This vehicle was born about the same time as I was and is aging gracefully.
How is it that it keeps running and looking so good? Likely the two fellows in the photo have been caring well for it. Driving it, cleaning it and replacing worn out parts. Not racing it anymore. Driving it easily, (like old men) no long trips and keeping it garaged and out of the weather. (No cancer for this car).
You get the idea, if you were told you only had one car to last a lifetime, you definately would take good care of it. You have to use it to get to school, have your dates in it, pick up the kids from school and so on. When it runs out of gas you feed/fuel it. When the tire goes flat you fix it. When you see rust, you prime and paint again.
Humans are the same. We only have one shot with our body. Take care of it, and it will last a lifetime. Abuse it and it will surely fail before it’s time.
Keep It Simple, Stupid. My thoughts to live by for most everything. We in medicine tend to make things more complicated than need be. The hard part is to get Patients to understand the long term consequences of not taking care early on. We don’t live forever, but some folks seem to. What is the secret?
Inflammation. Compare this to rust on the vehicle. Everything in nature has a tendency to decompose. just like neglected metal on a car, the human body responds to things that cause inflammation, or human rust. Once the rust takes hold it does damage. The current Pandemic is a prime example. What kills many folks? Their body cannot overcome the overwhelming inflammatory response (rust) in their body, and the wheels come off. Organs fail.
KISS. Do not smoke. Ever. Period. The simplest way to cut risk of Heart Disease, Stroke and Cancers. All caused biologically from the same events, inflammation (rust). I will write about cigarettes in general in a future post.
KISS. Get outside and do something. Anything. Aerobic exercise is best. Like driving the car once and while, if you don’t, inflammation (rust) will take hold. Like rust on the Tin Man in Wizard of OZ, osteoarthritis is rust, move it or lose it. We don’t have an oil can that can fix it quite yet, but stem cells are promising.
KISS. Do not get fat. We all get flabby with time, I get that but I am talking obese. Americans are obese. Face it. What does all this fat do? It doesn’t just hang around, it is alive with components that cause (you guessed it) Inflammation (rust).
KISS. Do not get Diabetes. What Steve? I thought diabetes was unstoppable, inherited…what gives? The vast majority of diabetes is completely and totally preventable. How? Don’t get fat. Stop eating from places that you drive through. Anything you prepare and eat at home is better than eating out. Avoid excessive carbohydrates. The idea that carbs are good for you is ok for an athlete that burns 3000 calories a day, but for the rest of us it leads to fat storage, weight gain and yes, diabetes. Can you reverse the diagnosis of diabetes? You bet you can. I have seen it for years in my medical practice. But Doctor, Mom looks skinny, can you give her something for her appetite? Mom or Dad do not require the caloric intake they used to, they don’t do much these days. (Similar to the classic car we keep them in the garage and take ’em out for a spin on nice days). We know for a fact that thinner people live longer, healthier lives. How many Obese 90 year-olds do you see out and about?
KISS. Take only medications that are proven, and don’t read the pharmacy provided side effect paperwork. Statins are the most researched and tested medications ever. If you have side effects for real, you will find out in the first few days. Proven 25% risk reduction for heart disease and stroke. Those are good odds, I’ll take it. Statins have been also shown to decrease guess what? Inflammation. (Rust). If your blood pressure is too high, don’t wait till you have your first stroke to lower it. Blood pressure medications are numerous and safe, your practitioner will find one that works well and is safe. 130/80 is safe…140s over 80 and over in the long term will punish you. Just as too high the pressure in your household waterline, will wear out the appliances too soon. High blood pressure wears out your body appliances. Brain (Stroke). Kidneys (chronic kidney disease/failure/dialysis). Heart (angina/chest pain, heart attack, heart failure).
KISS. Stop wasting your money on unproven and expensive over the counter snake oil. Just send me the check and I will split the savings with you. Stick with a multivitamin once daily with your meal. Take a vitamin B complex. Why? Keeps your blood cells numerous, nice and red and full of oxygen. Take 100mg of Zinc? Why? You guessed it, inflammation. Zinc will help with the strength of your immune system to fight nasty Pandemic Viruses. Yes, combined with Plaquenil it is highly effective against COVID. They just won’t accept the studies that prove it because Big Pharma can’t make money off the generics. Sure, there are many other great meds out there including many that I take. Be sure they work and are targeted and effective for the reason you are taking them. KISS
KISS. Lastly, Do your genetic homework. What did your predecessors die from? Were they smokers? Were they diabetics? Were they fat? Heart Attacks, Strokes? Misery is preventable. Age Gracefully.