The 82-year-old neurosurgeon and athlete’s secret to achieving physical and mental sharpness at any age

Adversity either kills us or makes us stronger. I’m not the tallest or largest person, but despite my size, coming from a small town, and losing my father at a young age, I’ve always tried to turn adversity into challenges to overcome.

I am competing at 82 years old TriathlonI continue to do sports Medicineact like Neurosurgeon Advisor to the Pittsburgh Steelers football team and was a member of the International Federation on Aging In Tel Aviv Clinic USA, with a specific goal: to help others live longer lifeAnd healthier and happier.

However, this was not always the case, early in my career I was so absorbed and focused on my work as a neurosurgeon that I neglected other important aspects of my life, including my health: I was in poor shape, lived on junk food and did not exercise physical exercise.

I was 40 when I suddenly lost my father to a heart attack and at the same time going through a divorce. All of this, plus other personal events, made me reevaluate my decisions and choices, and I even took a break and walked away from neurosurgery.

A running enthusiast friend encouraged me to get started Being, to wear a pair of sneakers and at least try. At the time I was exhausted and exhausted, but that was it I slept well the first night in about a year.

That memory still makes me smile. From there, I started running more and more and more intensely, and I started to feel better and better. It became something like Forrest Gump of Bridgeport, Ohio.

Gradually, I continued physical activity, integrating swimming and the Cycling In the new all-out training routine, and with the passage of time, A.J triple. Soon I was running the first of what would be over 70 triathlons. The exercise helped lift me out of my depression and shortly thereafter I returned to the University of Pittsburgh as Vice Chair of Neurosurgery. Looking back, I can say that It was my body that healed my mind.

Exercise is one method of prevention depression but this is not its only benefit for mental health problems, it can also be an effective remedy to combat them, because physical activity stimulates the brain to form. new neural connections, Which improves overall brain health.

After incorporating exercise into my life, I quickly found that exercise alone wouldn’t do all the work to keep you healthy. Since then, i have developed a keen interest in nutrition and nutritional supplements, and also embarked on my own research path.

As a triathlete, he participates in competitions Hombre de HierroI am particularly interested in keeping up with the latest developments, and this makes me very happy Knowledge exchange with my patients.

in my book Longevity factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer, Healthier LifeI discuss the new science of activating genes and the ability to make dietary choices, supplements such as resveratrol, and lifestyle choices to activate genes, leading to improved health and disease prevention.

in my previous book Fish oil: a natural anti-inflammatoryI talked about the benefits of fish oil and its wide range of benefits. I am fortunate that my life-changing commitment to fitness, nutrition, and exercise has also earned me professional recognition.

The way we approach life is crucial, today, after years of research, the advice for those of us who study longevity to stay mentally and physically fit is to develop balance.

It’s obviously easy said but doesn’t seem so easy to do, so it’s worth rethinking Four components of your life Like the four sides of a square.

The four columns/sides Work, family, social life, physical and spiritual dimension. A good exercise is to represent the amount of time it takes and the importance given to each aspect, so it’s best to take a pen and do it on a piece of paper.

Each person should pick up their own box and think about it. If one side is longer or shorter, another geometric shape will be formed, such as a trapezoid, and you can visually see if your time and priorities are out of control. Cultivating balance is a personal path to equalizing these pillars/aspects, and thus restoring balance.

Promoting this balance through mindfulness and reflection on our lives is also the basis for reducing stress, because to improve mental and physical alertness it is necessary to incorporate exercise, give it meaning, and nourish the body.

* Dr. Joseph Maron is a clinical professor, deputy chair of neurosurgery, and a Heindl fellow in neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In addition to being a renowned neurosurgeon, he is a sports medicine expert, health and nutrition expert, and sports athlete.

*Material taken from The Longevity Factor and The Longevity Factor Blog Medical outreach by Dr. Joseph Maroun

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