Who wants to live forever? page

[YogaBare]

Kind of a deep one but here goes -

If you reflect on it, what is the motivating factor behind your healthy eating?

Do you secretly hope that by eating well you'll postpone the Grim Reaper?

Are you trying avoid the slow, steady health decline many associate with old age?

OR, are you trying to live life to the fullest?

And finally (most morbidly) - have you got an age in your head that you'd like to live until?

[YogaBare]

A little musical interlude from Freddie: Queen - Who Wants to Live Forever - YouTube

[Knifegill]

Good survey!

If you reflect on it, what is the motivating factor behind your healthy eating? Not being in pain, living longer, being a responsible adult.

Do you secretly hope that by eating well you'll postpone the Grim Reaper? I know for a fact I will (barring accidents or pure bad luck), it's not a secret or a hope. Science tells me so.

Are you trying avoid the slow, steady health decline many associate with old age? Yes, I don't want alzheimers, arthritis, diabetes, atherosclerosis or any of the other life-quality inhibiting ailments. If I can't climb a tree, I might as well be dead.

OR, are you trying to live life to the fullest? Yes, again. I like being mobile, strong and solid in my lifestyle. Creativity is null thanks to night shift work, but I'm mostly doing great now!

And finally (most morbidly) - have you got an age in your head that you'd like to live until? I'd say 120, but I know enough about raising animals and sadly, I'll be lucky to reach 80 at this point. Being raised on macaroni and cheese means I'll probably suffer eye trouble, joint problems, and nerve trouble - even with a complete 180 of food choices. In fact, changing an animal's diet halfway through it's life is just as stressful as letting it keep eating corn. I know I have a lot of damage to undo, and I feel if I'm diligent I could - if the dice roll well - reach 90. I have the genes for it, but not the environment or proper growth stages, food, etc. in early life. The ritalin alone and not growing at all for four years (82 pounds from age 10 to age 14, then gained 100 pounds in one year on fake food) - that's rough stuff.

[j3nn]

I'd like to live until at least 153. hoping science cracks the code in my lifetime. Heh

[JoanieL]

I eat as healthfully as possible for two reasons. The personal reason is that even though I love food just for the taste of it, I'm also aware that it's fuel. So, I want to put the best fuel, prepared in the most delicious manner possible into my body. The second reason is political. Every time I buy grass-fed, pastured, wild, or organic products, I know those dollars aren't going into the pockets of those who sell garbage disguised as food.

I don't want to live forever. I would like what life I do have left to be as pain-free and emotionally satisfying as possible. If eating food as opposed to poison helps that, I will have accomplished something wonderful.

[YogaBare]

I know enough about raising animals and sadly, I'll be lucky to reach 80 at this point. Being raised on macaroni and cheese means I'll probably suffer eye trouble, joint problems, and nerve trouble - even with a complete 180 of food choices. In fact, changing an animals diet halfway through it's life is just as stressful as letting it keep eating corn.

That's fascinating... and somewhat disturbing. I guess it's the same as psychology - the first 7 years of your life are the most pivotal, and any damage that is done before then takes a lot of work to undo.

The second reason is political. Every time I buy grass-fed, pastured, wild, or organic products, I know those dollars aren't going into the pockets of those who sell garbage disguised as food.

That's a brilliant reason!

[RichMahogany]

Good soul-searching type of questions here.

Ultimately, for me, it's about maximizing the good time and minimizing the bad. Meaning living longer as a well and able-bodied person and declining more rapidly when those days are finally through.

I don't have a specific age I'm planning or hoping to live to, but maybe that's because at 30, I'm still somewhat subject to the perceived invincibility of youth. But I'd gladly make a deal tomorrow that guaranteed living to be a vital, lively, wheelchair-, diaper- and dementia-free 80 year old, then dropping dead instantaneously.

[carlh]

You can't stop growing old. You CAN help yourself grow old healthfully, instead of decrepit, weak, diabetic, and ill. That's my long-long-long term goal.

[jakey]

i'm with richmahogany and carlh. i actually don't care as much about longevity as many people do. it's about quality of life, and being able-bodied for me. i really don't want to go out in a long, drawn-out manner, with a lack of dignity. alzheimers or dementia, or cripling illness, oy vey.

[EagleRiverDee]

I want to live at least to 80- and I want to do so healthfully. I see some people that are near death in their early 60's--- and I see other people who live vibrantly into their 80's. My Grandfather was healthy to 90.