Living Longer
Another Free Book About Living Longer, Feeling Younger & Having Great Health
by Art Kunkin
July 7, 2010

In previous columns archived at www.artkunkin.com, I have given readers of this newspaper information on how to get a number of free books on life extension and self-hypnosis. This week I want to inform you about a small, valuable, free eBook available on the internet titled “10 Strategies To Live Longer, Feel Younger, And Have Optimal Health.” This book was written by Dr. Terry Grossman, M.D., a medical doctor who heads the Grossman Wellness Center located on the west side of Denver, Colorado.

“10 Strategies” is actually an introduction to the procedures for life extension taught and practiced at the Grossman Wellness Center. However, the information in this little book can be of great value to persons just reading this material.

The first strategy for longevity presented by Dr. Grossman is based on the 2008 book, “The Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From The People Who’ve Lived The Longest.” Blue Zones author, Dan Buettner, spent five years traveling the globe and found that in four areas people had a three-fold greater chance of becoming 100-years-old than people elsewhere. These places are 1) The island of Sardinia off the coast of Italy. 2) The Japanese island of Okinawa. 3) The Seventh Day Adventist community of Loma, Linda, California (where life expectancies average 9 to 11 years greater than other U.S. residents). 4) The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica (where middle-aged people have a 400 percent increased chance of living to at least 90 years compared to other Americans).

The most common denominator Buettner found among people in these areas was an absence of social isolation. In other words, strategy #1 for living longer is to have close interpersonal relationships with a spouse or significant other, other family members and individuals who share common interests with you. These social relationships seem to be critical to your health and can add years to your life. Buettner also discovered three other features common to people in his four longevity areas: people engaged in regular physical activity as part of their lifestyle, they did not overeat, and they had a strong sense of purpose for their lives.

Of course, my own theory is that a deficiency of radiation is a great contributor to human aging and death. I plan to write both Dr. Grossman and Dan Buettner to see if the background radiation at these four places is higher than normal and a possible explanation for the experienced longevity. I will notify readers of the results of this correspondence.

Dr. Grossman’s second strategy for longevity involves lifting weights or engaging in strength training as a means of increasing the levels of hormones associated with youthfulness, such as testosterone, DHEA and human growth hormone. In a study reported in the Journal Of Applied Physiology it was found that 62-year-old-men who engaged in a 12-week program of weight lifting exercise for 45 minutes twice a week were able to raise their testosterone level to those of 30-year-old-men who did not lift weights.

Recent studies have dispelled the notion of a possible connection between higher testosterone levels and increased risk of prostrate cancer. It now appears it is actually lower levels of testosterone that may increase risk of prostate cancer in men. Higher levels of testosterone help both men and women, so everyone should consider adding strength training to their exercise program.

The third strategy for longevity is a special kind of aerobic exercise called variable interval training, requiring only 12 to 20 minutes a day. As the book “10 Strategies” explains in some detail, this interval training involves short bursts of exertion followed by periods of rest, steadily increasing the intensity and varying the duration of each interval. While long-duration exercise at a steady level of exertion causes your heart and lungs to shrink, interval training builds up reserve capacity in your heart and triggers the expansion of your lungs.

Reserve capacity for your heart means it has the ability to pump blood more quickly. Coping with injuries, trauma, and even an intense romantic session, all depend on reserve energy. In times of stress, reserve capacity for your lungs allows them to deal with high exertion like lifting or running. Without reserve capacity, you are also much more likely to die of a heart attack. Before beginning any demanding physical exercise training, Dr. Grossman advises that you consult with your own physician if you cannot attend the interval training sessions at his own center.

Unfortunately, since we are running out of space, I plan to continue this review of “10 Strategies To Live Longer” in next week’s column. Of course, you can obtain your own free copy of this eBook by going to the Grossman Wellness Center online at www.grossmanwellness.com. If you are a senior who doesn’t have access to a computer, I suggest you go to the nearest public library or contact a computer-literate friend to accomplish the free download.

Meanwhile, do put yourself on my mailing list at www.immortality-is-possible.com. If possible, come to one of my weekly stop aging classes in Joshua Tree at the Mentalphysics Retreat Center, 59700 29 Palms Highway every Thursday, 7 to 9pm. Phone 760-365-8371 to find out the location of the Meditation Building. At the next few Thursday classes I plan to discuss how to actually achieve the self-actualization and peak experiences discussed by psychologist Abraham Maslow as the height of human possibilities. These Thursday gatherings are an opportunity for all attending to make new friends devoted to real personal development, real success, real longevity and real happiness.