Last week, I had the privilege of cochairing a session in a conference in Milan with Prof. Michael Alderman, a distinguished professor emeritus at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
Professor Alderman is well known for his pioneering studies on the roles of the renin angiotensin and salt system, as well as other hormones that regulate blood pressure (BP) and circulation in people with heart diseases. It is because of his pioneering work that doctors now have a better understanding of why BP increases and how it can be effectively controlled with proper treatment.

He is in his 80s, but looks, walks, thinks and speaks like colleagues much younger than he. He is still very sharp in analyzing the data presented and asking incisive questions to the presenters and also renowned experts in the field of hypertension and heart disease.

I was in awe as I sat beside him onstage, as we both moderated the discussion following each presentation. On the flight back from Milan, I remained starstruck thinking about that rare privilege of having shared the stage with a great scientist and I tried to figure out the secret of his longevity and mental sharpness. I realized it must be his enduring passion and enthusiasm for his work.

He was abreast of the latest research and asked the presenters questions not because he wanted to test their knowledge but because he was interested in the new ideas they were presenting.

For him, every conference, presentation and even conversation was an opportunity to share what one knows and learn from others, too.
Well appreciated

Back home, we have someone like Professor Alderman. He is Dr. Ramon Abarquez, Jr., professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine. He is probably a few years older than Professor Alderman but still religiously attends conferences of the cardiovascular section at UP and the Philippine General Hospital. His presence and comments remain well appreciated during conventions of the Philippine Heart Association and Philippine College of Physicians.

I always look forward to the scholarly articles he writes for a monthly health magazine (Health and Lifestyle) which I edit. For one article, he reads about 30 references, and it’s amazing how he is able to synthesize them and help our doctor-readers apply the findings and recommendations to clinical practice. He peppers his articles with practical comments and personal insights based on his vast clinical experience.

Years ago, after a lecture I gave, I was asked how I kept myself updated in my field. I replied that I just read thoroughly the articles Dr. Abarquez submits regularly. Of course, I read as much as possible the full text of the studies he cites, but it’s so much easier to understand them after reading his concise summaries and commentaries.

Every senior or elderly person always worries about declining mental function past age 60. It may be true that the memory of seniors is definitely no longer as good as that of people half their age but this is compensated for by their wisdom, experience and better judgment and analytical skills.

To prevent true mental decline, when one can hardly remember anything one has read, seen or experienced in the last 24 hours, these are some of the “secrets” some admirable seniors I know share:

SSEX

1. Start and maintain a healthy lifestyle as early in life as possible. Dr. Abarquez used the acronym “SSEX” for this—not referring to physical intimacy but to stopping smoking and stress, and exercising regularly, keeping a healthy diet (a lot of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants). Smoking, stress, excessive alcohol, sedentary living and a high-fat diet can cause our brain cells to deteriorate faster.

2. Avoid mental sedentariness. When one retires, it does not mean one also stops using one’s mental faculties. Reading books, watching TV shows, listening to music, browsing the internet, doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku and even playing cards, mahjong or video games can help preserve the functioning of one’s brain cells.

3. Always try to have a good night’s sleep. It’s not true that as one ages, one needs less sleep. A good night’s sleep is still one of the best rejuvenators. As one ages, the secretion of the hormone melatonin also decreases. Melatonin is responsible for regulating one’s sleeping pattern. I’ve been taking a small dose of natural melatonin (Sleepwell Melatonin, 3 mg) after supper for about 20 years now, and I still get a full seven to eight hours of restful sleep every night (except when I have jet lag).

4. Maintain a positive mindset. Physical ageing is partly controlled by the brain. Depressed and negatively oriented people age more and die younger than cheerful people with a positive mindset. With the advances to retard the aging process and rapid mental decline, it may well be true that “70 is the new 50.”

5. Have a hobby. Do the things you would have loved to do before but just didn’t have the time to. When you’re retired or semiretired, you have all the time to do what you enjoy most doing. So long as one continues to enjoy and find meaning in what one does, one wakes up in the morning with the same enthusiasm one had in one’s youth.

After our conference session in Milan, I tried to assist Professor Alderman as he went down the stage but he told me in a caring tone, “Go, run, you have a plane to catch. I can manage on my own.”
As I left the conference hall, I glanced back at him and saw him still having an animated discussion with some of the doctors in the audience. I could hear his hearty laugh and I was certain where it was coming from—a cheerful heart, a cheerful mind and a cheerful disposition.