Concepts And Principles Of Living Well

Song:  Hijo De La Luna

Artist:  Sarah Brightman

My mother and I walking along the Truckee River - 2015.

First of all...

who am I?

I am the retired 55 year old son of my mother.

Why is this important?

Actually...

it is not.

However, as many must judge the messenger

before they will open their minds up to the message...

here goes.

I am a former soldier 

(Light Infantryman / Battalion Scout 1977 - 1981)...

and a retired Correctional Officer.

I've engaged in combative, endurance, and strength training most of my life.

Although I have a B.S. degree from a California State University...

I simply operate from good ole' country common sense.

Most of my knowledge concerning the human condition

(mental, physical, emotional)...

comes from first hand experience throughout my life.

I know my body and mind...

and so, by extension...

I know other's bodies and minds

(basic action / reaction to stressors).

Genealogy

My maternal lineage is Japanese

My paternal lineage extends to Germany...

they had emigrated to the USA...

they were Jewish.

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Addendum:  As of 08/2017 My elder sister had her DNA tested.
We are actually only partially Jewish.

Although we are 50% Japanese (100% Japanese Mother)...
we are actually mostly of English / Irish / Scottish / Germanic / Nordic blood
on our paternal side.

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Why am I writing this blog?

Over the past few months...

as my mother kept improving in all aspects of her health and well being

as a direct result of my having her follow the basic three of vibrant health

(Nutritious and Delicious Diet / Exercise / Deep Restorative Sleep)...

I knew that if my 76 year old mother could achieve this so easily and happily...

almost anyone could.

I am a teacher at heart.

I love to see improvement in myself...

and in others.

My life has been magical.

I have been on many adventures...

I have lived fully, and loved deeply.

I get so much joy out of the simple pleasures in life. 

When I am able to pass this way of living on to others...

it makes my own life all the better.

Okay?

Now, on to the message...

First of all...

you must realize some basic concepts

so that the methods used will make sense

(it doesn't really matter if one understands...

however, a person doesn't usually go along willingly unless he understands why).

There are but two basic drives in all sentient beings:

The pursuit of pleasure

The aversion to pain

The key to success is to keep it pleasurable...

otherwise, we simply won't keep doing the necessary.

This ties into achieving any of our goals.

Problem: 

 How do we institute any helpful measures

which may involve the deprivation of pleasure...

and/or the stimulation of the un-pleasureable.

Solution:  

Through incremental application of stimuli below that of the pain threshold...

and through subsequent reapplications after the supercompensatory process is completed.

Huh?

All living beings are inherently adaptable.

So long as a stressor is not so strong as to overcome the adaptive capabilities of the being...

it adapts by becoming more capable of handling the stressor.

It grows stronger than before.

This process is called supercompensation.

This process is often called by other names depending on the system being affected...

however, the principle is the same.

You must also realize that the three major components of the body all interrelate.

Physical / Intellectual / Emotional

Positive stimulation of one affects the others in a positive manner.

Negative, or no, stimulation of one affects the others in a negative manner.

A physically active body stimulates proper hormonal and neuro-chemical output.

Hormones affect every part of the body.

Neuro-chemicals affect the intellect and the emotions.

Body growth is stimulated...

emotions are heightened...

the mind becomes more creative.

However, proper stimulation of the body is only one portion of the equation.

Without adequate nutrition and rest...

the body will not supercompensate.

And so...

the basic three:

Nutritious and Delicious Diet

A nutritious diet is self explanatory...

but why must it be delicious?

Because...

even if something is healthful...

if it is not pleasurable to eat...

it will not be eaten for long.

Exercise

Both, weight training of the largest muscles of the body twice a week...

and endurance training for 45 minutes to 60 minutes two to three times a week...

must be practiced to achieve meaningful results

(with careful and incremental build up).

Deep Restorative Sleep

There are three basic principles to follow:

Dark

Cool 

Quiet

Why dark?

Our sleep is brought about because of the output of Melatonin from the Pineal Gland in the brain.

This output is regulated by the amount of light the eyes receive.

Even with the eyes closed...

if the room is not dark...

the glow through the eyelids is enough to inhibit optimal amounts of Melatonin.

This results in sleep which is too light for the full release of Human Growth Hormone...

and a lack of this results in the body not being able to adapt to stressors so easily.

Cool

Why cool?

If the body is warm...

it naturally tosses and turns to seek out cool spots.

This also disrupts sleep.

Quiet

A lack of this disrupts the normal sleep patterns which allow for optimum hormone output.

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Psychological


Lead the mind...
the mind will lead the body.


The most important attribute in the formula for success is one of Drive.


The greatest component of drive is having a goal...
a dream to achieve.


However...
there are many who start out doubting themselves...
doubting the program.


The strongest progenitor of success...
is success.


I can only say that if my 76 year old mother could achieve such successful results...
then so can many of you.

However...you have to follow the program.


For the next few articles...
I will cover my mother's program and the results achieved through it.

These articles will give you specifics.

My Mother: Her Early Years

Song:  Scarborough Fair

Artist:  Sarah Brightman

Photo:  1960s

My mother, although 100% Japanese, was born in Manchuria

during the Japanese occupation in 1939.

She was sent back to Japan while still an infant...

to the care of her Grandmother in Kyushu, Japan.

She remained there until my father had met her

in Sasebo, Japan

(he was in the Navy).

They got married when she was 18 yrs. old...

and my mother has since been living in the U.S.

(she became a US citizen)....

with a three year exception when our family lived in Japan
when we children were young.

This short history is to show that...

although she is Japanese...

she has lived in the US for most of her life.

This is important...

because statistical studies have shown that many of the life lengthening

advantages shared among the Japanese people are erased once they  

 consume the typical American diet daily, over a period of decades

(their lifespan becomes the average US lifespan...

studies of Japanese people in Japan vs Japanese immigrants to the US).

Although my mother eats many of the typical American foods...

she has always also eaten many Japanese foods.

She has longevity in her family.

Her Grandmother lived to be over 100 years old.

Her father lived until his late 90s.

When I last met him in Japan...

he was already nearing 90 years old...

he still had most of his hair...

he was of clear mind...

and he was still driving.

Although genetics play a large part in a person's longevity...

without living by the basic three

(nutritious and delicious diet / exercise / deep restorative sleep)...

a person cannot achieve his/her full genetic potential.

Also...

it is not merely longevity for which should be strived...

it is the quantity of quality that is all important.

My mother, for most of her adult life...

was a housewife.

Although she was not subject to normal work day stress...

 she also never really exercised.

In her later years (70+)...

she became more and more sedentary.

She watched TV, and, instead of getting enough deep sleep...

she resorted to merely getting naps whenever she felt too tired to stay awake.

She ate out a lot...

and ate convenience foods at home much of the rest of the time.

Just three months ago...

I convinced my mother to move near me in Reno, NV.

I knew I could make a great difference in her life

through the introduction of reasonable amounts of exercise...

a healthful diet, and by ensuring she got restful and restorative sleep

on a regular basis.

Within the first two months...

my mother lost 20 lbs. and she became much more vibrant and happy.

Over the past three months...

I have written many articles of my mother and my son interacting...

and exercising together.

For the past three months...

my mother had been living with my family...

and just a couple of weeks ago...

she had bought her own house just minutes away from mine.

Over the next several articles...

I will reproduce my past articles on my mother on this blog

(from my other blog on my son:  2E Child ).

But first...

I will go over some basic principles and concepts

of living life well...

and why they are important.

The next article will cover these...

along with who I am...

and why I am writing this blog.

Introduction

Song:  Gymnopedie No 1

       Artists:  Paolo Bertolotto (Piano)

                          Luke Pickman  (Alto Flute)

The goal of this blog is to give a path to better living for those of us 

who are in our senior years (55+).

I will be using my 78 (as of 2017) year old mother as an example

of how easily some simple incremental changes can lead 

to profound and healthful changes in the quantity and quality of life.

----------------

Who am I?

I am 57 (as of 2017) years old and I fully retired in May of 2011.

Life, for me, has been pure magic.

I love the simple pleasures in life...

and so, life is a symphony of colors, sounds, tastes and touch...

of deep sensations which often leave me spellbound.

I have been blogging now for over five years.

My other blog is about my son...Alex.

He was born in the Autistic Spectrum.

He is, what is commonly referred to as, a 2E Child

(Twice Exceptional - Autistic and Profoundly Gifted).

You may view the latest article here:

http://2echild.blogspot.com

---------------

My 76 year old mother.

Why am I using my mother to illustrate my points?

My mother...

up until three months ago...

had never exercised...

had poor eating habits...

and had even poorer sleeping habits.

In mid July...

I had talked my mother into taking an extended stay

at my house in Reno, NV so I could show her how much better 

life could be by living life by the Basic Three

(Delicious and Nutritious Diet / Exercise / Deep Restorative Sleep).

My mother had made such great gains in weight loss...

strength and endurance, and had experienced a greater and more elevated mood...

that she decided to buy a house here and live life more fully than she had ever lived before.

My mother's house is just a few minutes from mine...

and so, I visit her everyday.

I will be blogging about her new life...

and I will constantly stress, not only the Basic Three...

but the need to experience life, instead of watching it pass us by.

I will be taking pictures of my mother engaging in various activities

and I will include easy and very healthful recipes to cook...

very basic and easy to follow exercise plans...

ways to achieve deep restful sleep...

and I will also be providing rationales, photos, and/or examples of everything I espouse.

I have included some of my mother's activities over the last three months

in my other blog...but I will include them here also.

-------------------

What are my qualifications?

Although I graduated with a B. S. degree from a California State University...

and I had taken many Philosophy and Psychology courses...

as well as some courses in nutritional and sports physiology... 

I have no special qualifications to speak of.

Just like many of you...

I have read a lot...

but even more importantly...

I have been a keen observer in life...

and I have had many experiences in life as well...

and so, I operate using good ole' country common sense.

Through my explanations and rationales...

I hope to meld the physical, the intellectual, and the emotional components of each of us...

and through efficient and effective methods of stimulating each...

I hope to lead others into a life of glorious simplicity.

Through a look into a senior citizen's life...

one whom had just begun her journey to greater health and happiness...

my message will take on a level of credence that mere words simply cannot convey.

In my next article...

I will introduce my mother...

her history...

and the beginning of her new life here.