wrighty Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 So as we enter 2018, I've realised that this year I'll have spent half my life (24 years) as a qualified doc. Thought it might be appropriate to share a few things I've learned over the years. Firstly, it's becoming increasingly clear that exercise, including weight training (so not just 'going for a walk') leads to far better health in one's later years. A couple of examples I came across in the past few weeks are relevant. Firstly, I entered the British Indoor Rowing Championships at the start of December. One of the competitors was 91 years of age, and he rowed 2000m in 10:46. It's sad to say that there are many 30somethings that couldn't do that. Secondly, the other day I came across a chap who was running 10km in 55 minutes at the age of 80+. Both of these men had been exercising all their life. They were fit, they looked fit, and they were still able to do all of their daily activities. Contrast that with patients I routinely see in their 60s who have led a sedentary lifestyle, and because of lack of fitness and conditioning fall over all the time, have aching joints, and need multiple pills to keep their blood pressure under control etc. Everyone knows about osteoporosis - as we age we lose bone density, particularly if you're a woman. What is less well known is sarcopaenia - the loss of muscle mass, which occurs at about 1% a year from the age 50. If you have poor muscles your joints ache and you have poor balance reactions, with obvious consequences. The only way to prevent this is to lift weights. So my top tip for everyone is to exercise. Do it regularly and start young, but whatever age you are it will be beneficial. We're all getting heavier. Cheap calorie rich nutrition poor food is easily available. Having looked through many sets of medical notes over the years, most people seem to put on 1-2kg per year. This is nothing really, until you consider that over the course of one's working life you might go up from 70kg to 110kg without really noticing it. It doesn't have to be this way. No-one should be obsessed about their weight - fitness matters more than weight in itself - and in fact the biggest predictor of being overweight in 5 years time is being on a diet now! Just watch it, and if your belt gets tight, or you creep up a couple of kgs in a month or two then back off on the booze/sweets/pies for a few weeks until you're where you were. People have too much faith in modern medicine. Yes it's great, and there are drugs and operations for everything. And we're all living longer. But we're not living healthier for longer. And being on multiple meds, or having surgery, is not as free from complication as we'd like it to be. Drugs have side effects, operations have risks and a proportion have a poor outcome (there's no such thing as an operation that can't make the situation worse!) They're all best avoided. And in many situations, Mother Nature is hard to beat! So, if you're going to make NY resolutions, choose ones that will stick. Exercise more, lift weights, don't get gradually fatter over the years. And don't smoke, and don't drink to excess. If we all did that, then the medical profession would have far less to do, and perhaps as a society we could afford a health service to look after us when we really need it. Happy New Year everyone - I'm just off out to the gym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Or just get a dog and go for a decent walk or two every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody2 Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 going to the gym is bad for you, it also gives you low stamina...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyBlue Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Thanks Wrighty - well-said. As I always do, I made a mental 'New Year Resolution' to start getting into shape this year (I'm almost 50 and definitely sedentary). This plan usually lasts a week-or-so - but given your encouragement maybe I'll last a bit longer and maybe even manage to keep it up. It's a shame that as well as waist-lines bursting at the seams, so do our modern-day schedules - trying to find time to fit in exercise is maybe more difficult than the exercise itself. Micky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Down Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 4 hours ago, woody2 said: going to the gym is bad for you, it also gives you low stamina...... Plus being surrounded by muscle Mary's is never a good thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dilligaf Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 13 minutes ago, Neil Down said: 4 hours ago, woody2 said: going to the gym is bad for you, it also gives you low stamina...... Plus being surrounded by muscle Mary's is never a good thing... She may think she's "fit", but she ain't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 5 hours ago, wrighty said: So my top tip for everyone is to exercise. Do it regularly and start young, but whatever age you are it will be beneficial. Sounds like a lot of effort when you can cure all ills with a nice bit of Homeopathy, green tea and patchouli oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2bees Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 I'd love to have the time, will and inclination but I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrighty Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 I don't get this finding time business - make time. If the doc told you you had kidney failure and had to spend 4 hours on dialysis 3 times a week you'd do it somehow. Stop watching TV. Get up an hour earlier. Get family on board to support you being out exercising. It is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manximus Aururaneus Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 'What Butter and Whiskey cannot cure there is no cure for'. Dr Klaus Martens circa 1947. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 18 minutes ago, wrighty said: I don't get this finding time business - make time. If the doc told you you had kidney failure and had to spend 4 hours on dialysis 3 times a week you'd do it somehow. Stop watching TV. Get up an hour earlier. Get family on board to support you being out exercising. It is possible. What you are missing is "the gym" is an intensely horrid and unwelcoming place and lifting things is boring and unpleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j2bad Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 13 minutes ago, Declan said: What you are missing is "the gym" is an intensely horrid and unwelcoming place and lifting things is boring and unpleasant. Thats just fear based perception, bet you are basing that on some piffy article written by some loser rather than real life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 I have lifted things in real life. Very unpleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 All I want to do is get through the coming year and hopefully a few more with no more holes, no more bits cut off, and holding on to the will to live which surprising taking part here has certainly increased! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 I must admit Rog, I'd assumed you'd died a few years ago. Was surprised to see you back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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