5 things you should not do to have a long and happy
When I was born in 1922, the average life expectancy in the US was 58 years for men and 61 years for women.So, as a 100-year-old practicing doctor and neurologist, patients often ask me for advice on how to stay healthy, happy, and mentally alert .Good genes and a little luck can give you an advantage, but here are some lifestyle rules I’ve followed over the past century:
1. I DON’T SPEND MY DAYS RETIRED.
I’ve been working for over 75 years, and was even named the world’s oldest practicing doctor by Guinness World Records . Sara, my wife of 65 years, also continues to practice psychoanalysis and psychiatry at 89 years old.
During the pandemic, I treated patients five or six days a week. I then went on to teach resident doctors up to three days a week. (My hospital just closed, so I’m currently doing medical legal review work while looking for another position.)
When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my four children and 10 grandchildren, snowshoeing, and watching Cleveland sports.
If you are blessed to have a career you enjoy and can still work, consider delaying retirement . Many people who retire and become inactive in their daily routine are at increased risk of cognitive decline .
2. I DON’T ALLOW MYSELF TO LOSE FORM
Swimming, jogging, walking and skiing well into my 80s has kept me strong and healthy.
While I no longer ski and am not as active as I once was, I try to get at least three miles on my treadmill at a brisk pace most days of the week. Watching Turner classic movies in the background helps reduce boredom.
Studies have found that something as simple as a 15-minute walk outdoors could reduce your risk of premature death by almost 25% .
A doctor explains what people who sit for a long time for work can do and what complications this can bring to their health.
3. I DON’T SMOKE
When I was in high school in the 1930s, I told my father I wanted to start smoking. He said, “That’s fine with me. But why would anyone want to put anything more than fresh air into their lungs when life is as short as it is?
That immediately took the fun and excitement out of tobacco for me.
I remember attending medical meetings where doctors, with a cigarette dangling from their mouths, told patients to start smoking because it would “curb your appetite and calm your nerves.”
Today, we know that cigarette smoking causes cancer, stroke, peripheral artery disease, coronary artery disease, and other lung and cardiovascular diseases.
4. I DON’T LIMIT MYSELF
Moderation allows us to live life to the fullest while preventing us from overdoing it and affecting our long-term health .
I’ll have a martini and a New York strip steak from time to time, but not every day. Sara is an excellent chef and she has helped me maintain a healthy and varied diet. We have salad with every meal and enjoy vegetables like bok choy, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
The real secret to longevity is that there are no secrets. But we live every day and die once, so we should make the most of the time we have.
5. I DON’T LET MY KNOWLEDGE GO TO WASTE
Having practiced neurology for more than seven decades, I have witnessed the evolution of medicine from lobotomies to the latest computerized imaging techniques.
I really enjoy teaching my residents and medical students, and I also learn a lot from them.
I have also been participating in the upcoming documentary about my life. It has been a pleasure to share stories from my long career with the next generation.