SGT ROCK 11B
Member
In the Senior Community that topic, trigger pulling comes up.
Self defense must include defense against poor health
- Thread starter BabaBlueJay
- Start date
In the Senior Community that topic, trigger pulling comes up.
I'm a big proponent of health and fitness. I go to the gym on a regular basis, make sure to do lotsa cardio and eat healthy.
I had a fitness assessment done last month and at 61 years of age and 5'8" tall, I weigh 158 pounds and my bodyfat's at 11%.
The thing is, I like to exercise. I always look forward to my next gym visit.
In the summer, my cardio is to go outside and play. Biking and hiking the local mountain trails.
That being said, I know that not everybody's that much into fitness but people could just watch what they eat a bit more closely and make healthier choices. So many people treat their bodies like dumpsters, fill them with garbage and seem surprised when their health fails.
I had a fitness assessment done last month and at 61 years of age and 5'8" tall, I weigh 158 pounds and my bodyfat's at 11%.
The thing is, I like to exercise. I always look forward to my next gym visit.
In the summer, my cardio is to go outside and play. Biking and hiking the local mountain trails.
That being said, I know that not everybody's that much into fitness but people could just watch what they eat a bit more closely and make healthier choices. So many people treat their bodies like dumpsters, fill them with garbage and seem surprised when their health fails.
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OP
I hope I am in that good of shape at 61! Outstanding example man, that is inspirational to me when I'm feeling lazy at 36 sometimes.
Rpg
Member
If your objective is to maximize the number of years in your lifetime, you’ll certainly do better staying in shape than carrying a gun.
Doug M.
Member
It is not years in isolation, it is years in which you can do the things you value. My office was the coroner's office by statute until 10 years ago, and I went to a lot of calls for folks who had spent 30 years falling apart and dying a slow miserable death. That is not for me.
I just had a visit with my nurse at the kidney clinic yesterday. She noted that for all my conditions, I am darned good condition, a significant outlier in the population of their patients. Even with dialysis, I work full time and train at least 5 days a week. I don't do much else, but part of this is an investment in the quality of my life and the eventual transplant.
I just had a visit with my nurse at the kidney clinic yesterday. She noted that for all my conditions, I am darned good condition, a significant outlier in the population of their patients. Even with dialysis, I work full time and train at least 5 days a week. I don't do much else, but part of this is an investment in the quality of my life and the eventual transplant.
Despite regular bike riding, swimming, cave diving and back packing I had a widow maker heart attack on May 22. No prior heart history, clean PCP physicals and flight physicals with no indication of heart disease.
They initially installed two stints and in the catch lab mentioned they didn’t see much plaque but a lot of clotting. They felt it formed in weeks at the most. They also diagnosed an intussusception (telescoping of the intestines) right below my heart that probably contributed to the cardiogenic shock and possibly caused the clotting. It’s hard to say as adults just don’t get an intussusception, so the data correlating with heart attacks is virtually non existent,
They weaned me off all the IV meds with the intent of sending me home and I coded 18 days after my heart attack. Back on IVs plus external support to keep me alive until they assessed me for a transplant, got me on the list and got me a new heart.
A few of my friends have said it better something to the effect of “I can’t believe this happened to a fit guy like you rather than a fat….like me!”
In short you can eat right, exercise and still get bit hard. Nothing is guaranteed.
Now to be fair, being very strong and fit ultimately improved my outcome. While I lost 30 pounds in nearly 8 weeks on the hospital I walked up to a mile a day whenever possible in the hospital (with a Swedish walker and an entourage of two nurses rolling my impella and IV stand).
It made a difference as I blew through the Thoracic ICU post surgery in three days - a record for a heart transplant patient - and was out of the step down unit and discharged in 4 more days.
I’m still way ahead of the curve although building back muscle and adjusting to a heart rate run by hormones rather than a vagal nerve response is taking some time.
Even if you do get bit hard, being fit still helps.
——
It has also, at least in the near term, limited my self defense options. I’m in no condition to fight or run from anyone and am at increased risk for a number of medical reasons. So any would be assailant is even more likely to be met with the potential for deadly force as it’s all I’ve got right now.
They initially installed two stints and in the catch lab mentioned they didn’t see much plaque but a lot of clotting. They felt it formed in weeks at the most. They also diagnosed an intussusception (telescoping of the intestines) right below my heart that probably contributed to the cardiogenic shock and possibly caused the clotting. It’s hard to say as adults just don’t get an intussusception, so the data correlating with heart attacks is virtually non existent,
They weaned me off all the IV meds with the intent of sending me home and I coded 18 days after my heart attack. Back on IVs plus external support to keep me alive until they assessed me for a transplant, got me on the list and got me a new heart.
A few of my friends have said it better something to the effect of “I can’t believe this happened to a fit guy like you rather than a fat….like me!”
In short you can eat right, exercise and still get bit hard. Nothing is guaranteed.
Now to be fair, being very strong and fit ultimately improved my outcome. While I lost 30 pounds in nearly 8 weeks on the hospital I walked up to a mile a day whenever possible in the hospital (with a Swedish walker and an entourage of two nurses rolling my impella and IV stand).
It made a difference as I blew through the Thoracic ICU post surgery in three days - a record for a heart transplant patient - and was out of the step down unit and discharged in 4 more days.
I’m still way ahead of the curve although building back muscle and adjusting to a heart rate run by hormones rather than a vagal nerve response is taking some time.
Even if you do get bit hard, being fit still helps.
——
It has also, at least in the near term, limited my self defense options. I’m in no condition to fight or run from anyone and am at increased risk for a number of medical reasons. So any would be assailant is even more likely to be met with the potential for deadly force as it’s all I’ve got right now.
Bottom line is you just never know. For anyone serious about self defense, physical fitness should come naturally. However I understand some people have limitations for whatever reason. All we can do is our best. Watch what you eat and move around as much as you can. I was an athlete more whole life. I lifted weights my whole life. At age forty I decided I’d try to bench double my body weight. I put up 405 but ended up gaining over 20 lbs to do it. Not necessarily a good 20 lbs. so I never was able to do double. What I realized is, although I was strong as an Ox , I felt sloppy. So I slowly lost the added weight. I’m 55 now. My goal is to still bench 315 at age 60. We’ll see how it goes. But you’ve got to have goals. Especially when the arthritis and fatigue set in. Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
One thing we should touch on is inherited issues. If you have bad DNA you got bad DNA.
My father was Type I Diabetic and my F-I-L was Type I diabetic. No matter what you do you will die younger than your peers.
One of my cop partners died shortly after retirement at 60. His son also Type I died two years later at 40.
My father was Type I Diabetic and my F-I-L was Type I diabetic. No matter what you do you will die younger than your peers.
One of my cop partners died shortly after retirement at 60. His son also Type I died two years later at 40.
NOTHING like a heart attack to "wake you up"
I was definitely Mr. "It ain't going to happen to me". 20 lbs overweight, pack a day smoker for 64 years, sit-on-my-butt desk job for the last 30 years before retirement 5 years ago. Now age 79 July 1, 2024....just 30 plus days ago: BIGTIME heart attack...complete blockage of main left artery...luckily for me...wife got 911 ambulance here quick enough and ER hospital and docs great.
Now home.. twice a week cardio rehab program at hospital (bikes, treadmill, upper arms machines, monitored sessions) other three days per week treadmill at home and exercise bike at home. Had the machines at home for 30 years, used by wife and kids when they lived here, seldom by me.
Eating habits changed tremendously, fish twice or more per week, healthy grains and vegies, more fruit, and the big one: Cold turkey stopped smoking...haven't had one, don't want one, since that night July 1.
Results so far? 7 pounds weight loss in 30 days (now 187...goal 165 or better). Feel so much better, WANT to get out hiking again...can't wait for fall (cooler weather).
So....yea.........treat yourself to better health while you can!!!!
I was definitely Mr. "It ain't going to happen to me". 20 lbs overweight, pack a day smoker for 64 years, sit-on-my-butt desk job for the last 30 years before retirement 5 years ago. Now age 79 July 1, 2024....just 30 plus days ago: BIGTIME heart attack...complete blockage of main left artery...luckily for me...wife got 911 ambulance here quick enough and ER hospital and docs great.
Now home.. twice a week cardio rehab program at hospital (bikes, treadmill, upper arms machines, monitored sessions) other three days per week treadmill at home and exercise bike at home. Had the machines at home for 30 years, used by wife and kids when they lived here, seldom by me.
Eating habits changed tremendously, fish twice or more per week, healthy grains and vegies, more fruit, and the big one: Cold turkey stopped smoking...haven't had one, don't want one, since that night July 1.
Results so far? 7 pounds weight loss in 30 days (now 187...goal 165 or better). Feel so much better, WANT to get out hiking again...can't wait for fall (cooler weather).
So....yea.........treat yourself to better health while you can!!!!
As noted previously, you can be in top shape and still croak suddenly. Not a minute from now is guarenteed.
But, being fit generally gives you a better chance of surviving that unexpected event, or so I have been told.
But, being fit generally gives you a better chance of surviving that unexpected event, or so I have been told.
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