“PTS” Is Not What You Think: A Guide to Aging Well
(From Dr. William Li… with facetious remarks from Wm. Kohler – Your Daze‑of‑the‑Weak Professor)
You may have heard some buzz about cognitive function and neuroplasticity — keep your brain active and you can inhibit, perhaps stop, cognitive decline. It’s solid science.
At 77, my brain is focused on trying to remember what I was doing when I stopped doing it, another classic example of Daze of the Weak. Below is advice to humor you if not help you.
Dr. William Li, a gerontologist, has spent years interviewing vibrant 75‑ to 95‑year‑olds, and offers practical advice for staying sharp. And with a little humor, is easy to follow.
- Engage in Thoughtful Intention Solve a problem. Learn a second language. Pick up a musical instrument and learn to play it. Do something difficult every day. My wife asked if being married to me qualifies. Dr. Li has not yet responded.
- Practice Deep Breathing Everyday nhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6. Simple… unless you’ve forgotten how to count. If so, just open your latest American Express bill — that will help get you started. Do it throughout the day so you’re never left breathless.
- Work on Balance and Mobility Stand on one foot, then switch. Walk up stairs and pausing on each step to hold your knee at waist height for a second or two. Hold onto the rail, unless you want this to be the last time you attempt it.
- Eat Brightly Colored Foods Blueberries, strawberries, oranges, bell peppers, leafy greens. You’ve heard this before. And no — M&Ms and peppermints don’t count.
- Walk Every Day Thirty minutes is ideal. Three 10‑minute walks work. Thirty 1‑minute walks will just make your neighbors suspicious. Walking boosts circulation, helps inner‑ear balance, and releases proteins that support your brain. With enough of those proteins, you might even remember this list.
- Get Early Morning Sunlight Spend 30 minutes in natural light within 30 minutes of waking. It helps regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation. Combine it with a morning walk while playing Mozart on your clarinet, and you’ll knock out three activities at once. Walking to Dunkin’ Donuts for a sprinkle‑covered Danish will mitigate the benefits — even if you’re breathing deeply the whole way.
- Engage in Daily Social Interaction Talk to someone. Visit a friend. Or an irritating conversationalist — they count too. Make a lively phone call that requires spontaneous conversation. Spam calls don’t count. For example, call your second spouse’s daughter and explain why she shouldn’t report you to Adult Protective Services. A spirited exchange releases endorphins that strengthen your mitochondria… assuming your synapses don’t snap. Or just call me. I say things I’ve never thought of.
As you know, enthusiastic laughter triggers endorphins — nature’s little repair crew — which promote healing and help reduce oxidative stress. And reducing oxidative stress is critical to long‑term health and longevity.
Just remember – none of us get off this planet alive (unless you’re an astronaut), and so far, the statistics on death are impressive. Only Enoch and Elijah have managed to dodge that bullet, and they had connections.
Cognition requires ignition. So, find ways to stimulate your hippocampus rather than leaving it on another campus. And no — a hippocampus is not a zoological training site for hippopotami, though that would make an excellent field trip.
The point is simple: proactively protect your health and your longevity through daily habits that preserve your independence… and keep the might in your mitochondria.
Remember, “AGE” is simply Another Geriatric Excuse some doctors use to explain your decline. You don’t have to accept it.
From now on, PTS means “Protect Thy Self.”
So, breathe deeply, walk daily, eat brightly, balance bravely, laugh often — and take in the sunshine.
Don’t let the Daze of the Weak steal your joy… By the way, you may want to make a checklist to remember this stuff.