Use It or Lose It

This post is for those of us who are getting a little older. I hate the term 'senior citizen' and refuse to use it. Those of you who are younger will want to keep this in mind because your time is coming.

I see people my age who do as close to nothing as possible. They watch TV and eat. That's about all. My neighbor recently died in his sleep of a heart attack and that was what he did. TV and food were his only pastimes. He was fat as a pig, could scarcely walk and frequently was none too sure where he was. Again, all he did was eat and watch TV. And, I notice, this is pretty common.

The human body was not meant to be idle. Our muscles enjoy moving and become soft and ultimately useless when ignored. The brain is unhappy when idle and ultimately just quits working when ignored. There are complex physiological reasons for this and they can be summed up with 'use it or lose it.'

Now, all you folks know this, but how many of you pay anything more than lip service to these facts. If you find yourself growing idle and staring vacantly at the tube, you must get off your rear end an do something. It can be almost anything that is not illegal or ridiculously stupid. (I would not recommend bank robbery or drinking a quart of Scotch a day). Just make sure you are using your facilities.

You do not have to start spending hours in a gym, although if that appeals to you, go for it. Just taking a good walk or gardening or swimming, as long as you are moving your muscles around, is fine. If you have physical limitations, I understand, but you still need to move as much as you can.

Mentally, it is just as important to use that brain. You don't have to learn differential calculus or ancient Greek, although bot would be really cool, but you need to do something. Read a little, anything will do, or have a really good conversation, or maybe rediscover the seemingly lost art of letter writing/

You can combine the physical and mental. Learn a new skill. Woodworking, sketching, golf, anything that requires a blend of the physical and mental is wonderful.

Push yourself, within reason. There is no need to go until you risk physical or mental breakdown, but there is nothing wrong with tiring yourself out. That means you have had a good work session and, as a bonus, you will sleep better.

So, get off your backside, turn off the TV and, do something.