Younger Next Year
What if we could compress, or delay, our morbidity (serious diseases and illnesses) until the very end of our lives, and remain active and healthy well into our eighties with little or no restrictions?
In Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge, the authors argue that, “biologically, there is no such thing as retirement, or even aging. There is only growth or decay. And our body looks to us to choose between them”.
Fast food, sedentary lifestyles, modern stress, loneliness and retirement have no evolutionary basis.
Physical exercise and involvement in life, on the other hand, “trigger great waves of ‘grow’ messages throughout our body and mind”, messages that have been relied on for ages to sustain life on earth.
By sending these “grow” messages, on a consistent basis, we stimulate greater strength and agility, and push away the tide of decay that many begin to feel as they grow older.
To successfully achieve this lifelong vitality, consider “Harry’s Rules”, seven “to-dos” that Dr. Henry Lodge, an internist and gerontologist claim can lead to the compression of morbidity we all would pay a dear price to attain:
- Exercise six days a week for the rest of your life.
- Do serious aerobic exercise four days a week for the rest of your life.
- Do serious strength training, with weights, two days a week for the rest of your life.
- Spend less than you make.
- Quit eating crap!
- Care.
- Connect and commit.
Harry’s first rule challenges us to exercise six days a week for the rest of our life. No negotiations. No excuses. The idea here is to send a constant “grow” message to override that crazy tide of decay.
The authors encourage us to think of it as “telling your body to get stronger, more limber and functionally younger, in the only language our body understands”.
While regular physical exercise is a key to great health, proper nutrition (Quit eating crap!), and nurturing relationships (Connect and commit) also play major roles in compressing our morbidity and adding to our enjoyment of life.
Consider adopting one or more of Harry’s Rules above and join me in becoming younger next year!