Just the other day I was reading a book on smart nutrients to improve mental capacity. It’s a fascinating field! If you’ve ever watched the movie Limitless you may see why I’m doing this as I work towards a new mental formula for SuperManHerbs.com
I came across one line that I’ve read and heard over and over again.
“…naturally drops off with age…”
Its not important what it was referring too as this seems to occur with so many things in the body, hormones, neurotransmitters, HCl in the stomach, etc.
The same could be said to apply to strength, bone mass and more.
But what does it mean for something to drop “naturally”?
Is it really that the body just slows down because of TIME itself?
OR is it that various stressors from different sources (toxicity, inadequate micronutrients, oxidation, etc.) are what really causes it?
The body is an amazing machine and so much more than that. Unlike robotic machines it tends to get better with use, which is why we train. So I find it hard to believe that it is just time itself that is causing problems.
“Time itself is not toxic”
I first heard this from Peter Ragnar, someone worth studying if you’re looking at living healthy a long, long time.
Peter Ragnar, a good example of what “aging” can be like!
Although it may be “natural” in the sense that it occurs to everyone, is this how it has to be?
You can have scientists look at people at see that older people have less of X than younger people and thus they hypothesize that X goes down with age.
It’s science, it MUST be true!
The idea I’m talking about here is that “aging” may have nothing to do with it. Instead things go down due to a number of factors that get compounded over time.
Time is a component but it is not the cause. This is an important distinction. Older people tend to not be as strong as younger people. Does this mean age causes loss of strength? Or is it the majority of people haven’t used it and thus lost it?
My girlfriend’s 80+ year old grandfather always likes to tell me “Wait until you’re my age.” I smile and politely nod but I DO NOT AGREE…
I like the guy but he has had quadruple bypass surgery and many other health problems.
Sure that is “normal“, but I don’t want to be “normal”. I work hard to make sure I’m anything but normal.
This fatalist attitude that you become decrepit and break down as you get older permeates our culture.
SCREW THAT!
You can choose to take a stand against it. Even if it is true at the very end, it certainly doesn’t need to be a long slow decline down to that point.
It all begins with a mindset. And in having your mind right you’ll seek out and take action on the things that will make it become a reality.
I know some people are going to say what do I know. I’m young now (28 in case you‘re wondering). I don’t know what its like.
To that I say I can’t wait until I’m 30, 50, 60, 80, 100+ years of age.
TIME is what allows me to get better, not fall apart.
Over that time I’ll surely pursue “better” in a number of different ways but I’ll always be moving forward.
Are you with me? Take your stand in the comments below.
Comments
This post was right on time! I think the general population consigns themselves to a sense of defeat whenever it seems that something is “inevitable.” Not many people have experience with vibrant, healthy or, dare I say it, STRONG people over 70+. I truly have a belief that I can still maintain a very high level of strength even in my old age, and thoughts are a strong portion of what really matters. We overthink things daily, stress ourselves out, and lack a proper knowledge of some of the power foods that can boost our health. But worse of all, we accept our fates like a defeated army awaiting destruction. I could care less about aging gracefully, because aging ACTIVELY is the goal for me!
I like that. Aging actively instead of gracefully.
Hi Logan,
I am 45. I work with seniors. The category is called 55 plus but most are older. Some in the 90’s, many in there 80’s. I have had the same discussions with them. They tell me the same thing – wait until you are my age. They tell me what science says; that hormones drop off etc. I can’t tell you what is possible because I don’t have anyone that will work but I can tell you what can be avoided. I see life as a river. If you let the current just pull you down stream, I know exactly where you will end up. Heart disease, diabetes, cancer. Bad shoulders, bad backs, hip replacements, knee replacements. A shelf full of pills. Low quality of life. Loss of independence.
Out of a few hundred seniors I have met not one person is actually interested to improve the state of their health. Not one person cares. Not one person sees a light at the end of the tunnel. They are just content to wait for death. I believe this is the identical state that they have been in their whole life. It is a very special person who is willing to invest themselves in their health.
Its sad that it is so pervasive, and a good role model is so hard to find.
I’ve been weight training for 40 years and I am 57 now and done it without drugs. I am lean and still have a six pack but was diagnosed with prostate cancer which is an age related disease. Here is the sad news, I am really struggling now and I do feel old, although I don’t look it. Age does catch up with us all and its not good. I need glasses to read which is annoying, I am slowly loosing my long sight and there is nothing wrong with my actual eyes it’s the muscles that help you to focus that deteriorate it’s again age related. My advice is make the most of your life when you are young, treasure every moment when you still have your youth. It is better to live a healthy lifestyle, don’t smoke, moderate alcohol and keep out of the sun, they are the biggest reasons for premature ageing. A lot of things we take for granted when we are young disappear when we get old. Eyesight, strength, energy, muscle tone are a few things and there are many more. From Anthony.
I disagree Anthony as pointed out in this article. If eyesight goes down with age why doesn’t it happen for every one? What keeps one person from losing it while another doesn’t if its just age related? Age is a factor but only in that it allows other things to occur. If you didn’t see it check out this recent article I wrote regarding cancer: https://supermanherbs.com/medicinal-mushroom-hunting-and-cancer/
Totally agreed. I am 45. and doing good, but not up to mark (my expectations). Trying different things to get to that goal. My performance is like a 25 to 35 in sports as compared with club level sports person. And my goal (for 70) is to be around 40 when I am in 70’s. I feel that the anxieties play a major role in oxidation and aging. Each thought of anxiety causes CUMULATIVE aging and after years of life with anxiety, you go beyond the chance of reversing the effect. By anxiety, I mean even the reaction that comes in our mind when we stumble upon something while walking.
Anxiety is stress and that has a huge role in aging. Having high expectations is what leads to high results.
I love this email. I am on the same page with you brother. I am 30 years young and feel that I have lived only a mere 1% of my life…
That is not to say that I have only experienced 1% of the fruit of life, but 1% of my lifespan. I continuously get better, and better, and better, and I continue to get better every day. People often laugh, make remarks or show some kind of resistance to the thoughts an ideas that I have about life, what I want to achieve and how long I can do the things I want to do. People have told me no more times since I lost my site than I ever heard before losing my sight.
am choosing to break through the ceilings and live a life that inclines with age. Inclines with abundance, life, energy and strength, while it declines in resistance from the things I desire. Thank you so much for this email today 🙂
Thank you for living the message of this post!
couldn’t agree more. I am 29 and I am sure that at age 60 I will be way stronger than I am now. I think typical athletes and competition sport carry a large responsability towards creating this image where you get crappier the older you get. There are plenty examples of old people doing amazing stuff. For example I just saw a video of a street artist performing a one hand horizontal plank on a bottle. He looked like 60 or something. Anyway, keep en coming:)
Will do!
Great post. Its truly inspiring to know that more people out there think this way. I’m 39 years young and have been weight training since I was about 15 years old. Honestly without sounding overly confident I think I get around better than alot of people half my age. Im actually training a kid(21) who wants to fight(mma) and it feels fantastic when I can keep up with him and still perform strength feats he cannot.
That’s great!
At 35 years old, I am finding that I am in the best shape of my life now than I was in my 20’s. As I approach 40 in a few more years I am so excited about the possibilities! I have been able to experience and do some amazing things and am still growing in knowledge and confidence as each year goes by. We are made in the image and likeness of a loving God, so how is it that people in their minds can start the deterioration there and then trickle down to the rest of their life. It truly is a state of mind.
‘What so ever a man thinks in his heart, so is he’
Its that POSSIBILITY thinking that allows for greater things.
I see what you mean.
At 40 i had a wake up call, finding out that i had gone totally soft and out of shape, and more scarily that i basically felt old already, and had about given up.
I felt like i had missed so much out of life, but it was too late for me to reach these goals. I was on the old wagon, the one you described.
When i realized that, i shook myself out of it, and since then i have taken another course…
One without a shelf of pills, waiting to die…
Awesome. A wake up call is sometimes needed and luckily it takes less time to get better than it does worse in most cases.
Thank you for the reminder Logan, all the best.
So true; but I bet in the early 1900’s & earlier we didn’t have this issue- there was much more of a physical work ethic until recent years. It’s the culture, also things like putting too much trust in the medical establishment, etc.!
I agree with your letter Logan. Time is not the culprit, it is sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, etc.
Death is inescapable but not our youth. Look to recent people such as Jack Lalanne or Clarence Bass to only name two in great shape (I’m sure you know of many more).
Unfortunately, whenever I mention these men I get the response of “Well, they have been working out their whole life…”
Sure they have, but I bet it didn’t take their whole life to become healthy… They were/are just improving on their health as time goes on, like you said.
It takes time, which people feel they don’t have. Usually people that think that way have less quality movement time left in their life due to this frame of mind.
I know both of my parents, and my wife’s parents, and most of my friends’ parents are going to be spending most of their retirement trying to get in shape so they can enjoy their retirement.
Having small tests/ self assessments such as walk 2 stories of stairs without gasping or using a railing or things like that, allow us to gage where we stand…
Doesn’t mean you always do it but test yourself every two weeks or so to make sure you can do it. If you don’t do it, you may lose it and some of those things are definitely something you will want to be able to do.
What if you have to save yourself from an unexpected disaster. I know I wouldn’t want to be a liability just because I didn’t spend some time each day staying in shape…
And of course, I would rather be the one that can escape with my life and maybe save some other people’s lives too, like children or injured people (I won’t say old people simply because I believe they should be able to save themselves).
(*i don’t mean I wouldn’t save them, I just mean they shouldn’t need saving*)
Sorry for the rant. Thanks for reading 🙂
Thanks Mike.
Use it or lose it. I like to make what I use become better and better. 🙂
Being prepared for those disasters is just one of the side benefits.
I totally agree Logan, I’m 57 and play softball among other things and more than hold my own against other players 10-20 even 30 yrs. younger. I do it with diet, exercise (which includes kettlebells) and right frame of mind. But the thing is, most aren’t interested!
Most aren’t. But you got the trinity going and I’m glad to hear about your softball success.
Depending on when you get this. Just want to show my support and appreciation for what you just stated in this message. I agree, and thanks for reminding me. Also, thanks for the shoulder advice…I imagine you don’t remember, but I’m grateful nonetheless.
Awesome article! Spot on!
Time itself has no effect on the body. Whatever damages the body AGES the body!
I remember reading a quote somewhere saying “no one dies from old age. Death is the result of overwhelm of toxemia in the body” If the cells can stay clean they can divide without deterioration.
The cell can be immortal I believe.
Very well put!
Time can be used for improvement and development… it depends on our intention, focus, and choices.
We can gain more and more liberation as the years go by, and attain greater freedom in all aspects of our being, including the temporary physical vehicle.
I remember the time when I used to go to a commercial gym. Yes I looked great but I was not nearly as strong. as I am today . Now that I train at my home implementing cutting-edge training methods I am much stronger that when I was in my 20’s…… I am almost 50 years old and lifting heavier than ever! Leaner and mightier! Love this Chriss “TIME is what allows me to get better, not fall apart”.
Is all a matter of what are you doing with your time. I am always striving to get better-no matter what.
~Marty Covault~
This article spoke right to me Logan Thank you!! I have been in a funk lately and have not worked out for more than I’m willing to admit. I’m going home right now and start training for life. I see what is happening to my parents and it’s scary what will happen when you don’t bother to take care of your body and mind. It’s ON!!! THANKS AGAIN!!