I WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN, JUST NOT TODAY
There's a great old joke that used to be told in the church where I grew up. A preacher began to "get the spirit" one Sunday morning. "Who here loves the lord?" he said to the packed church. "Amen, brother, we do!" shouted the congregation. "Who wants to go to heaven?" "We do, brother, amen!" shouted the congregation. "And who'd like to go today?" Silence....
I certainly have no doubt of my eternal rewards; nevertheless, I'd like to make my life here and now also as pleasurable and healthy as possible. In that light, paly Tom keeps posting comments about diets. Based on my many years of eating and reading, this passage from pal, Andrew Weil, MD is keen to the issue at hand:
The aging process is a natural part of life, and growing old is not something to deny, avoid or be afraid of. However, taking some simple steps now - no matter what your age - can help to make the physical and mental changes that accompany aging easier to handle. Regular exercise is an important step in the right direction, and one that can help lessen the risk of disease, promote quality sleep and increase energy. Daily physical activity completes an optimum approach to aging well, along with a sound diet, activities that stimulate your mind and maintaining social connections. Make sure that whatever type of exercise (or exercises) you decide to engage in, your body receives a workout for the heart, as well as for bones and muscles. Walking, strength training, yoga and T'ai Chi are some good choices...As we age, our memory may fade and we can become more forgetful. Help keep your mental capacity healthy. Remember that Ginkgo biloba and DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid which helps support a healthy nervous system, was shown to help maintain memory. Ginkgo increases circulation to both the brain and extremities, and helps maintain healthy circulation throughout the body.
In other news, regular exercise helps with brain plasticity (the brains ability to recover from illness and change/adapt to novel situations). Most recent studies continue to support a "use it or lose it" kind of philosophy. The more you read, write, challenge your mind with new and novel stimuli, the more likely you are to remain sharp during your lifetime.
As for immortality, I feel as Kevin did during our previous discussion after my book review. I don't think true immortality is ever possible in a material form (at least not in the current understanding of how the universe works). However, living even another 50 years or 100 years would be wonderful. If anything, simply to satisfy my curiosity. I want to visit the first moonbase. Additionally, I'd enjoy making love to my wife in zero gravity.
1 comment:
Those who convince themselves that they do not have time to exercise never question whether they have time to eat. The key is learning to love exercise the way you love food and it's not all that hard to do.
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