Age Wise

Oddly, given that I’m a writer, I was slow to realize the pleasure of reading for pleasure. I recall having read two novels prior to my mid-20s (The Great Train Robbery and Jaws). Going back to college changed that, and I discovered the joy of reading fiction while studying, of all things, linguistics, in Swedish, during a year at Uppsala University.

What do you want most in life? The one most important thing, deep down. Think about it. Now hold that thought… I’ve asked this question, directly or indirectly, of dozens of people. I’ve pored over surveys and studies on the subject, and I’ve spoken to psychologists about it. What I thought was a simple query turns out to be somewhat of a trick question. Here’s what I can say with certainty: The answers are all over the place.

Hey wise agers: I’m taking a late summer break from this newsletter (breaks are healthy!) to get some life stuff done. So here I’m offering you this little morsel, one of my most-read stories previously posted to Medium. The advice is timeless, yet also timely, given how nutrition research has changed notably in recent years. If this lengthy post gets truncated in your email, you’ll find the full version on the Age Wise homepage.

This week’s newsletter is two days early and focused on one thing. I’ll be back next week with your regularly scheduled Friday feature story. — Rob Image: Tinseltown/Shutterstock. Used under the writer’s license. Talk about a life well lived. Dolly Parton worked right to the end of her days, leaving behind a genre-busting catalogue of music that will outlive her, and recent recordings apt to be published posthumously.

Scientists are discovering more and more ways our lifestyles and habits affect the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia as we age. High on the list of preventive factors are good diet, better sleep, and physical activity. New findings suggest not all physical activity is the same, however. Leisure-time exercise—things like hiking, biking or playing sports—is linked to substantially lower dementia risk compared to hard labor or other job-related physical efforts.

Hey Wise Agers: I don’t enjoy picking on other media outlets, but when one promotes bad science or furthers a misconception, I have no problem calling it out. This week, I rain on the longevity parade. I hope you find it informative. —Rob Image: tech_BG/Shutterstock. Used under the writer’s license. National Geographic rolled out an old trope last week with this online headline: Are We on the Brink of Ending Aging? I’ll answer that one: No, we’re not.

Hey Wise Agers: This week I reached out to a couple psychologists I know to help me wrap my brain around a concept many of us struggle with. All my adult life I’ve believed firmly that one should never stop growing, changing and trying new things. Yet as I got into my 60s, I got a little too comfortable (though the situation has since changed dramatically, as I note in the story below). I hope this piece opens your eyes about the importance of challenges and change, as it has mine.

THIS WEEK’S AGE WISE CRACK “Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before.” —The late Elizabeth Edwards, lawyer, health activist Hey folks. This week’s essay is personal. I’ve avoided overloading it with science or advice. It’s my story. If it helps you think about your own resilience as you age, that would be a wonderful outcome.

The most important factors that help keep our bodies and minds functioning well later in life — maintaining the ability to move well, perform basic tasks and find joy — are the basics you’ve heard about: Be physically active, eat well, sleep well, find joy and purpose in life and foster good relationships. But wouldn’t it be nice if there was a pill we could pop that would offer some additional aging benefits?

THIS WEEK’S AGE WISE CRACK Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75. — Benjamin Franklin People on average live considerably longer in the modern world compared to Ben’s time, so a revised version of his quote might have people dying at 40 and not being buried until 80. Either way, it’s a dismal way to stay. And so this week we focus not on how long you might live, but on how well. You’ll see that one has a lot to do with the other. —Rob Image: AlessandroBiascioli/Shutterstock.