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Aside from congenital heart disease and uncommon causes, heart disease in the elderly is almost always due to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is primarily due to genetics and diet with smoking and lack of exercise as contributing factors. High blood pressure is another symptom of the disease, not a primary cause.
The OP claimed that having a good attitude would cure diseases. That is a gross exaggeration. A great attitude is not going to cure a lifetime of developing atherosclerotic disease. Anyone with chronic high blood pressure also needs more than a good attitude. They need appropriate meds.
Way too many people have the idea that they can avoid diseases and aging with a good attitude. That is the oversimplification. If a good attitude means exercise, appropriate weight and diet then maybe. But attitude by itself is highly, highly overrated.
Actually, the OP did not claim that a good attitude cured diseases. Here it is again:
"I'm a family medicine provider and I see all ages every workday, from birth to the very, very old. It never ceases to amaze me how differently people can appear (and function) within the same chronological age range.
I have noticed people tend to get old when they believe they are old. They then begin acting old and making old decisions, reinforcing their "old" belief.
Genetics play a big role but so does lifestyle and attitude. You cant run from genetics, but you can change your lifestyle and attitude."
Sounds like what this good doctor is saying is that he can tell the difference when his older patients choose a younger attitude and lifestyle.
So yes, I'll continue to live in my happy fantasy land where I think I am younger and can do the same things as a 30 year old, as long as possible. And I look up to people 20-30 years older than me that are still fun to be around because they don't act old, they're still very involved and sharp and active. I want to be like them.
Attitude, dreams & goals keep you young. If you hit 65 years old and stop "living" you are old in my opinion. My husband used to say "you give up your dreams, you slowly die". My mother is going to be 82 but she goes dancing, plays cards with her friends, goes on cruises.
However my sister, who is quite the diva, just turned 61 and does nothing except go out for lunch a few days a week and then she sits on her couch watching Dr. Phil, Investigative ID and shows like that all day. She has a lot of chronic pain with her back but she doesn't even attempt to move around. I try to get her to go to the gym to strengthen her body but she always has an excuse. She claims she can never travel because she has to take care of her bird but in reality, we all believe she got the bird so she would have an excuse not to travel.
I am 62, work 2-3 days a week and go to the gym 3 day a week. I am considering a move out of state where I know exactly one person. I'm scared especially since I've had cancer twice but I don't love where I am living. I long to be in the mountains of North Carolina, have few neighbors around and sit on my front porch listening to the birds. That is my dream. That is what keeps us young.
Unfortunately, for a lot of people, serious or chronic illness can age them very quickly. Saw it with my dad who died quite young for our family history because of diabetes complications.
However my sister,....sits on her couch watching Dr. Phil, Investigative ID and shows like that all day. She has a lot of chronic pain with her back but she doesn't even attempt to move around.........
It is easy to point the finger when you are not the one suffering with chronic pain. Rather than try to blame your sister, maybe you should just be happy you are not in the same situation. Sure some people can give up exercise and make things worse. In other cases no amount of exercise or attitude or dreams & goals is going to make a difference. Chronic pain can result in depression. No doubt about it I would be depressed if suffering from chronic pain.
Actually, the OP did not claim that a good attitude cured diseases. Here it is again:
........
I have noticed people tend to get old when they believe they are old. They then begin acting old and making old decisions, reinforcing their "old" belief.
Genetics play a big role but so does lifestyle and attitude. You cant run from genetics, but you can change your lifestyle and attitude."
Sounds like what this good doctor is saying is that he can tell the difference when his older patients choose a younger attitude and lifestyle.
....... And I look up to people 20-30 years older than me that are still fun to be around because they don't act old, they're still very involved and sharp and active. I want to be like them.
This is exactly the nonsense I object to and believe is misleading for others. You do not get old because you "believe" you are old. Nor do you avoid getting old with a good attitude. Those people with the "younger attitude and lifestyle" or who are "very involved and sharp and active" are blessed with good genes and good luck. In most cases people have an eroded lifestyle and capability and involvement and sharpness because age and diseases are slowing them down.
My wife recently had two friends who were suddenly hit with dementia. One is only in her 50s. Both were active in the arts and literature and participating in classes, and clubs. One was a leading poet in the area. Both are now semi vegetative and unable to function on their own without constant care. It happened to both within the past few months. Strokes and heart attacks and cancer can all do the same. People can go from healthy and engaged to highly disabled in an instant. I have had several friends die of cancer. Nothing they did avoided the inevitable. No amount of positive thinking slowed the cancer. Nor did negative thinking cause it.
Somehow we like to believe that all these things will happen to someone else. Our good lifestyle and positive thinking will protect us. Sorry but that is wishful thinking.
It is easy to point the finger when you are not the one suffering with chronic pain. Rather than try to blame your sister, maybe you should just be happy you are not in the same situation. Sure some people can give up exercise and make things worse. In other cases no amount of exercise or attitude or dreams & goals is going to make a difference. Chronic pain can result in depression. No doubt about it I would be depressed if suffering from chronic pain.
Actually I AM in the same situation as I have fibromyalgia. Unfortunately the less active you are the more everything stiffens up. And she is not depressed - I know depressed believe me.
Actually I AM in the same situation as I have fibromyalgia............
My sympathies! I probably know what you are going through.
My wife has severe fibro, also migraines, Hashimoto's, Sjogrens, gluten insensitivity, Myasthenia gravis, and now two years of recurrent diverticulitis. She soldiers on, keeps as active as possible, eats and works constantly on trying to maintain her health. My list of ailments is shorter, but mostly I suffer from extreme fatigue due to a weird autoimmune disease.
We can all try to cope, take the appropriate meds, and get by as well as possible. But I see nothing to suggest that a good positive "attitude" prevents diseases or prevents the ageing processes. Nor do I believe some sort of defeatist, depressed attitude causes any of these issues. The pain, depression and limitations are the result, not the cause.
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