthy and happy with his life to the end. That's all that really matters.