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Its definitely anecdata. My surviving Grandfather has lost two wives (both active as he was) to cancer, so his life style alone does not confer longevity. That

by dexwiz 7y ago

Its definitely anecdata. My surviving Grandfather has lost two wives (both active as he was) to cancer, so his life style alone does not confer longevity. That does not mean the will to live is not real, and those without out it fade much faster.

throwaway5752 7y ago
And sometimes you have poor genes for atherosclerosis. Exercise is still a miracle drug, but I think the young underestimate the physical disabilities that inevitably come with age. The will to live may be correlated with mean survival years because of the same underlying health issues.
- Fr0styMatt88 7y ago
  That’s a really good point. I can’t imagine someone’s will to live staying strong if they’re in constant severe pain from accumulated bone/joint/nerve issues. My dad lead a VERY active lifestyle - triathlons, squash, swimming, working on building sites, etc. What reward did he get for all that exercise and activity? Replacement hips, painful knees and developing spinal issues (spinal stenosis I think, but can’t quite remember off the top of my head) that he’s been told to live with until he can’t stand the pain anymore because surgery is incredibly risky and might not help or make things worse. He does have great cardiovascular health though and he still works at his own business, learned how to use an iPhone, etc. Still walks a ridiculous number of steps a day that puts me to shame. The mechanical issues do make it more difficult than it used to be for him though.
thrav 7y ago
My grandfather is passing 94 and exactly as you describe. He wants to see us all have his great grand kids, and says he’s not going anywhere until that happens. It motivated him to completely alter his diet when the doctor said so, take up physical therapy when the doctor said so, and all manner of other healthy life choices that most people just wouldn’t bother with so late in life. Good reason to live is a massive part of making choices that keep you living.

by dexwiz 7y ago

throwaway5752 7y ago

And sometimes you have poor genes for atherosclerosis. Exercise is still a miracle drug, but I think the young underestimate the physical disabilities that inevitably come with age. The will to live may be correlated with mean survival years because of the same underlying health issues.

Fr0styMatt88 7y ago
That’s a really good point. I can’t imagine someone’s will to live staying strong if they’re in constant severe pain from accumulated bone/joint/nerve issues. My dad lead a VERY active lifestyle - triathlons, squash, swimming, working on building sites, etc. What reward did he get for all that exercise and activity? Replacement hips, painful knees and developing spinal issues (spinal stenosis I think, but can’t quite remember off the top of my head) that he’s been told to live with until he can’t stand the pain anymore because surgery is incredibly risky and might not help or make things worse. He does have great cardiovascular health though and he still works at his own business, learned how to use an iPhone, etc. Still walks a ridiculous number of steps a day that puts me to shame. The mechanical issues do make it more difficult than it used to be for him though.

thrav 7y ago

My grandfather is passing 94 and exactly as you describe. He wants to see us all have his great grand kids, and says he’s not going anywhere until that happens. It motivated him to completely alter his diet when the doctor said so, take up physical therapy when the doctor said so, and all manner of other healthy life choices that most people just wouldn’t bother with so late in life. Good reason to live is a massive part of making choices that keep you living.