If I had known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself. — Anonymous 

I recently had my annual Medicare physical. I was asked questions like, “Are you able to dress yourself in the morning?” It’s an important question, but I am more focused on the answer to “Can I still get to the top of Quandary?” I have great fear of missing out on the fun five or 10 years from now, so I am in a daily wellness battle to conquer old age.   

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst encourages us with “We all are going to die.” The nation’s health tzar Robert Kennedy, Jr. says “… I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” What can we do? The science on health and longevity has made great progress in recent years as detailed in Dr. Peter Attia’s book “Outlive” and “Super Agers” by cardiologist Dr. Eric Topol. They give us recommendations based on solid research to increase our odds of being healthy and active into our 80s.  

Fortunately we have the peer pressure in Summit County to always be thinking about our next recreational outing. Most Summit locals see themselves as athletic adventurers who dwell in a higher physical realm than the couch potatoes of the prairie. Even if we only used our ski pass five times last winter we see ourselves as dedicated skiers. Our county is near the top in the U.S. for average lifespan but each of us hopes is to maximize our “healthspan” with as many active years as possible. 

Dr. Attia emphasizes tailoring your health routine to fit specific needs and goals. For the graying generation he suggests making a list of 10 essential activities you want to be able to do when you are in your 70s or 80s. You might hope to “Be able to hike the Mayflower Gulch trail” or “Ski blue groomers” or “Be able to lift the grandkids” or “Still look good in my bike shorts at 75.” You then devise a health strategy that will allow you to achieve those goals. Small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in the long run. 

Skiers always complain about feeling the burn in their thighs on their first December ski outing. Are the moguls bigger this year?? Both Attia and Topol advise everyone to do regular strength training. We all start to lose muscle mass and bone density as we age and weight lifting will help to counter this. Challenge your muscles with enough weight and reps so you are ready to feel strong on your first ski or bike outing of the season. 

In “How To Be Well” Amy Larocca studies the $5.6 trillion global wellness industry where aging has sadly become something to be cured. She discusses the rise of anti-science and medical conspiracy theories that has led to many useless and even dangerous health trends. She advises skepticism for all the new fads and instead urges reliance on well known solutions such as exercise, sufficient sleep, listening to your doctor, and cutting out ultra-processed foods. Dr. Topol concurs, telling us to follow current scientific research instead of the emotional appeals of social media influencers who are often just pushing their own unnecessary and expensive therapies and supplements.  

An advantage of living in a busy tourism destination is the availability of excellent medical care. We should appreciate how our doctors (the real medical doctors) do not send us daily emails selling bovine colostrum or gravity colonics. Instead, their product is healthcare based on science about how to live a long, vigorous life. One of the few benefits of reaching age 65 is having healthcare costs greatly reduced due to Medicare. Annual free checkups and blood tests can catch health problems before they are serious. 

If you want to be an active 80-year-old you can’t afford to not regularly visit one of the county’s many health clubs for year round strength training and cardio. The Breckenridge or Silverthorne recreation centers have bargain annual memberships for seniors. Just hanging around a bunch of people working out always brightens my day. 

The old rule was that if you wanted a long life you should choose your parents wisely but Dr. Topol’s multiyear genetic study of 1,400 exceptionally healthy people with an average age of 84 found that genetics is a minor factor in longevity. Thus much of your ability to ski and hike in your later years is in your control, dependent on your lifestyle choices in previous decades.  

Most of my friends in Summit have the same positive attitude as Oliver Wendell Holmes who said “Old age is always fifteen years older than I am.” I try my best to get outside every day and avoid whining about aching joints and digestive ills. If I have a real complaint I tell it to my doctor, not my wife. And I have found I can instantly look 10 years younger if I stand up straight and wear some nice clothes. 

Paul Olson’s column “A Friendly Conservative” publishes biweekly on Tuesdays in the Summit Daily News. Olson has lived in Breckenridge since 1995. Semiretired, he works at REI in Dillon and enjoys snowboarding, Nordic skiing and hiking. Contact him at pobreck@gmail.com.