What My 88-Year-Old Mom Just Taught Me About Aging
Plus: Why Romantic Rejection Makes Us Act Like Cocaine Addicts
Every now and then, the health reporting and writing I do collides with my life. Like, you know, every time I or a loved one has a health issue. That just happened in a big way when my mother had to have surgery.
To even qualify for the absolutely necessary procedure, Mom had to take a treadmill stress test to make sure her heart would handle the surgery. The cardiologist punched her ticket and gave her high marks for heart health. That hurdle behind her, she then had to, you know, get cut open.
In this story, I explain how being in reasonably good shape made all the difference in her recovery, and why I see that as an inspiration for all of us to maintain our strength and capability as we get older. It can mean the difference between taking care of ourselves or being taken care of. The difference between joy or misery. Even the difference between being eligible for surgery and then then getting through it well versus, well, not. Here you go:
What My 88-Year-Old Mom Just Taught Me About Aging
Mom just turned 88 while in the hospital. The doc took out some of her insides last week, and she was stuck in bed in the recovery wing for six days, tied to an IV before the tentative start of a liquid-only diet and a gradual return to semi-solid food. This morning she finally had a bite of toast. I would find that an incredibly debilitating experience, and I’m 26 years younger. For her, it was exhausting. Yet when we brought her home yesterday, seven days after the operation, already she was able to get herself into and out of bed.
—Robert Roy Britt
Over 65? Time to Dramatically Change Your Food Intake and Physical Activity
Thanks to serendipitous timing, one of our other writers, a retired physician who remains at watch for the health of the people who live in his retirement community, offers some fantastic advice for staying healthier and more capable later in life.
I notice many seniors become skinny and weak due to muscle loss yet have big bellies as fat accumulates. They are less strong, less vibrant, and prone to falls and chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. This does not need to happen, but many older people do not appreciate the health and wellness impacts of muscle loss and reduced nutrient absorption, nor do they realize they can slow that process, feel better, be healthier, and live longer.
—Stephen Schimpff MD, MACP
Choose Stairs for a Healthier Life
All the above in mind, there are many ways to stay in shape. A daily walk is a great first step. Or, if you’d like to step it up a notch… New research adds to the case of choosing a little movement over the alternative, in this case climbing stairs instead of talking elevators. While the study doesn’t prove cause and effect, the results are compelling
People in the habit of climbing stairs had a 39% lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who don't climb stairs. Stair climbing was also associated with a 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause.
—Annie Foley
Healthy Fats Improve Heart Health (For Some People)
And since we’re also talking about how to eat well… Popular keto diet and low fat diets can make it hard to know what fats to eat, or whether we should avoid them altogether. New research reveals which types of fats are healthiest, and it explains why some people respond better than others to health-promoting fats and other do not. It’s not just the fats we consume that are important, but how our individual biochemistry reacts with them.
Essential fats called polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) protect from diseases like cancer, bone problems, autoimmune disorders, and heart damage. The two main classes of PUFAs, omega-3 and omega-6, are both essential, since your body cannot make them in sufficient amounts. You need to get them from your diet.
—Cindy Cao and Brent R. Stockwell
Why Romantic Rejection Makes Us Act Like Cocaine Addicts
I love this story. It’s premise is rather unexpected, yet it explains a lot. The writer, a relationship coach, helps a friend get through a romantic rejection, which fueled intense efforts to cling that he thought was because he'd been deeply in love. But no. Instead…
First, romantic rejection activates deep attachment phases in a similar way to how children react when their parents withdraw affection. Romantic lovers who have been rejected undergo the same feelings of protest and anxiety followed by despair.
—May Pang
Surgeons Should Play More Video Games
And circling back to surgery… When my mother went in for surgery, I’ll admit to knowing almost zip about her surgeon. The way healthcare works these days, we’re often at the mercy of the system. We trust doctors to be good at what they do. But of course, like any profession, some are better than others. So I found this very interesting. One of our doctor/writers explains that surgeons skills can benefit by playing video games.
Positive benefits of video games include increased performance on hand-eye coordination tasks and neuropsychological tests. Gaming can cultivate better reaction times and improve spatial visualization, which can help in certain types of careers.
—Dr. Julian Barkan
Plus, from our sister publication, Aha! Science:
Why are Blood Transfusions So Tricky?
Blood all looks the same—always red, never blue. Yet little differences make blood transfusions among humans are tricky, while blood from a dog, pig, chicken or any other animal will kill you. Learn how it all works (or doesn't).