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Lost Weekend: Computer Catastrophe
I had planned to post another essay on longevity this weekend, adding to my most recent ones (see here, and here) but my computer was dithering over every word as its hard drive spun recklessly and out of control. So Saturday morning I took my old PC in to a national chain and had its data transferred to […]
Simple Reasons Why You Should Exercise
Centuries of human experience have shown beyond doubt that exercise is a powerful stimulus for better health (1). Exercise also builds more efficient muscles. Here we’ll discuss some simple reasons why you should exercise. I’ll keep it simple because that’s the level I understand. Most of you know this, but I’ll mention it […]
Does Exercise Improve Your Health? A Brief Review
First a personal question. Do you exercise regularly? I have a hunch some of you do, and some of you don’t. That’s fine. All are welcome here. Does exercise improve health? Lets see. Over twenty five centuries ago, a well-regarded physician observed “All parts of the body, if used in moderation and exercised […]
What is Autophagy? Should you care?
In my previous post (1), I highlighted a word I recently came across, autophagy, a word with plenty of air beneath its wings, a word I predict soon will become common in languages around the world. Why? Because autophagy is a vital biological process that, when defective, underlies the development of a myriad of […]
Methods to Preserve Your Health, and Extend Your Life
As I mentioned in an earlier post (1), most of us have the power (ignoring accidents and bad luck) to help preserve our health and extend our lives. How exactly can that be accomplished? Well, I’ve done some digging. (You never know what will happen when you send a 90-year-old brain to investigate a […]
Would you like to live for, say, 110 years?
Would you like to live for, say, 110 years? Does a long life appeal to you? Is it even possible to achieve? Seemingly so. Present-day science is oozing with promises to extend our lives. How would I answer my opening question? That depends. If I were able to survive for well over 100 years […]
Modern Medicine and the Magic 90
Having flown into my tenth decade with some speed, and finding I enjoy the altitude (1), I’ve begun ruminating about getting old. Why, I’ve wondered, have I beaten the odds? Today I’m going to retrace my tracks. Next time I’ll look at the amazing process of aging itself. What was it that allowed […]
Re-reading a Russian novel, after 65 years, Part 2
As I mentioned earlier (1), my first taste of The Brothers Karamazov came more than six decades ago. I swallowed that jumbo novel in big bites, dazzled by Dostoevsky’s grasp of psychology and religion, not to mention his way of dissecting the Russian soul of his time. And the multiple tendrils of his story […]
Re-reading a Russian novel, after 65 years
I read The Brothers Karamazov (here) a long time ago, when I was an undergraduate. By that time I had learned (finally!) that rounding up a cluster of neurons and throwing them into action (with purpose) could be exhilarating. I plowed through that prodigious novel over a three-day weekend. A marathon event! One so dramatic […]
Post Birthday Bliss
My 90th was like no other. Thanks to clever innovations by younger members of my family, readership exploded here yesterday. The blast unleashed a flood of good wishes and made my sweet day even sweeter. As most newcomers may have discovered, this blog is unfocused and hard to classify. I don’t stick to classic medical […]
