And the man who’s 93 . . . but feels like he’s 25
PETE MURRAY OBE, 93, is a widower and former broadcaster who lives in London. He is 6ft and weighs 11st (BMI 21, ‘healthy’). I RECENTLY read about a chap who is legally trying to change his age from 69 to 49. I know how he feels: in my head, I’m 25. I never think about being old — it can be so ageing.
I’m proud I’ve got here without taking a single pill. I have good genes on my mother’s side — she died three months shy of her 100th birthday. (Sadly, my father passed away at 44 from a complication of being gassed in World War I.)
Admittedly, I can feel my muscles getting weaker, but I try to combat that by staying active. I play nine holes of golf a couple of times a week (I use a buggy to get around) and walk up and down the stairs at home — my house has four storeys.
A lively mind is also important: I enjoy crosswords, seeing friends and going to social events. I am teetotal — I come from three generations of publicans and just cannot stand the smell of alcohol. I was pescatarian from a young age but, about eight years ago, I suddenly went off fish, too.
EXPERT COMMENT: To reach 93 without taking medication is quite remarkable.
And avoiding alcohol can only benefit health — consumption has been linked to weight gain, cancer and other health issues.
Social interaction and general mental stimulation are likely to assist in delaying the onset of memory decline, too.
Pete could make a few tweaks. He needs to get enough iron and B12 for healthy nerves and blood cells healthy, so might consider a supplement. And he could try a little more walking on the golf course, rather than using the buggy.
It’s great that Pete feels younger than he is — a study from Seoul National University in Korea found elderly people who feel younger than their age had younger estimated brain health, too!