Live to 100? Need good genes, not good habits

[Music Lover]

My dad was a coach and an athlete who followed all the health recommendations you could ask for. Was still lifting weights and biking 20+ miles/ride and then got ALS and died before his 70th birthday. His father lived to 87 and grandma hit 99. Brothers & sisters still going strong. so he probably pulled the short straw for some reason.

Mom 82 is still smoking, eats like sh*t, has broken a hip and fractured her spine, has had covid & heart failure, and is getting on a plane this weekend to visit friends. Her heartiness amazes me. Most of the relatives on her side make it to late 80's or early 90's. If I had to guess she seems to be on track to meet her family's average of late 80's.

I have made heath a priority all my life, but based on these histories wondering how much of it really matters?

You can have the best genetics in the world, but if you're too weak you'll probably spend your last decade or so stuck in a chair.

Fitness and strength is the one thing that you can control.

 

[cyber888]

Grandparents - lived to mid-90s.
My dad died of stroke at 54 (smoked 3 packs a day for 20+ years). Mom still lives at 86 yrs old with Alzheimer. I think my Dad died as he neglected his health and smoked almost all day everyday.
I don't smoke, I exercise everyday, and hope I can at least match my Mom's age. I think my Mom may live to 90 because she's still strong at 86 today even with Alzheimer's.
Retiring at 59 this year should help lower all my stress. I already lost 25 pounds, and back to being lean with no belly.

 

[Koolau]

Grandparents - lived to mid-90s.
My dad died of stroke at 54 (smoked 3 packs a day for 20+ years). Mom still lives at 86 yrs old with Alzheimer. I think my Dad died as he neglected his health and smoked almost all day everyday.
I don't smoke, I exercise everyday, and hope I can at least match my Mom's age. I think my Mom may live to 90 because she's still strong at 86 today even with Alzheimer's.
Retiring at 59 this year should help lower all my stress. I already lost 25 pounds, and back to being lean with no belly.

Yeah, I've lost enough weight this year I'm wondering if I'm a candidate for a tummy tuck. That old skin just doesn't tighten up like it used to. Oh well, I won't be out on the beach in a Speedo any time soon, so...

 

[Midpack]

My parents both lived to 89. You know the saying the 60s are the go-go years; the 70s are the slow-go years; and the 80s are the no-go years? My parents hit 79 and it was like they fell off a cliff. I have no desire to make it to 89. I remember when I first read Ezekiel Emanuel's plan to refuse care/treatment after 75 and I thought it was awful. Now I think it makes an awful lot of sense and I hope I'm smart enough to take that approach, too.

+1. I thought it was a great article, and a path I hope to follow. Some people took issue with the age 75, but that wasn't the point - there is an age for each of us after which quality years decline (rapidly).

 

[tmitchell]

You can have the best genetics in the world, but if you're too weak you'll probably spend your last decade or so stuck in a chair.

Fitness and strength is the one thing that you can control.

Agreed!

 

[FIREd]

My grandparents died at the ages of 74, 76, 85, and 89. My parents are still alive (ages 75 and 76) but I noticed a significant decline in vitality around the age of 70 for both of them. Calculators usually give me a life expectancy of 85. I still financially plan to age 100 for now (I’ll turn 50 next year).

 

[tulak]

Grandfather’s passed in their mid-60s, one grandmother around 72 and the other in her 40s. Dad passed at 52 and mom at 67. Lots of cancer in the family.

Financially I plan for 100, but will be happy to hit 90. I’m proactive in exercise/diet, but it’s really a crapshoot.

 

[Koolau]

Grandfather’s passed in their mid-60s, one grandmother around 72 and the other in her 40s. Dad passed at 52 and mom at 67. Lots of cancer in the family.

Financially I plan for 100, but will be happy to hit 90. I’m proactive in exercise/diet, but it’s really a crapshoot.

Yeah, and then there's the errant monster 4 by 4 that ran a red light and this old man JUST managed to stop and the 4 by 4 managed to swerve or likely I would have died at 76. SO, genes are great, diet and exercise are great, but good reaction time and better brakes may be more important.


By the way, my financial plan ends at 99. Seemed like a nice round number. One other reason I chose it was because it would mean I would be retired a few years longer than I w*rked at Megacorp.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

We can control what we can control. The rest doesn’t matter.

 

[Tuirc]

My grandmother just turned 100 in August. Still lives on her own, with a little bit of help friend m her friends and a small support network of people she hires to do assorted tasks. She’s out lived her husband (my gf) by 11 years now. He was 93, and told me earlier that year that with his best friend and his brother dying the year before, he was through living. 8 months later he was dead. My grandmother is not very happy cooped up and alone with all her friends she’d known for decades dead. Still mentally fine and physically healthier than at any point in her life. She’d always had some sort of ailment going on. Now she rarely sees the doctor.

On my mother’s side both grand parents made it to their late 80’s. Both physically in pretty good shape. I’ve had 3.great grandparents make it into their 90’s. In my family the men have a good chance of not making it past their early 50’s. Dad (52), cousin (49), and great uncle (49). I’m currently, 59 and feel like I dodged that bullet. So, planning for longevity.

 

[Safe Harbour]

Isn't it more about how you live than how long you live? Everyone hits their final decade at some point no matter how long you live. I want to live that decade in as good of physical- and mental-health, and enjoyment as possible. That means not counting on genetics (we can't choose our parents or even which of their genes we inherit). What we can do is maintain physical and mental health (mental a little less so). Avoid the 4 horsemen of chronic diseases of aging; cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and cancer. Exercise so that you are physically fit enough to do what you want in your last decade. Do things that make you happy. In the end that's what you control. If you want to take this approach I suggest you read Dr. Peter Attia's Book "Outlive - The Science and Art of Longevity"

 

[Fermion]

I was reading a book that said past 90 it is not one thing after another (regarding health issues), it is everything at once.

 

[aja8888]

Here's a life cycle curver Dr. Attia shows his students:



Think about it....

 

[Koolau]

Here's a life cycle curver Dr. Attia shows his students:

View attachment 47462

Think about it....

I don't have to think about it, I'm living it. My health really started downhill at 70. Still, I'm wanting to hang around for a while longer. YMMV

 

[Music Lover]

Here's a life cycle curver Dr. Attia shows his students:

View attachment 47462

Think about it....

As a fairly fit 61-year old, I'm starting to see the gap between myself and some family and friends my age widen as shown in that graph. And I'm not even that old yet.

One example: In one of my bands only myself and the drummer are physically capable of carrying a 60 pound PA speaker up a flight of stairs. The 2 other men are too weak.

 

[brett]

We are in better health today @71 than I was when I retired at 58/59.

Changed our lifestyle, changed our eating habits, more exercise. We feel so much better for it.

Just had a complete physical. The only advice....follow the same lifestyle, continue taking D3.

 

[Teacher Terry]

HBP runs on my mom’s side of the family. Her and her siblings all got it at 31 despite very healthy lifestyles. Everyone also dies of cancer. My mom had 3 different types of cancer starting at 78 and she died at 89. Her sister died at 96 and was praying every day to die.

My siblings and I all got HBP in our early 50’s. My sister has always had an unhealthy lifestyle and my brother and I took care of ourselves yet it didn’t seem to matter. However, my sister has a much poorer quality of life at 77 than my brother at 74 and me at 69. So far none of us have gotten cancer.

2 of my 3 kids have HBP despite being healthy and got it in their 40’s. I always get mad when people say HBP is a lifestyle disease. While it may be true for some for others it’s hereditary.

 

[brett]

We stopped getting upset or even bothering with the know nothings who like to position themselves as medical experts. They seemed to be legion during covid.

DW has relatives who are anti vax. Not that I care, but it crosses the line when the try to pontificate to either of us.

Also some who are trying to flog those MLM supplements that they claim will solve or at least alleviate all medical issue. Our response is the same. Buzz off and flog your instant remedies elsewhere.

We actually feel a little sorry for them because most are very kind but exceedingly gullible individuals. That, however, does not mean that we will put up with their nonsense.

When we need medical advice or comment we consult medical professionals.

We do not rely on those who graduated themselves from the Facebook School of Medicine or some MLM Collegiate.

 

[Car-Guy]

Here's a life cycle curver Dr. Attia shows his students:

View attachment 47462

Think about it....

The green line seems to fit for me.

 

[mickeyd]

This is all old news as far as I am concerned. Living here @ our CCRC has given us additional years of fun and comfort as well as good heath (due to all of the activities available) and an abundance of social interactions that were not available "back in the hood" years ago.

But, no doubt it, genetics have much to do with our great health.

 

[aja8888]

The green line seems to fit for me.

I looked at the green line and realized may current age is at the intersection of that X axis and i am still here. Good luck, I guess and after I cleaned up my lifestyle laugh, that may have helped. No more fast cars, fast women, and closing bars!

 

[brett]

For me it is a combo of genetics and lifestyle/diet. Ditto for my spouse.

 

[Car-Guy]

I looked at the green line and realized may current age is at the intersection of that X axis and i am still here. Good luck, I guess and after I cleaned up my lifestyle laugh, that may have helped. No more fast cars, fast women, and closing bars!

Well I still like fast cars.
I can't catch fast women these days.
And the only reason I stop at a bar anymore is to use the men's room.

 

[brett]

Well I still like fast cars.
I can't catch fast women these days.
And the only reason I stop at a bar anymore is to use the men's room.

Fast women were just fine with me. Past tense.

The big problem was slow horses!

 

[Music Lover]

We stopped getting upset or even bothering with the know nothings who like to position themselves as medical experts. They seemed to be legion during covid.

You should be more upset that the "official" medical experts were very wrong on many aspects.