Here's To Longevity!

I recorded "All I Ask of You" on my Yamaha P-515. This song brings back such wonderful memories. Setsuko and I saw a live performance of Phantom of the Opera. This song has always been one of her favorites!

These pictures were again taken during our Kyoto trip. The beauty just keeps on coming!

Speaking of favorites, I would today like to talk about longevity. Specifically, I would like to share some thoughts about a very informative book I just finished, "Outlive," by Peter Attia. At times, it was a challenging read as he gets pretty technical when it comes to the science and medical background he provides. However, that challenge is well worthwhile; he provides a ton of good information. The book is organized into the following sections:

1. Part 1: The Technical Elements of Disease, the Medical Field, a Roadmap for Reading the Book
   
2. Part 2: Nutrition, Cancer, Heart Disease, Memory and Alzheimer's Disease
   
3. Part 3: Exercise, Stability, Nutrition, Sleep, Emotional Health

For me, there were not a lot of surprises. However, it was very gratifying to read such a thorough analysis of what it takes to live a long life. He really emphasizes that the goal is to live a long, healthy life. With that in mind, he talks about the importance of setting goals now to accomplish what we want to be able to accomplish when we are 70 or 80 or older. 

Much to my pleasure, he says that exercise is the best step we can take to help ourselves live a long and healthy life. He puts a lot of emphasis on getting 7-9 hours per night of sleep. He talks about the evidence that suggests that a lower average for sleep can have a significant impact on mental capacity, especially as we get older. 

In terms of nutrition, I thought it was interesting that he focused on eating less than many people do. He said our bodies respond better to the "less is more" approach. He also talked about how the traditional medical field has done such a poor job of teaching the value of good eating habits as a way to prevent illness.

Lastly, the author is quite open in discussing his personal emotional and mental struggles. He twice attended a treatment program to help him come to terms with his anger problems. Fortunately, he was able to salvage his marriage as a result of his efforts. He now uses mindfulness meditation and other techniques as ways to effectively manage his emotional and mental state. 

Overall, I highly recommend this book. You can also check out his web site and related videos.

Here's to a long and healthy life!

All the best!

Bob