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Tom and Mary Milano
TomandMaryMilano@Yahoo.com
We know this title might shock you, but we think it important
that you give it some thought. Author Amy E. Dean writes in her book, Growing
Older, Growing Better, ‘Daily Meditations for Celebrating Aging,’ “Today there
are more than 52,000 men and women in America that live up to and even beyond
the age of 100 and over half of the centenarians are in good health, physically,
mentally and spiritually. Just yesterday, we received a very interesting e-mail
from a man that is a shining example of what Amy wrote. (An excerpt from that
e-mail)
[Hi to the Florida Cruisers, My wife and I can relate to several things that you
touched on in your review. We also call our cruises “Honeymoons.” About four
years ago we were at a dance and a scout from a cruise line approached us and
asked if we would be interested in teaching dancing aboard a cruise ship. We
readily accepted and in a little more than four years we have made 61 cruises.
We have completed fourteen cruises this year and have another four scheduled
through the end of the year. It’s a hobby for us. We don’t get paid. We exchange
services. My wife and I hope we can continue this hobby of ours for many, many
years. I am 81 years young and going strong. We love what we’re doing and
someday we hope we can meet you and Mary on one of our cruises... .Mel & Teri
Gatte.]
Mel and Teri are living testimony that an active, fruitful life can be lived at
an advanced age. If your fifty, just think, you might live another fifty years.
If you’re in your sixties and seventies, you have the potential to live another
twenty to thirty years. Remember the comedians often used line, the one that
goes like this, “If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken
better care of myself.” Now that you know there is a good possibility that you
will have a long life, what are you going to do about it? I recently read an
article entitled, “People Take Better Care of Their Cars Than Themselves,” that
said, “Research shows that most of the popular ideas about ‘aging’ just aren’t
true. The characteristics that have been considered the inevitable results of
aging, muscular weakness, frailty, illness... are the lack of physical activity,
not aging. All the recent scientific studies tell us that regardless how old we
are, we can live longer have a better life by engaging in aerobic and weight
resistance exercise. What Amy Dean wrote should give us the needed incentive to
take better care of ourselves.
I have suffered with back problems for many years. I had two major operations
that helped for awhile but after a period of time I began to feel discomfort
after walking relatively short distances. I would have to stop and rest and when
the pain subsided I would continue on. We were avid golfers. We live in a
beautiful golf community, but five years ago I had to give up playing because of
the discomfort I experienced. More recently, during our cruises when Mary & I
were dancing, it wasn’t unusual for me to have to sit down after two or three
dances. I would sit for awhile and then go at it again. Seeking some relief, I
was taking three different medications that my doctors had prescribed. To add to
my woes, I had a recurring problem of having bouts with heartburn. Remember the
comics line, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better
care of my myself.” Well, to be honest with you, I thought I was taken pretty
good care of this body, but I was wrong. For a number of years I had been
working out on a steady basis. I benefited greatly from exercising but my
medical problems remained the same. The articles I had read repeatedly stated
that losing weight can reduce or eliminate many of the medical problems we
experience. It was time for me to get serious about my health issue and see if
the pundits were right. I decided it was now or never. I was going to put it to
a test.
In June 2001, I weighed 208 pounds. I set a goal of losing 25 lbs over a period
of a year. I stayed committed to my exercise program and initiated a sensible
diet program with the goal of losing 2lbs. a month. I’m happy to say that as of
June of this year, one year to the day I lost 26 lbs. and now weigh 183 lbs.,
the same weight I was when I played high school football. (I lost this weight
even though we cruised six times, with an average weight gain of four lbs. per
cruise, for a total loss of 50 lbs., a net loss of 26 lbs. If it appears I’m
bragging, your right, I am.) As one would expect, I look better, at least that’s
what Mary tells me, and I feel better. But what’s astonishing are the miraculous
residual benefits I experienced from losing those extra lbs. The pundits were
right. Losing weight can reduce and even eliminate many of the health problems
we experience. I can attest to that!
For the first time in many years, I no longer have any back pain. For the first
time in many years I can walk one or two miles without having to stop and rest.
I no longer have the need to take the three prescription drugs I was taking on a
daily basis. I was taking two of them for twenty years. Last week, Mary & I
played our first round of golf in five years and I didn’t experience any
discomfort. I haven’t had an attack of heartburn since my weight got under 200
lbs. And last but not least, on our recovery cruise in July, Mary & I were the
first couple on the dance floor and the last one’s to leave. Astonishingly, all
of these miraculous medical benefits occurred without having to see a doctor,
(except for my accident) or taking a pill. I have found what the health pundits
are saying in their health articles is absolutely true. Losing weight can reduce
or even eliminate many of the medical problems we experience. I hope the
miraculous residual effects I have experienced by losing weight, will encourage
you to consider adopting an exercise and diet program. How about it? Are you
game enough to try? You know what you have to do. As a wise sage once said, “If
your going to pray for potatoes, you better to pick up a hoe.” I found out the
hoe I needed was a sound exercise and diet program.
As most of you know, Mary & I are in our mid-seventies. We are feeling great,
are in good spirits and are enjoying the wonderful life that God has provided
for us. We agree with the statement, “That aging actually happens in ones mind
when you think your present life can’t be as satisfying and fulfilling as life
was when you were young.” We think our present age, although quite advanced, is
the most pleasant and finest time of our lives. We would not trade one day of
what we have for the most youthful period of our life. We have recently
celebrated 37 wonderful years together. We hope Amy Deans refreshing article and
the miraculous residual effects I experienced by losing weight, will inspire you
to do whatever you need to do to insure you will be with us when we celebrate
our 50th anniversary with a group cruise May 8, 2015. We have invited Mel & Teri
Gatte and they have informed us they will attend.
A note of warning: (If you decide to start an exercise program it would be
advisable to check with your doctor. Also, be very careful, when it comes to
using weights, less is better than more. I didn’t heed my own advice and the
result was a hernia.)
Happy cruising,
Tom & Mary Milano
TomandMaryMilano@Yahoo.com
Ever thought of becoming a part time or home based travel agent? Follow this link to see some of the books Tom Ogg has authored.
