How do you want to die?

Most of us would like to have a long health-span: being highly functioning, mentally and physically active, strong robust individuals and then when it comes time to checkout, to rapidly fall apart and evaporate.

In reality, a lot people in the Westernised world work till their mid-sixties and then very slowly and painfully deteriorate with creaking joints, failing memory and senses, slowing intestines, limp genitals, winding up in the nursing home for a few years followed by the ICU for a few weeks or months, and from there on to the grave.

What if we could increase our health-span by a few decades? Not necessarily to live longer to but to post-pone the decay so that it starts later?

This is the promise of regular exercise, calorie restriction and stress management. By being physically active and eating only till we are 75%-80% full and managing stress, we can surely push back the decline. Add a little omega 3 fatty acids, Aspirin and vitamin D, and now we may be onto something! Early studies with Resveratrol ( from the peel of red grapes) are showing promise for potentially powerful benefits.

And when it comes time to check out, bidding farewell with a big bang and a smile would make for a happy ending after all!