Dear Dr. Prescott,
I just turned 82. For an old guy, I’m in excellent health. Despite the usual (cancer, hypertension, knee replacement) and unusual (cracked vertebrae, fractured heel and antibiotic resistant infection caused by a rock-climbing accident at age 74) array of health-related hurdles I’ve experienced in life, I still play tennis, go climbing and work out at the gym every week. My parents both lived to the age of 96. At this point, can I just throw away the standard instruction manual and do what I want?
Mike Cohen, Wynnewood, PA
What a great problem to have! That said, I have a little good news/bad news on the life expectancy front. Your parents were outliers, meaning they lived well beyond the average lifespan. When that happens, statistics show that the next generation, while still expected to live longer than most, will likely have a shorter lifespan than mom and dad. On the other hand, the fact that you’ve already passed the 80 mark puts you in rarified statistical company, predicting a big cake with 90-plus candles in your future.
At this stage of the game, I do think you can tear out a few chapters of the health manual. For example, in colon cancer, it takes about 15 years from initial cellular changes until the development of fully invasive cancer. At some moment, and that point could be now, you might decide, if I’m not going to get colon cancer for at least another 15 years, enough with those colonoscopies. You might make similar decisions with regard to other preventative procedures and medications where the short-term detriment now outweighs the long-term benefits.
On the dietary front, I’d still recommend that you eat a balanced diet and strive to maintain a healthy body mass index. But if you want to have an extra serving of dessert or two, go for it. Similarly, while I’m not advocating over-indulgence, studies have repeatedly shown that regular consumption of modest amounts of alcohol is associated with longer life and better health outcomes.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start now. Even if you eliminate the long-term risks, there are simply too many short-term health issues associated with tobacco use to risk it.
Finally, and probably most importantly, stay active. The biggest health risk for seniors is falls, which cause fractures, immobility and, ultimately, life-threatening infections. By staying active, you maintain muscle mass, bone density, flexibility and balance.
So keep up that gym membership and Tuesday tennis game; there’s no reason to abandon the fitness regimen that has helped take you so far in life. Heck, I guess that goes for climbing, too. Just do me a favor and wear a harness, okay?
