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World's oldest priest says strict routine basis of long life?
Replies
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GaleHawkins wrote: »in.reuters.com/article/us-life-belgium-priest-idINKCN0ZQ0FU
I expect it was more than just a strict routine that has help keep Father Clemens active for 107 years. In photo 9 of 10 clearly he is on the thin side compared to man on his left side so calorie restriction may have been a way off life. Serving as a priest for 80 years would indicate he side stepped job hunting, housing, financial concerns at a personal level most likely. Serving for 80 years indicates he was mentally alert and could hear and read aided.
After I set a goal to live to be 110 walking and talking the entire way these cases grabs my attention. I find my goal helps me keep my way of eating in focus and that it keeps evolving.
Do others of you have concrete stated longevity goals? Per the obituaries that I read most goals must be set in the 70's range.
I agree Gale, the low stress of monastic life, ( I read a similar thing on monastic nuns a few months ago) and that of a priest has got a lot to do with it. I can see how regular meals, regular sleep and probably the comfort of a spiritual life would add years to anyone's life. Add to that the social contacts of a priest, the housekeeper and plenty of time to read and meditate and you pretty much have a perfectly healthy atmosphere in which any human would thrive. Ah to have made better decisions earlier!
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@Gaml think we often forget the spiritual side of humans. I was reading the other day how yoga was better for health than running is but I do neither. For sure life is more than just eating right.0
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@GaleHawkins I'm glad you looked into him though. I agree that humans can't extend their lives indefinitely, but he's a person with a strong will to live and a specific goal he wants to reach in the future, which is what drives him. I thought you might relate to his desire, if not all of his ideology.
You often speak of your wake-up call and the improvement in your health. I don't think I've ever told you this before, but I am happy for you. 0 -
sunnybeaches105 wrote: »sunnybeaches105 wrote: »I'm a cranky old *kitten* at 43. I'm going to be something awful at 70, let alone at 90 or so.
You'll still have all the ladies in the nursing home fawning over you.
Perhaps and thank you, but not after I open my mouth
But they can turn off their hearing aids0 -
mommarnurse wrote: »I have no desire to live to be that old. The odds of me feeling good and having a good quality of life are pretty low. (They are for anyone). I'll be making myself a DNR at age 70.
I'll strive to have a healthy , strong years while they last. But even with all of my efforts and good choices , alas we all have to die someday and genetics will win.
This guy has the trifecta of healthy choices, genetics and lowered stress.
I tried to have a DNR put in at 19. Doctors suck though. "You're too young abloobloobloo".0 -
My grandfather just passed away in November at the age of 104. All I will say is the man loved his scotch and potato chips, and he was dating a young thing (she was only 80 lol). A bad head wound after he tripped and fell was what accelerated his decline.
I'm not comfortable with the idea of living that long, to be honest, even though he was healthy, fully independent, and still had his driver's license until he was 100. But it's in my genetics to do so.
Same here. My great grandfather lived until 102. He drank whiskey and beer daily and smoked.
This thread really doesn't even seem like it should be a debate at all, it's really just a bunch of opinions but I figured I'd bite anyway0 -
I don't have a set age as a longevity goal, no.
I do have a goal of lifelong fitness at whatever level I can maintain, though.
Like some previous answers, I'd like a DNR order as I'd rather not live in a very damaged body if it's avoidable, and @amusedmonk... I don't think falling off a cliff at 109 is a bad way to go, given all the ways people can die.
Would not be eligible for immortality even if offered, way too many offspring to make that a viable option, as nature dictates you can either live forever or procreate but not both.
I do have a few inspirations, not in the media but people I've encountered in my life - the guy who ran past me at the gym one day as I was waiting for my daughter to get out of gymnastics - he was on his way to aerobics class and showed me his new driver's license. The birthday was shown in 2 digit format and I thought it was the expiration date of the license. He was 95. Running to aerobics class after getting his license renewed at the DMV. If I can be like that at 95 I would be very happy to live that long.
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mommarnurse wrote: »BikeTourer wrote: »mommarnurse wrote: »I have no desire to live to be that old. The odds of me feeling good and having a good quality of life are pretty low. (They are for anyone). I'll be making myself a DNR at age 70.
I'll strive to have a healthy , strong years while they last. But even with all of my efforts and good choices , alas we all have to die someday and genetics will win.
This guy has the trifecta of healthy choices, genetics and lowered stress.
Only the extremely naive think Living Wills (which outline the conditions of DNR) are only for the old, bad things can and do happen to even the young. I had my kids have one since they were 18 so they could name who they wanted to represent them in health matters if they became incapacitated and to document their wishes. Obviously it will be something that they will change and maintain periodically throughout their life.
I have no intention of giving up at 70. I know people in their 70s, 80s and 90s that are vibrant and active throughout their lives. I aspire to be one of them.
Choosing to be a DNR has nothing to do with giving up. It simply means if my heart stops beating or I stop breathing, no not intervene with CPR / life support. The chance of these measures - after becoming of advancing age - being successful are slim, and when successful - the chances of ever regaining quality of life are quite minute. That's the point. a Living Will is entirely something different.
An advance healthcare directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves because of illness or incapacity. In the U.S. it has a legal status in itself, whereas in some countries it is legally persuasive without being a legal document.
Yes it is far covers more than a DNR and it legally protects you from having medical decisions imposed on you if you cannot speak for yourself. Exactly what should be in place for everyone who reaches the age of adulthood if they have strong feelings about what they do or do not want done medically in the event they can't speak for themselves.1 -
mommarnurse wrote: »I have no desire to live to be that old. The odds of me feeling good and having a good quality of life are pretty low. (They are for anyone). I'll be making myself a DNR at age 70.
I'll strive to have a healthy , strong years while they last. But even with all of my efforts and good choices , alas we all have to die someday and genetics will win.
This guy has the trifecta of healthy choices, genetics and lowered stress.
Because nothing bad could happen before you're 70? Because you think life isn't worth living after 70?
Why pick 70?0 -
My family's longevity is mostly attributed to our culture and lifestyle. We're hillfolk, generally speaking, we grow our own food, hunt, fish and forage, and prefer home cooked to take out or store bought snacks. My favorite snacks are turnips and onions, I eat them like apples.
So having said that, I believe your activity level has as much to do with lifespan as anything else you might consider. Due to a debilitating injury and nerve pain disorder, I am not able to be as active as my elders, so I'm not counting on an overly abundant lifespan, but I'll take as much as the good Lord gives me, and be glad for every minute.3 -
whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45
@7bull the chart in this article gives a breakdown of all the good stuff in onions for our health.
We lost a neighbor 3 years ago at the age of 96 and another one at the same age this summer. They grew much of their own food most of their long lives and cooked at home and did a lot of hunting and fishing. Both were walking and talking right up to their deaths at the age of 96.0 -
I am planning on living to my mid nineties or better in good health. I take good care of myself, maintain a healthy weight, eat a whole foods plant based diet, exercise. My mother passed away at 84, but did not take good care of herself (bad diet, smoker, no exercise), and my father is 87 and in great health, so I think mid-nineties is achievable.1
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@GaleHawkins absolutely, onions and garlic are both cornerstones in nearly everything I cook. The benefits are amazing for something so simple, and since I enjoy eating them so much, all the better! A great resource for info on all kinds of benefits from different plants, and some interesting history on them as well, is a book called "eating on the wild side" I believe the authors name is Jo Robinson. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys such knowledge.0
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mommarnurse wrote: »I have no desire to live to be that old. The odds of me feeling good and having a good quality of life are pretty low. (They are for anyone). I'll be making myself a DNR at age 70.
I'll strive to have a healthy , strong years while they last. But even with all of my efforts and good choices , alas we all have to die someday and genetics will win.
This guy has the trifecta of healthy choices, genetics and lowered stress.
Because nothing bad could happen before you're 70? Because you think life isn't worth living after 70?
Why pick 70?
Because the older we get, chances of CPR being a. Successful and most importantly b. Returning to quality of life had before rapidly diminish. I am not saying I don't want to live past 70. I hope I live a long prosperous life.0 -
@GaleHawkins absolutely, onions and garlic are both cornerstones in nearly everything I cook. The benefits are amazing for something so simple, and since I enjoy eating them so much, all the better! A great resource for info on all kinds of benefits from different plants, and some interesting history on them as well, is a book called "eating on the wild side" I believe the authors name is Jo Robinson. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys such knowledge.
I tell the little daughters to eat onions for better hair Onions are high in sulfur, hair is high in sulfur, I eat lotsa onions and have good hair...
Really I just want them to eat what I cook because no way are we making separate dinners for everyone.2 -
@GaleHawkins absolutely, onions and garlic are both cornerstones in nearly everything I cook. The benefits are amazing for something so simple, and since I enjoy eating them so much, all the better! A great resource for info on all kinds of benefits from different plants, and some interesting history on them as well, is a book called "eating on the wild side" I believe the authors name is Jo Robinson. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys such knowledge.
I tell the little daughters to eat onions for better hair Onions are high in sulfur, hair is high in sulfur, I eat lotsa onions and have good hair...
Really I just want them to eat what I cook because no way are we making separate dinners for everyone.
I tell my wife how incredibly heart healthy onions are, to no avail haha. She detests them, but enjoys the flavor they impart, so just pushes them to the side, but hey, more for me!0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Yeah, as long as i have all my faculties and am not being cared for 24/7 in a nursing home, I'll be happy to live as long as i can! Age is just a number, it's not as if you hit a certain age and your life is over..
I'm 69 years old. I find the DNR talk by younger people amusing -- I used to think that way 40-50 years ago. If I could do it in reasonably good health and medicine advanced to the point where I could live for 150 years or more, I'd do it in a shot.
The young view old age with something like horror, knowing they're probably not going to avoid it (and truth be told, thinking that maybe they'll somehow be the exception to the rule). For those of us who are there: the house is starting to crumble, but the seven year old who once lived in it is still spinning around on the front lawn in the sunshine, laughing at the sheer joy of being alive.
I'm not giving up without a fight. We can better our chances, but in the end none of us knows how our stories are going to turn out.6 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Yeah, as long as i have all my faculties and am not being cared for 24/7 in a nursing home, I'll be happy to live as long as i can! Age is just a number, it's not as if you hit a certain age and your life is over..
I'm 69 years old. I find the DNR talk by younger people amusing -- I used to think that way 40-50 years ago. If I could do it in reasonably good health and medicine advanced to the point where I could live for 150 years or more, I'd do it in a shot.
The young view old age with something like horror, knowing they're probably not going to avoid it (and truth be told, thinking that maybe they'll somehow be the exception to the rule). For those of us who are there: the house is starting to crumble, but the seven year old who once lived in it is still spinning around on the front lawn in the sunshine, laughing at the sheer joy of being alive.
I'm not giving up without a fight. We can better our chances, but in the end none of us knows how our stories are going to turn out.
At 65 I agree with you. 1 -
I've never sat down and contemplated how long I wish to live. What have contemplated is achieving 99% of the goals I set out for myself and to impact people, near and far in a positive way. As I've bundled through the years it's becoming clearer that spreading ones truth/doing what's real to you is best thing one can do while on this earth. Everything else falls into place.0
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Christine_72 wrote: »Yeah, as long as i have all my faculties and am not being cared for 24/7 in a nursing home, I'll be happy to live as long as i can! Age is just a number, it's not as if you hit a certain age and your life is over..
I'm 69 years old. I find the DNR talk by younger people amusing -- I used to think that way 40-50 years ago. If I could do it in reasonably good health and medicine advanced to the point where I could live for 150 years or more, I'd do it in a shot.
The young view old age with something like horror, knowing they're probably not going to avoid it (and truth be told, thinking that maybe they'll somehow be the exception to the rule). For those of us who are there: the house is starting to crumble, but the seven year old who once lived in it is still spinning around on the front lawn in the sunshine, laughing at the sheer joy of being alive.
I'm not giving up without a fight. We can better our chances, but in the end none of us knows how our stories are going to turn out.
My dad died when he was 47, i was a teenager and remember thinking "he made it to a decent old age" :noway:2 -
@GaleHawkins absolutely, onions and garlic are both cornerstones in nearly everything I cook. The benefits are amazing for something so simple, and since I enjoy eating them so much, all the better! A great resource for info on all kinds of benefits from different plants, and some interesting history on them as well, is a book called "eating on the wild side" I believe the authors name is Jo Robinson. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys such knowledge.
I tell the little daughters to eat onions for better hair Onions are high in sulfur, hair is high in sulfur, I eat lotsa onions and have good hair...
Really I just want them to eat what I cook because no way are we making separate dinners for everyone.
I tell my wife how incredibly heart healthy onions are, to no avail haha. She detests them, but enjoys the flavor they impart, so just pushes them to the side, but hey, more for me!
If you don't mind me asking... are onions really that good for you? I really like them and use them in food as often as my boyfriend can tolerate it, but I never considered them to have any notable health benefits?1 -
Wicked_Seraph wrote: »@GaleHawkins absolutely, onions and garlic are both cornerstones in nearly everything I cook. The benefits are amazing for something so simple, and since I enjoy eating them so much, all the better! A great resource for info on all kinds of benefits from different plants, and some interesting history on them as well, is a book called "eating on the wild side" I believe the authors name is Jo Robinson. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys such knowledge.
I tell the little daughters to eat onions for better hair Onions are high in sulfur, hair is high in sulfur, I eat lotsa onions and have good hair...
Really I just want them to eat what I cook because no way are we making separate dinners for everyone.
I tell my wife how incredibly heart healthy onions are, to no avail haha. She detests them, but enjoys the flavor they impart, so just pushes them to the side, but hey, more for me!
If you don't mind me asking... are onions really that good for you? I really like them and use them in food as often as my boyfriend can tolerate it, but I never considered them to have any notable health benefits?
@Wicked_Seraph look at the graph in this link for specific why some people eat onions.
whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=451 -
People eat onions because they taste good.2
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I'm looking for quality, not quantity of life. Of course, I want to live long enough to raise my child, retire, do cool retiree stuff. But old enough for great, great grandchildren? No thank you. At some point, being so strict with oneself would reduce the quality of my life ATM. Balance.1
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mommarnurse wrote: »I have no desire to live to be that old. The odds of me feeling good and having a good quality of life are pretty low. (They are for anyone). I'll be making myself a DNR at age 70.
Huh? What? I am just about 50 and probably in the best shape of my life. NO WAY am I calling it quits at 70. My husband's 72 year old dad just helped us completely re-landscape our front yard - hauling rock, throwing mulch, planting bushes. I daresay that he may be in better shape than my husband.
Having said that, I have zero desire to live past the age of 100.
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