The relationship between mindset and age (2017)

Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Friday June 12, 2020 @09:24PM (#23505812)

Old person here (+7 decades). Not much you can do about physical deterioration. The only thing I've found you can easily carry into old age is (assuming no senility or debilitating disease) coordination. One can be weak and frail yet still somewhat graceful. As for the mind, it depends on when it freezes in time. If you find yourself comparing everything current to the "good old days", then you are probably lost. But as long as you have an appetite for the new and unfamiliar (maybe something like ycombinator) then there is possibly still hope...

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by nradov on Friday June 12, 2020 @10:43PM (#23506277)

There's no need to be weak and frail. You can actually do a lot about physical deterioration ... up to a point. In one of the triathlons I raced last year the retired Marine who won the 70 - 79 age group was only a few minutes slower than me.

The key to staving off muscle atrophy and loss of bone mineral density is doing high-impact training and weightlifting at least a couple times per week, while maintaining proper form to avoid injury. The digestive system also becomes less efficient at absorbing some nutrients so you have to increase protein intake in order to have the necessary building blocks for repairing damaged muscle tissue.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by hammock on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:53PM (#23506613)

Not sure why you've been downvoted. Weightlifting (specifically heavy+low reps) has major effect to promote bone density, that's why astronauts do it now in space. It also prevents muscle atrophy, that much should be obvious. Finally, more muscle mass will keep your metabolism up and prevent fat gain.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by jfo on Saturday June 13, 2020 @02:36AM (#23507336)

I know you meant resistance training in general wrt astronauts in space but I just got the funniest image in my head of Chris Hadfield doing a zero G overhead press with a loaded bar and floating all over the place hahaha

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by Out_of_Characte on Saturday June 13, 2020 @05:52AM (#23508264)

So far I've seen no rules stating that world records should be taking place on earth gravity. Maybe this is my chance to take some weightlifting records.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by michaelcampbell on Saturday June 13, 2020 @10:10AM (#23509448)

Sadly, in zero G there is no weight so every record would be 0. Equally sadly, there are no "masslifting" records to actually beat.

What does "lift" even mean where there is no objective "down"?

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by steve_adams_86 on Sunday June 14, 2020 @02:55AM (#23515652)

Likewise, I came in 3rd in a (relatively low key) half marathon 6 or 7 years ago and the guy right behind me the whole way was 72. I was maxed out (I think my finish time was 1:36), and when I finished I was absolutely bushed. This old guy congratulated me, ate a cookie, hung out a bit, then ran home like the whole thing was a warm up.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by agapon on Saturday June 13, 2020 @10:59AM (#23509855)

In my mind, I cannot reconcile to scientific facts: (1) to keep muscle mass and to not become frail you need to take more protein; (2) protein restricted diet slows down aging.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by nradov on Saturday June 13, 2020 @01:36PM (#23511098)

There is no proof that protein restriction actually extends lifespan in humans (or any primate). That's not a scientific fact. And hypothetically even if it did work to slightly extend lifespan, I see little point in just being alive if I'm too weak and frail to do the activities I enjoy.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by learnstats2 on Saturday June 13, 2020 @11:37AM (#23510165)

> (2) protein restricted diet slows down aging.

Protein/calorie restricted diet is observed to slow down aging in rats in laboratory conditions, i.e. which make no other changes to their presumably sedentary lifestyles.

Protein restriction in humans is only recommended if you have some chronic kidney disease. If I remember right, most people don't consume enough protein to need to restrict in this case either.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by ramraj07 on Friday June 12, 2020 @10:01PM (#23506058)

Do you have advice on how to keep your intellect intact? Many of my older relatives can barely think through things at 0.1x the speed they had even a decade back, if they even bother to think through anything. However, very old people in academia seemed to remain very sharp well into their seventies (some study suggested that they can be as sharp as a regular 25 yo). I guess it's good to keep reading and constantly use your brain, but any more solid actionable habits might be useful!

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Friday June 12, 2020 @10:36PM (#23506245)

Anything I can offer will be anecdotal. I have been placed somewhere on the autistic spectrum so perhaps that is a factor. People who constantly think and wrestle with things are driven to do so. Those who don't, aren't. I know of no way to manipulate or adjust this difference. I would say the thing to avoid at every turn is calcification, if you can...

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by nradov on Friday June 12, 2020 @10:47PM (#23506298)

Keep your cardiovascular system healthy. In many older people the loss of intellect is simply caused by insufficient glucose and oxygen reaching the brain. Everything is connected; intellect isn't some separate quality that can be maintained on its own.

Of course some people start from a higher baseline and so a slight loss of intellect is less noticeable.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by travisjungroth on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:02PM (#23506374)

There might be a bit of circular reasoning about the old academics. People who lose their cognition don’t stay academics. It’d be interesting to see a cohort analysis starting at 40.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by naasking on Saturday June 13, 2020 @04:50PM (#23512590)

Exactly, survivorship bias.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by Mikeb85 on Saturday June 13, 2020 @03:17AM (#23507527)

I only have anecdotes but most of my older relatives have reached 90+ years old and none lost their cognition. They all stayed pretty active (Ukrainian farmers and housewives) and independent. All were also quite social, inquisitive despite not being educated, ate pretty traditional diets, etc... There's definite links between cognition and physical exercise so I'm thinking that probably plays a pretty big role.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by rramadass on Saturday June 13, 2020 @03:15AM (#23507515)

There have been studies done on healthy and long lived Okinawans from Japan and people from certain mountainous villages in Italy (see youtube for videos). The current consensus seems to be;

* A healthy and controlled diet.

* Regular activity of various kinds.

* A inclusive and healthy social life.

* A positive frame of mind with less worries.

The above may seem simplistic, but if you think about it that is all it takes.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by danbmil99 on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:38PM (#23506566)

you should try to separate mental speed from intellectual capacity. Many older folk are perfectly capable of understanding things, but their minds don't necessarily operate at the same clock speed they did when they were in their 20s.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by scollet on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:09PM (#23506414)

Well I'm not in that age group, but my dad reads every day and does some Python on the side. I don't think he's ever coded before, but he's interested in new things every day.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by Good_Karma on Saturday June 13, 2020 @12:54AM (#23506861)

> The only thing I've found you can easily carry into old age is (assuming no senility or debilitating disease) coordination. One can be weak and frail yet still somewhat graceful.

This is a beautiful and powerful example that eloquently supports your point ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0eFx5a-FMg

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by maps7 on Saturday June 13, 2020 @07:01AM (#23508599)

I like this way of counting age (+3 decades here)

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by rantwasp on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:58PM (#23506626)

what do you do to keep yourself physically active?

anecdotally from what you’ve observed, would you recommend strength training as a way to build/keep muscle more functional as you age?

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Saturday June 13, 2020 @12:19AM (#23506704)

Personally, I walk and pace. I spent many years as a bartender so that activity feels natural to me and actually is relaxing. As for strength, if I can open a jar, I feel pumped enough...

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by stormdennis on Saturday June 13, 2020 @03:26AM (#23507572)

This already opened jar of gherkins became impossible to open. My daughter came up with the idea of putting boiling water on the lid and then it was easy to open. I was very impressed.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by burntoutfire on Saturday June 13, 2020 @07:41AM (#23508743)

Just knock the jar (lid down) against a table. Works every time.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by mercer on Saturday June 13, 2020 @08:38AM (#23508966)

punching into the jar's bottom with a flat hand (90 degrees from the arm, palm facing outward) has always worked for me.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by naasking on Sunday June 14, 2020 @10:27AM (#23517845)

Wrap a thick elastic band around the cap. The greater friction from the rubber makes it much easier.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by jaynetics on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:26PM (#23506510)

Do you do anything that maintains your coordination?

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Saturday June 13, 2020 @12:02AM (#23506648)

Concentration and practice. If you are moving, concentrate on the moving. When you were younger, movement was natural and in the background. Older, you need to focus...

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by esperent on Saturday June 13, 2020 @04:17AM (#23507813)

Do you take any supplements or medicine to maintain cognitive abilities?

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Saturday June 13, 2020 @09:12AM (#23509131)

Sort of. It is not uncommon with age to lose the ability to efficiently breakdown and/or absorb B12. A B12 deficiency can mimic the physical and mental symptoms of the more serious neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. Definitely not fun. I take a supplement that provides roughly 100k of the RDA every day...

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by elevenoh on Saturday June 13, 2020 @03:23AM (#23507553)

psilocybin mushrooms, for one, help hone mind-body coordination.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by m463 on Friday June 12, 2020 @09:34PM (#23505872)

Remember when computers didn't hook to the internet for everything?

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Friday June 12, 2020 @09:47PM (#23505957)

I was in college when unix was invented...

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by AtHeartEngineer on Friday June 12, 2020 @11:26PM (#23506513)

Given your grander temporal experience, do you have any predictions/foresight into how the world is changing? It feels like we are being wound up to be shot out of a cannon if I'm being honest.

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Re:The relationship between mindset and age (2017) by every on Saturday June 13, 2020 @12:09AM (#23506668)

Given my experience, it will be more of the same only different. Adaptability is a virtue...

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