Yep, that’s the secret in our family of many centenarians. All walked every day at least a couple of miles. Some gardened. Most did their own yard work, home care and lawn.
I’m still trying to get my Dad to stop shoveling the snow. He can easily walk 5 miles no issues.
The Sardinians are interesting and so are folks in the other Blue Zones, like Icaria and loma linda. I think I read that they also drink wine in most zones. My family were not big drinkers but they never stopped moving. They also were on the thin side. I think this helps a lot as well.
Perhaps the shoveling snow may be just another form of exercise that helps to keep him healthy.
It is known that the first snow day of the year brings many medical calls to fire departments when otherwise sedentary people with low physical fitness and pre-existing (but not necessarily known beforehand) heart disease get heart attacks during their first physical exertion in many months. But if your father walks five miles and up stairs (and/or does other activities that maintain his physical fitness) on a regular basis, to the point that shoveling snow is not an unusually high exertion for him, he may not really be in that risk category.
Very true. But I read that snow shoveling is unique in that you are exercising and it can be very cold. The combination of cold and exertion can be deadly. It often results in a heart attack. Not to mention the ice. But, there’s no way to stop him. His neighbor runs over in the morning to try to prevent him from getting out early and getting it done.
My husband is also in great shape but I don’t love him shoveling. Fortunately he got a snow blower and thinks it’s great.
Regarding snow shoveling, realize that there is no other activity done simultaneously in a community in the way that clearing the sidewalks and driveways after a major snowfall inspires in a northern town. Yes, the ERs can be busy with chest pain, but what is the percentage of folks in the population engaging that activity? It is like a festival on my street, a time for neighbors to bond as we are all shoveling, though a few have snow throwers. I enjoy the workout myself, if sometimes time consuming. But yes, a danger to anyone high risk for cardiac events.
I was just appreciating my single level house as I injured a knee yesterday. Last week I climbed many flights in a high-rise for the workout, but when those knee injuries occur, you really don’t want to sleep on a different level from the bathroom or your morning coffee.
We have almost a single level house, with just three steps to the main bedroom/bathroom suite (and into the front door and to the garage). But when husband decided he wanted to sleep in that bed rather than the guest bed on the same “level” as the main living area, and wanted to eat at the high kitchen counter as most comfortable after his hamstring reattachment surgery… I had to spot him on those three steps for every meal for six weeks while he was on crutches. He’s normally quite athletic but didn’t trust himself - I didn’t trust me to catch him but did have to brace him from slipping a few times. Sooooo glad we weren’t in a two story!
I get paid 3 times a month, when it comes close to SS week, it’s time to blow the dough kind of week for me, lol.
No snow in California, so I garden non stop, that’s my form of exercise.
I think the relaxing life style I saw this week in the Mediterranean may contribute to the health and longevity factor. Plus people are unusually thin here, I’m not sure the reason, too petite even for me.
they can’t easily buy in bulk like North Americans - hard to resist the allure of a stocked pantry
healthier diet with less sugar
less snacking
longer meal times - more time for brain to tell you that you are full
food culture - you want to get the best of whatever kind of food it is, you don’t settle
#2 lifestyle
car culture less common
in some parts of Europe (and Asia), life is not set up for the overweight. No clothes, social stigma and no mobility things at the entrance to every mall.
In addition, there are cities/places in the US where people are very active and places where they are not. I live in a city known for cold winters, but it is one of the most active US cities.
You’re in Minneapolis, right? Could be wrong there, but that’s where ds1 lives and thought that was a connection. Anyway, a friend who lives there (who I met on cc more than 10 years ago!) is from Boston and said the difference, to them, between the cold in MA and the cold in MN is that the people in MN embrace the cold. It’s not like ugh, now I’m staying inside for months; it’s more like, Yea, now we get to do the winter things!
I don’t live in MN but it’s exactly our sentiment. We are excited for snow, excited to get out in the winter. It doesn’t last forever but get out and do stuff in the winter!
Love summer, it’s fleeting
Autumn is the best
Winter fun
Spring on the other hand is tiresome when it’s May and cold, windy and nothing is blooming.
I began a new thread “Staying HEALTHY in retirement, with enjoying retirement activities, and keeping NEST EGG intact/secure.” Expanding ideas from this thread.
Just my opinion - I am not fond of that idea, and it seems like that’s too many topics for one additional thread. This has been kind of a one stop shop for retirement stuff, with new threads sometimes started for single ideas. Obviously people can choose to post wherever.
The problem is one gets posts ‘flagged’ for getting too ‘off topic’.
Health is a big area of concern and can affect choices made in retirement - and often where one chooses to live can have a health component to it as well.
The two general topics on this thread are about generating enough with nest egg, including how to make nest egg last during retirement, and discussion about age one can retire/along with when one chooses to retire.
On this thread people started talking about obesity, climate/number of steps by day in different countries etc. – that all can be on a ‘health’ related retirement thread.
IF this thread is to be a ‘one stop shop’ - the title needs to be expanded in order for people to stay ‘on topic’.
I think there is a lot already on this thread. For example, the roller coaster with stock market, interest rates, etc. which are all concerning nest egg and can affect someone’s decision on when to retire.
“Healthy eating” and “Workout” are fine stand alone threads. “Health in retirement” is broader and can avoid those two topics on their own thread.
Health issues and other decisions on living somewhere else - so do you post in “parents caring for parents support thread” about one’s own health issues, retirement health insurance, cost of various senior communities, etc. OR do you have it in its own place? When talking about one self, it doesn’t belong on the parents caring for parents - however one can learn by following that thread.
