More about
Alzheimer (1)
Peter
Wu
It is well known that the causes for Alzheimer have yet to be found
but his reasoning is that as we age, so does our organs so at one time or
another, their malfunctioning begins. This malfunctioning can happen to our
brain, heart, kidneys, liver and lungs. It’s the luck of the draw whether our
brain function starts to break down first, as against our kidneys or liver. At
some stage, all will malfunction so that explains many people affected by one
disease die from the other – commonly known as complications in medical circle.
You simply cannot treat so many organs when they decide to give up.
He finds it hard to come to terms with the disproportionate significance we attach to Alzheimer’s disease, as if it is leprosy or Black Death. Basically he wanted people to think of Alzheimer as any other disease, caused by ageing which is normal and natural.
Now here comes the interesting part.He believes that if we look after our bodies, if we stop abusing it (with regular injections of alcohols, stimulants, ‘bad’ life-style, ‘un-healthy foods’ if there is such a thing, or adverse working environment), if we are lucky to come from a healthy genetic stock, and are worry-free and of easy disposition, and from a warm, supportive environment, there is no reason why we cannot live – disease free – until well over 100 and beyond.
I am afraid I have to agree with him on the last score. In the States, there are still quite a few working models of Ford Model T around. They were built between 1907 and 1927 and some are over 100 years old. Same with the VW Beetles. They were built to last.
My point is: if you maintain them, they will last and last. But they must come from the right vintage, hence his argument about coming from a healthy genetic stock.
His article boosts and depresses me in equal measure. While it’s nice to know you can almost live forever with right maintenance, I am afraid I am not lucky enough to come from the ‘right’ genetic stock, plus my lifestyle doesn’t bode well for longevity. One thing that author has not factored in is bad luck as anyone one of us could suddenly be stricken down with cancer, diseases, or accidents so we could all be here today but gone tomorrow. In fact a few are gone already. May be they are the lucky ones?
Personally, I don’t give a hoot as to whether I am gone tomorrow or not as, at 77, I have lived to a ripe old age already.
~To Be
Continued~