Throwing caution to the wind and b u g g e r the diet – How about you .

[Jingthing]

A lot of it is about genetics anyway.

 

We can say there is strong scientific evidence that certain behaviors improve lifespan. 

Not smoking.

Not being an alcoholic. 

Not being obese.

Having a strong social network.

Exercise.

Etc.

 

But that doesn't mean that will always produce good results or vice versa. No money back guarantees on offer.

 

Also, I do think most people do realize that the age number ultimately isn't as important as how many of those years include a reasonably OK quality of life.

 

So have the milkshakes? Up to you. People shouldn't rag on other people for such choices. Exceptions may be smoking if you're bothering others.

[KhaoYai]

5 hours ago, Bill Poster said:

Thanks , And Well Done  ????   4 kg in 5 weeks is to me wonderful going and the cutting down sugar is some thing I’m going to look at . 

If you're a regular sugar taker like I was, it takes some doing, you just have to have the right mindset and get on with it.  I haven't cut it completely - I take sugar in my first cup of tea of the day but thereafter, none.  I also still eat too many biscuits.

 

The main driver for me was that I started seeing results in a matter of days, it really helps when I'm tempted.

[sirineou]

On 3/5/2021 at 12:15 PM, Bill Poster said:

Both the friends seemed to thoroughly enjoy telling me eating that sort of junk food would see me in an early grave .

And it still could. 

The operative word here is "early" . did you stop to consider that if your friends wad not eaten as healthy as they did the could had died many years before they did? 

same applies to you, chance gave you a longer life. don't cut it short  with irresponsible behaviour. 

[simon43]

[quote]

...Vietnam has the lowest death rate from COVID, corresponding to the lowest level of obesity

[/quote]

 

Actually, the lowest Covid death rate (in the world after Vanuatu), is Laos, with zero deaths and about only 41 cases.  Their obesity level is slightly higher than Vietnam though.

[hotchilli]

On 3/6/2021 at 12:15 AM, Bill Poster said:

Does any one else in their golden years think I may be on the right track , has any one here all ready thrown caution to the wind and abandoned their restrictive and possible frown inducing diet in favor of eating and drinking what you really like and enjoy

Everything in moderation is the key to happiness & good health.

Have a bit of what you like when you like, but no excessive binges.

[OneMoreFarang]

10 hours ago, Bill Poster said:

 

 

The ..... if I die a few years earlier , part got to me . .

 

Can I ask how old you are .

 

Thanks ????

 

I let Jack Nightingale from Stephen Leather’s novel series explain that to you.

Nightingale blew smoke up at the sky. ‘Everybody dies,’ he said. ‘Life is a zero sum game. The best you can do is to enjoy yourself as you go along.’
‘But smoking shortens your life.’
‘Maybe. But it only takes the years from the end of your life. Not the beginning or the middle.’
Jenny looked at him, confused. ‘I have absolutely no idea what you mean.’
Nightingale took another drag on his cigarette before continuing. ‘Say I live until I’m seventy-five without smoking. And say I die at seventy if I do smoke. I lose five years. But really, Jenny, what am I going to be doing during those five years? Sitting in a bedsit somewhere watching the football, assuming I’ve enough of a pension to be able to afford Sky Sport?

[seancbk]

On 3/6/2021 at 12:15 AM, Bill Poster said:

 

In the last few months two good friends have passed away , both were in their early 70’s and both were what I would call fanatical good health people who made every effort to stay healthy and active. Both those friends died because of heart compilations .
 

 

 

Sorry to hear you've lost two friends.   Eating healthy and exercising does not guarantee that damage you've done or choices you made earlier in life will go away.  You need to go for regular, intensive medical checkup as you get older, in fact starting at around 30 is probably a good idea as the damage starts early.  

[Pilotman]

6 minutes ago, seancbk said:

You need to go for regular, intensive medical checkup as you get older, in fact starting at around 30 is probably a good idea

Totally unrealistic. Monitoring your own body is the best way to avoid doing damage and moderation in all things. or to recover when damage has been done. 'Intensive medical check-ups' ( whatever 'intensive' means in this context) is bordering on hypochondriac thinking, unless you have a diagnosed pre existing condition that requires them. Too many people on TVF seem to be fixated on their health and what may happen, rather than how they feel and what is actually happening to them.  They need to chill and enjoy life instead of spending time worrying about what may well be nothing at all, maybe just a natural aging process. By all means investigate actual problems and conditions, but stop worrying about things that aren't there. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

I let Jack Nightingale from Stephen Leather’s novel series explain that to you.

Nightingale blew smoke up at the sky. ‘Everybody dies,’ he said. ‘Life is a zero sum game. The best you can do is to enjoy yourself as you go along.’
‘But smoking shortens your life.’
‘Maybe. But it only takes the years from the end of your life. Not the beginning or the middle.’
Jenny looked at him, confused. ‘I have absolutely no idea what you mean.’
Nightingale took another drag on his cigarette before continuing. ‘Say I live until I’m seventy-five without smoking. And say I die at seventy if I do smoke. I lose five years. But really, Jenny, what am I going to be doing during those five years? Sitting in a bedsit somewhere watching the football, assuming I’ve enough of a pension to be able to afford Sky Sport?

That's the point though . I get you on the gourmet food and drinking and carousing and relaxing in general but is it really fun to have 50 cigarettes a day or 15 drinks a day. If the answer is yes..enjoy. But if not..and you don't feel comfortable in your body..then there may be a better and more fun way. Regardless of length of life. Not saying you in particular - don't know your habits or your situation. 

If exercise comes up it can sound boring and the opposite of having fun but I think everyone can get a buzz out of bike riding or swimming or boxing or lifting weights or whatever. That exercise can then in turn change your desire for certain things that maybe damaging to your body. There endeth the lecture.

[CharlieH]

8 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Totally unrealistic. Monitoring your own body is the best way to avoid doing damage and moderation in all things. or to recover when damage has been done. 'Intensive medical check-ups' ( whatever 'intensive' means in this context) is bordering on hypochondriac thinking, unless you have a diagnosed pre existing condition that requires them. Too many people on TVF seem to be fixated on their health and what may happen, rather than how they feel and what is actually happening to them.  They need to chill and enjoy life instead of spending time worrying about what may well be nothing at all, maybe just a natural aging process. By all means investigate actual problems and conditions, but stop worrying about things that aren't there. 

The term psychosomatic comes to mind with many people as they age.

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

The term psychosomatic comes to mind with many people as they age.

Yes. I absolutely understand that as you grow older and lose that springiness of youth and early middle, age,  Its difficult not to see every ache and pain as some thing serious and horrible, like  cancer or Parkinson's or some other dreadful condition, when all it is is natural aging. I do think its important to focus on living with aging rather than try to predict how its all going to end and then convince yourself that you are actually sick. I have seen that phenomena played out a few times in my own extended family, family members talking themselves into illness. 

[CharlieH]

6 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Yes. I absolutely understand that as you grow older and lose that springiness of youth and early middle, age,  Its difficult not to see every ache and pain as some thing serious and horrible, like  cancer or Parkinson's or some other dreadful condition, when all it is is natural aging. I do think its important to focus on living with aging rather than try to predict how its all going to end and then convince yourself that you are actually sick. I have seen that phenomena played out a few times in my own extended family, family members talking themselves into illness. 

The internet doesnt help either, with so many self diagnosing and using "resources" to convince themselves there is something more serious going on and not keeping it in perspective. (IMHO)

In some cases it can actually be a sign of a mental health or anxiety issue thats feeding the belief of a physical problem.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

That's the point though . I get you on the gourmet food and drinking and carousing and relaxing in general but is it really fun to have 50 cigarettes a day or 15 drinks a day. If the answer is yes..enjoy. But if not..and you don't feel comfortable in your body..then there may be a better and more fun way. Regardless of length of life. Not saying you in particular - don't know your habits or your situation. 

If exercise comes up it can sound boring and the opposite of having fun but I think everyone can get a buzz out of bike riding or swimming or boxing or lifting weights or whatever. That exercise can then in turn change your desire for certain things that maybe damaging to your body. There endeth the lecture.

I get your point.

I like good tasting food, mostly high quality, I am not sure if I would always call it gourmet food

From time to time I also like to drink in the company of friends - but not as much as I used to drink.

And luckily I never started smoking. But I don't mind if anybody smokes i.e. in a bar right next to me.

 

About exercise: I heard some people repeating that they like it. And maybe they do. Personally I don't like running or anything like that. Sometimes I walk for an hour or two many times around a pool table. That's exercise enough for me.

 

Maybe one day in my life I will change my attitude. But I think the important part is that I, or anybody else, needs the will to change their behavior. Only the comments from others "that is not good for you" don't help. And I saw too many people who wanted to drink/eat/smoke and they didn't do it and they looked like they didn't enjoy their life because of the restrictions they put on themselves. I don't want to be one of those.

 

Bon Appetit

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

That's the point though . I get you on the gourmet food and drinking and carousing and relaxing in general but is it really fun to have 50 cigarettes a day or 15 drinks a day. If the answer is yes..enjoy. But if not..and you don't feel comfortable in your body..then there may be a better and more fun way. Regardless of length of life. Not saying you in particular - don't know your habits or your situation.

Half a joint and 3 wine coolers is about my limit.

Can't imagine 50 fags and 15 drinks being much fun (I tend to throw up at 5-6 drinks).

My aim was to get that slightly fuzzy feeling and keep it there.

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I get your point.

I like good tasting food, mostly high quality, I am not sure if I would always call it gourmet food

From time to time I also like to drink in the company of friends - but not as much as I used to drink.

And luckily I never started smoking. But I don't mind if anybody smokes i.e. in a bar right next to me.

 

About exercise: I heard some people repeating that they like it. And maybe they do. Personally I don't like running or anything like that. Sometimes I walk for an hour or two many times around a pool table. That's exercise enough for me.

 

Maybe one day in my life I will change my attitude. But I think the important part is that I, or anybody else, needs the will to change their behavior. Only the comments from others "that is not good for you" don't help. And I saw too many people who wanted to drink/eat/smoke and they didn't do it and they looked like they didn't enjoy their life because of the restrictions they put on themselves. I don't want to be one of those.

 

Bon Appetit

 

Thick brown gravy for me please. 

[Surelynot]

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Thick brown gravy for me please. 

Béarnaise sauce every time....made well it is to die for.

[OneMoreFarang]

25 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Half a joint and 3 wine coolers is about my limit.

Can't imagine 50 fags and 15 drinks being much fun (I tend to throw up at 5-6 drinks).

My aim was to get that slightly fuzzy feeling and keep it there.

It seems everybody has his personal favorite poison.

If I drink a few beers I get tired and want to go home. Half a bottle of scotch whisky a night is no problem.

I had a friend who could drink Bacardi in huge amounts. But three whiskies was too much for him. I was never a Bacardi fan.

[Bill Poster]

14 hours ago, geisha said:

Obesity is a killer, and when I see the young kids in Thailand, it really worries me. The junk food they pack from real young is awful. It’s bad everywhere of course, and I’ll never forget sitting on the beach on Isla de las mujeres in Mexico and seeing a US cruise ship tourists amble ashore . I’ve never seen hundreds of extreme obese people together before . I like to enjoy myself, and now and again eat a nice gâteau or drink a few , but I know my weight, I weigh once a week, and am much too vain to let myself go. Remember school photos, how many overweight kids did you see ? It’s all just being kind to yourself really. 

 

Ive just come back from a local out doors market and along nearly every aisle there were food vendors and I would say the majority of the food on sale was being deep fried in a large container of bubbling hot oil. 

 

And as for the US cruise ship and the disembarking crowds of obese passengers , I had a similar reaction when I first started to watch Judge Judy , seeing an endless stream of obese defendants and plaintiffs . And don’t get me started on  .....  My 600-lb Life . ????

 

 

Thanks ????

 

 

[Bill Poster]

9 hours ago, sirineou said:

And it still could. 

The operative word here is "early" . did you stop to consider that if your friends wad not eaten as healthy as they did the could had died many years before they did? 

same applies to you, chance gave you a longer life. don't cut it short  with irresponsible behaviour. 

 

I think my reaction to my friends eating habits and my acidic reply was in some part due to their constant and never ending ‘’ you will end up in an early grave ‘’ comments to me . I’m not quite sure , about my irresponsible behaviour. ????

 

 

Thanks ????

 

 

 

[Bill Poster]

10 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

If you're a regular sugar taker like I was, it takes some doing, you just have to have the right mindset and get on with it.  I haven't cut it completely - I take sugar in my first cup of tea of the day but thereafter, none.  I also still eat too many biscuits.

 

The main driver for me was that I started seeing results in a matter of days, it really helps when I'm tempted.

 

Seeing results in a matter of days would spur me on , you are not alone in your biscuit addiction ????

 

 

Thanks ????

[Bill Poster]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Everything in moderation is the key to happiness & good health.

Have a bit of what you like when you like, but no excessive binges.

 

The more I see comments mentioning the word ‘’ moderation ‘’ the more I’m starting to change my once stead fast view . Every thing in moderation could in fact be the right path .????

 

 

Thanks .

 

[Bill Poster]

4 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

Sorry to hear you've lost two friends.   Eating healthy and exercising does not guarantee that damage you've done or choices you made earlier in life will go away.  You need to go for regular, intensive medical checkup as you get older, in fact starting at around 30 is probably a good idea as the damage starts early.  

 

Thats a good point , if you have constantly in your past abused your body by not eating healthy or doing some meaningful exercise . Does that past life style and the damage it could have already done to your body , mean the die is cast and any possible future attempts to put right your past mistakes may be less than successful .

 

 

Thanks ????

 

[Bill Poster]

4 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Totally unrealistic. Monitoring your own body is the best way to avoid doing damage and moderation in all things. or to recover when damage has been done. 'Intensive medical check-ups' ( whatever 'intensive' means in this context) is bordering on hypochondriac thinking, unless you have a diagnosed pre existing condition that requires them. Too many people on TVF seem to be fixated on their health and what may happen, rather than how they feel and what is actually happening to them.  They need to chill and enjoy life instead of spending time worrying about what may well be nothing at all, maybe just a natural aging process. By all means investigate actual problems and conditions, but stop worrying about things that aren't there. 

 

Its ironic you talking about being fixated on their health and what could happen . I have a strange  feeling that I too may be some where in the same category  . The more I read and search the internet about diets and lifestyles the more I seem to start worrying .

 

 

Thanks ????

 

[Bill Poster]

4 hours ago, CharlieH said:

The term psychosomatic comes to mind with many people as they age.

 

I had to lookup -  psychosomatic

 

[  A physical illness or other condition caused or aggravated by a mental factor such as internal conflict or stress. ]

 

 

Thanks ????
 

[Bill Poster]

4 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Yes. I absolutely understand that as you grow older and lose that springiness of youth and early middle, age,  Its difficult not to see every ache and pain as some thing serious and horrible, like  cancer or Parkinson's or some other dreadful condition, when all it is is natural aging. I do think its important to focus on living with aging rather than try to predict how its all going to end and then convince yourself that you are actually sick. I have seen that phenomena played out a few times in my own extended family, family members talking themselves into illness. 

 

Ok I freely admit it , being in my early 70’s at the first sign of any pain or ache or other symptom I’m straight on my computer and on many occasions the search results have made me worry even more . Many times I seem to end up convincing my self that the small stomach pain or back ache or as in my last case ( constantly feeling nauseous ) the medical outcome is not going to be a good one.

 

 

Thanks ????

 

 

[4MyEgo]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:38 AM, shy coconut said:

The upside is that I have addressed the issue (hopefully) early enough to avoid a 

potentially catastrophic incident in the next few years and with an ammended diet 

and lifestyle, with medication, I may have a few more good years in me.

 

Kudos to you.

 

It's never to late to change, I had a heart attach at 47 that was 13 years ago, I stopped smoking 7 years prior, ate healthy, but lacked exercise as my job was full on and very stressful with little time left for me in the day, but for enough sleep to start over again 6 sometimes 7 days a week, yes my bad.

 

I have been on stats since 2008, continued to eat healthy, exercise, well not as often as I would like too in my retired years, but I put that down to self inflicted disease called laziness, that said, no stress and no smoking for 13 years with the help of the statins gives me blood tests and blood pressure readings of a 21 year old, don't believe me, just ask the wife, as I have been up and solid since the stent, and she tells me that she just can't get enough, now that statement worries me, because that is how I had the heart attack, true story ????

 

In summing up, you will be fine, just eat healthy, mediterranean diet has been linked with good health, including a healthier heart, if you can be bothered, have some junk one day a week (one meal) only, watch your sugar intake, exercise when you can, monitor your blood tests every 6 months and blood pressure and live your life for as long as it will last.

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention as others might have, genetics also plays a part, all of my fathers side died of heart attacks in their 70's, including him, mum on the other side has type 2 diabetes and is 86, but for me having a heart attack at 47 the Cardiologist said, doing it 4 times in one day would generally give anyone a heart attack, that and a stress, referring to my job at the time and at that time stress was not proven to be a contributor, but a decade later a read an article in the Lancet that stated that stress was a killer for a lot of people.

[Bill Poster]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I get your point.

I like good tasting food, mostly high quality, I am not sure if I would always call it gourmet food

From time to time I also like to drink in the company of friends - but not as much as I used to drink.

And luckily I never started smoking. But I don't mind if anybody smokes i.e. in a bar right next to me.

 

About exercise: I heard some people repeating that they like it. And maybe they do. Personally I don't like running or anything like that. Sometimes I walk for an hour or two many times around a pool table. That's exercise enough for me.

 

Maybe one day in my life I will change my attitude. But I think the important part is that I, or anybody else, needs the will to change their behavior. Only the comments from others "that is not good for you" don't help. And I saw too many people who wanted to drink/eat/smoke and they didn't do it and they looked like they didn't enjoy their life because of the restrictions they put on themselves. I don't want to be one of those.

 

Bon Appetit

 

 

The part where you say........

 

And I saw too many people who wanted to drink/eat/smoke and they didn't do it and they looked like they didn't enjoy their life because of the restrictions they put on themselves. I don't want to be one of those.

 

 

Is some thing that Ive also seen when out for a meal with my two now dead friends . They were steadfast in their belief that their eating habits were a route to the promised land of longevity. But I have to say that many times sitting with them and watching them eat their restricted diet , they never really seemed to display any pleasure with the food in front of them ,yes the did put on a brave face but they also reminded me of young children being forced to finish their plate of vegetables by their strict mother. 

 

 

Thanks ????
 

 

 

[Pilotman]

7 minutes ago, Bill Poster said:

 

Ok I freely admit it , being in my early 70’s at the first sign of any pain or ache or other symptom I’m straight on my computer and on many occasions the search results have made me worry even more . Many times I seem to end up convincing my self that the small stomach pain or back ache or as in my last case ( constantly feeling nauseous ) the medical outcome is not going to be a good one.

 

 

Thanks ????

 

 

You are not alone in that and it does take a positive mental effort to put all those feelings  aside and live your day. I find getting up, getting myself ready and then going to the gym is a great way to banish worrying thoughts. You may not do much when you get there but just the effort is worthwhile, to set yourself up for the day. 

[connda]

I remember a while back some MSM talking head interviewed some elderly gal well past 100 years old.  When he asked what she would have done different she said she would have enjoyed eating more ice cream.

And there ya have it. When it's your time to go?  It's your time to go.  Up to that point, it's a quality of life issue.  If you are already in a body that breaking down and you generally feel like <deleted> - then if that delicious ice cream cone you indulged in cuts a week out of life?  Well, at least your were fully enjoying life while your indulged in eating it.

You're gonna die for sure.  There is not a d**m thing you can do to prevent it. 
So enjoy your ice cream with a tequila back to boot.

[connda]

To quote Bobby McFaren, "Don't Worry, Be Happy!.  Live.  Don't sweat the small stuff.

Thinking on the bright side, my past is littered with friends and family who never had the opportunity to make it to my age.   So, a salute to them all in one of the genres that I have enjoyed along the way on this travel through Life.  Including my daughter who didn't make it past 18.  This is for you kiddo!  Love ya...Dad.

Fyi.  I don't share a common taste in music with my Boomer compatriots.  So no, this ain't Elvis.  <laughs>