General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPeople who drink moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee and are overweight in their 70s live longer
lol
Happy New Year, everyone!
according to researchers at UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders.
The researchers started a study in 2003 to look at what makes people live past 90.
https://abc7chicago.com/4969273/
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,924 posts)BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)demosincebirth
(12,549 posts)Just a Weirdo
(488 posts)But her father lived until his early 80s. Mother died at age 64. Sister died at 63 (both mother and sister gone of cancer). So she is the only person left in her family, and she is 70, and has gotten a preventative hysterectomy and mastectomy after both were DX'ed with breast/ovarian cancer. She is also BRCA1 positive, and my sister is also positive. She had her mastectomy and hysterectomy done about 10 years ago for preventative measure.
diva77
(7,671 posts)BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,924 posts)She's 94, overweight, drinks coffee all day until evening and then she has a martini. And she's sharp as a tack.
BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)diva77
(7,671 posts)napi21
(45,806 posts)an attaboy or a "die young" penalty? BTW, I'm now 76.
BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)a kennedy
(29,740 posts)Both mine were 84 when they died, drank very little, and my dad only smoked for a few years.......me, I drink daily, and DID smoke for 37 years. But ive had one brother and one sister die of melanoma cancer.......so I really wonder what my chances of living till 84 are??
napi21
(45,806 posts)like me. Dad smoked as do I but mom hated cigs and nagged us both to quit all the time. Mom did drink a little, mostly wine before going to bed.
I'm a big believer in genetics determining a lot of things in each person's life. Dad's history included ALL the Men died in their 50's & 60's. Mom's history was a bit mixed. He mother died in her 40's but her dad lived to 93. I guess it's fair to say her fathers genes were dominant.
I just have to decide which parent influenced most of my genes. Since I'm already 76, I suppose I can assume my moms genes seem to be prominent
All I can say right now is that it would be great to live a long time ONLY if I'm reasonably healthy and never contract Alzheimer's! I'd much rather die tomorrow then be forced to live with that.
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)I'm so damn sick of fad diets, fads in general to "beat the system". It's really f**king simple and no one likes that answer. Don't treat your body like a garbage dump and it will work better. This becomes increasingly important as we age.
There's no goddamn magic bullet. It's not about alcohol, or coffee, or "this one weird trick" that apparently half this dumbass country can't wait to try, but won't even consider eating a predominantly plant-based diet. Because that's too hard apparently.
There's this great book called "How Not to Die" and it explains very clearly the links between what we eat and the unnecessary diseases that can be directly linked to diet.
But don't listen to me, I'm just the freaking Lorax.
Mendocino
(7,517 posts)good news about their bad habits.
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)where genes just win out.
Look at Trump. He absolutely destroys his body, never exercises, is constantly in a state of stress.
By all rights he should have died ten years ago...and yet that fucker is highly likely to make it to his late 80s or 90s.
Because something in his genes is simply coded for longevity in spite of himself.
I suspect he'd live even longer if, as you say, he ate a healthy diet and exercised moderately, but he still is probably going to live longer than average because something in his genetic code is set up for that.
I agree that this study does not say that being overweight and drinking coffee and alcohol "beats the system."
I think though that for those who truly live a long time, it probably doesn't matter what they eat or what exercise they do, they probably are going to end up there anyways unless accident or disease gets them. (Cancer probably doesn't care about longevity genes for example, neither does a drunk driver).
lunatica
(53,410 posts)I would be impressed, but knowing the quality of research done in the UC universities, I put my faith in them. They dont do fad diets.
JI7
(89,281 posts)a kennedy
(29,740 posts)and actually how youre going to die, although personal habits such as alcohol, drugs, and eating habits can,help or not, but genetics DOES play a big roll in your life expectancy. JMHO
in general. It seems to me that, yeah, you can abuse yourself and shave a bunch of years off. But I dont notice the long lifers having particularly great habits, just average. My GM lived to be 102. Pure genetics. The woman was never sick. Had high cholesterol, her body didnt care. Broke her hip once. They put a pin in it, no problem. Exercise? Couldnt be bothered. Weight? Not skinny, not obese. It was what it was, she ate what she wanted, and it wasnt salad. Genetics.
Kajun Gal
(1,907 posts)Revanchist
(1,375 posts)I would off myself well before I reached that age
TexasBushwhacker
(20,228 posts)Maru Kitteh
(28,344 posts)persons that age who still enjoyed sharp mentation, independence and a good quality of life. I am willing to carry on that way as long as my body is.
Laffy Kat
(16,391 posts)Hey, if I'm still with it I'd like to stick around. I certainly don't want to out-live my own children, however; that would be horrible.
Revanchist
(1,375 posts)Wife's dead and lost the dog 9 months after her. Refuse to get another pet or enter another relationship so when I'm ready there will be no loose ends.
Laffy Kat
(16,391 posts)I'm so sorry.
Bucky
(54,087 posts)... of something trendy
xor
(1,204 posts)Asking for a friend.
elleng
(131,253 posts)my Dad drank alcohol 'occasionally,' 1 coffee/day, was NOT overweight, and lived to 99.
Laffy Kat
(16,391 posts)I've been working in medicine one way or another for 30 years and I've never seen an obese person in their nineties. They tend to be trim, maybe even underweight. I've also noticed geriatric dogs also seem to be trim. I am not surprised about the coffee and alcohol, though. In fact, my New Year's Eve resolution is always the same: I need to drink more alcohol! I don't think a couple of glasses of wine a month is enough. I've got the coffee covered. As a mother, I started giving my children coffee in the morning when they were still in elementary school because I'm convinced a moderate amount is good for you.