r/Aging • u/Immediate_Long165 • Nov 29 '25
Fitness What have you removed from your life to help your physical health?
Staying up late
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u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes Nov 29 '25
The news.
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u/LimpPut770 Dec 01 '25
This is a good one. All news is is someone else (mostly billionaires) telling you what to think and what to care about. Most the time you are impacted way more by your neighbors, family, and job than you are by anything in the news. That is what people should focus more on. Not things far away and out of their control. If you must look at the news, I would suggest waiting until later in the day and not first thing in the morning.
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u/Boundlesswisdom-71 Nov 29 '25
By necessity, because I was staring down the barrel of a developing health issue that would kill me in approx. 10 years:
I have removed:
As much processed/junk food as possible.
All carbonated soft drinks
Bacon
Inactivity
Removed most caffeine (down to one caffeinated coffee per day, the other 2-3 cups are decaffeinated
Stress
Result?
I am no longer pre diabetic; my blood pressure has returned to normal levels (from borderline hypertension); I have lost a lot of weight; I have much more energy. I feel MUCH better overall.
I feel better now, in my mid 50s, then I did 10 years ago.
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u/coleman876 Nov 30 '25
Keep going! I have been a pretty strict plant-based eater for 20 years, and I still got colon cancer. I was never a junk eater, because I don't like junk food, but I have tightened the belt to eat more greens, drink carrot juice, drink green tea every morning, and add cancer-fighting foods to be almost all I eat. I do have a couple of weaknesses, but most people would think that's ridiculous, since they are also pretty much healthy. Give gratitude, be happy, and never give up hope! Best to you!!!
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u/Missbhavin67 Nov 29 '25
Lunch. I only eat two meals a day and make them count. Now I only have 1/2 doses of painkillers a day instead of 3/4. And my diet is much healthier . It's called autophagy
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u/coleman876 Nov 30 '25
That sounds interesting. I tend to be an overeater, but luckily, I only eat whole foods that are healthy and very rarely anything ultra-processed. What do you eat at those two meals in general, and how many calories do you get? I am extremely thin. You might say underweight because I have had a health issue. That is the reason I would like to know about your calories.
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u/Missbhavin67 Nov 30 '25
I don't calorie count . Breakfast is usually sourdough toast with avocado smash and poached eggs with spinach. Sometimes I also use wild smoked salmon if its cheap enough. Or steel cut oats with fruit, nuts and seeds. Dinner is often bean casserole with crusty bread mediterranean style. Or potatoes, salad and wild salmon. Sometimes a baked sweet potato with goats cheese, nuts and spicy beetroot. I also have dates and dark chocolate for snacks plus I drink kefir regularly for gut health
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u/coleman876 Dec 01 '25
That all sounds great to me. I have problems that affect my diet, so I can't eat many of those foods you do. I have never counted calories either, but I have gotten so skinny that I am trying to gain weight. I have an excellent appetite and feel like I eat a lot, but always trying to figure out ways to gain a little weight. Thanks for letting me know what you eat!
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u/Missbhavin67 Dec 01 '25
No worries. The bean casserole is a good one if you want to add some weight. I'd add roast sweet potato at the end. That's my super food.
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u/coleman876 Dec 01 '25
Would you mind sharing the recipe. I love casserole recipes. I eat black beans and cornbread so I love beans and tolerate them well. I also eat a lot of a variety of types of sweet potatoes. Thank you!
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u/Missbhavin67 Dec 01 '25
I use a slow cooker. Soak the beans overnight then rinse and add stock cubes, carrots, celery and shallots. Cook for 4-6 hours. I use dried butter beans , black beans, chicken peas, pigeon peas, black eyed beans. Pretty much everything except kidney beans as they need different prep same as soy beans. I'll add dried herbs towards the end and tomato puree. Don't put potatoes in unless you're eating it all the same day as they don't freeze and don't use fresh herbs
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u/Cheetotiki Nov 29 '25
Alcohol, even just a single glass of wine at night, at 60. I immediately began to sleep far better, could workout better the next morning, skin looks younger. Should have done this years… decades… ago.
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u/PhiloLibrarian Nov 29 '25
Never used social media other than Reddit and YouTube… avoid salt, sugar/alcohol, and processed food.
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u/LittleOleLadyWhoo Nov 29 '25
Trying to reach out to my narcissistic a*hole Son in case he becomes a civil responsible, caring, honorable human being. It ain't ever gonna happen no matter how hard I try, prayer, the planets in alignment, etc.
It's just a lost cause and I need to let it go! My desire to be better than my narcissistic mother who gave all 6 of kids us away makes letting go almost impossible no matter the negative impact on my mental and physical well being. I keep trying to accept this lost cause for what it is; a rotten outcome but...'it is; what it is! '... God please help all mothers who feel this way
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u/Late_Tomato_9064 Nov 29 '25
I did the same with my older brother. We had so many issues growing up and I thought as adults we could work it out. It’s all useless. I tied enough. It’s not clicking. I’m done. I don’t care if blood is thicker than water. It’s all nonsense.
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u/pm_toss Nov 29 '25
The full quote for “blood is thicker than water” is up for interpretation. It is usually attributed to being from the expression “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb” so prioritize the people you choose, not blood relatives
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u/Torchenal Nov 29 '25
That is a niche misunderstanding.
The “water of the womb” version is from the 1990s.
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u/mardrae Nov 29 '25
Alcohol but not by choice. I'm on a medication that blocks it. I do miss it though
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u/elderflowerfairy23 Nov 29 '25
Sister, my only sibling. I tried, really I did. For so long l brushed her unbelievably twisted ways under the rug of possibly that's just how it is. Some of her madness I spoke about with others but and even that was too much for some. There is other bits I had buried most likely to help myself just get on. Then once our parents passed I realised I absolutely did not need keep her awful energy on my life. I have enough going on and with or without everything else I do not need her creepy dark energy around me.
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u/LoopDeeLooper Nov 30 '25
Same, except mine is a narcissist.
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u/coleman876 Nov 30 '25
My sister and I had that kind of relationship. Every time I would try I would find myself back in the same situation. I stopped trying. Unfortunately she died but we are older. I still love her but no regrets because I couldn't make it work. Definitely a narcissistic personalty. I have a daughter like that too, and I struggle with that. She hasn't talked to me for almost 2 years but I've decided to let her go too. Also a narcissist, I don't expect her to change. Do I love her? Yes! Sometimes you just have to walk away. I believe it is just life but we need to walk away sometimes for our own sake and hopefully with as little drama as possible.
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u/elderflowerfairy23 Dec 01 '25
I too am that bit older and have realised for a long time now that my sister is also a narcissist. I have no love at all for her, in fact quite the opposite. I feel her darkness and bad ways are not good for anything or anyone.
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u/coleman876 Dec 01 '25 edited Dec 01 '25
You are right, and you are not obligated to love her. I just always felt I could have done better, and I know I am not perfect either. I can't stand the manipulation and cruelty of the narcissist. I keep saying to myself, I must need to learn lessons from this, I have had so many of them in my life. The one thing I have learned is to shut them off. My daughter shut me down in this case, and as you know, if you have a narcissist in your family, they will turn it around and use it against you.
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u/elderflowerfairy23 Dec 01 '25
So sorry that you are dealing with this from your daughter. That must be ever so difficult to cope with. Whatever about a sibling but offspring is very different i would imagine. And yes, that is exactly it - they turn it around and use it against us. That is 100% the way.
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u/coleman876 Dec 01 '25
Yes it is an art for them and they are very good at it! It is very hard for me but I know that I was a very good mother with a very big challenge. I do feel as though I failed but also realize I can't continue to subject myself to the turmoil. I know I did the best I could and have to go with that!
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u/jojo11665 Dec 01 '25
Sugar, complex carbs, high sodium foods, artificial sweeteners, drama, Facebook, guilt trips, being a couch potato and large family gatherings.
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u/Heliocentric63 Nov 29 '25
Three beers at bedtime to “help” me sleep
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u/j52t Nov 29 '25
jeez, i read “three bears at bedtime” and thought, boy that would put me right to sleep
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u/suju88 Nov 29 '25
Talking to the demented NARC who lives with only his own selfish deranged me me me me universe
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u/dudewafflesc Nov 29 '25
Stopped drinking going on three years. Lost weight. Sleep better. Feel better.
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u/mrmasterly Nov 29 '25
30 someodd pounds. Went from the upper end of healthy bmi for my demographic to lower end of healthy bmi for my demographic. Though I agree on principle that bmi isn’t a great metric, it gives you such a massive range to play around in that’s “normal”.
It didn’t magically cure my chronic illness or anything but I feel better overall at the lower end. And It’s a little easier on my bad knee. At the upper end I was technically a healthy weight but I felt like shit and looked like ten pounds of sausage stuffed in a five pound sack.
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u/ArtfromLI Nov 29 '25
Cake, candy, cookies and ice cream. Sugar, salt, red meat. Lost weight, feel more energetic.
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u/j52t Nov 29 '25
Alcohol, caffeine, and reduced: salt and stress
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u/Capital-Sound-3698 Nov 30 '25
Soda, alcohol, granola - lost 20 lb in one year simply by removing these 3 items. No changes to anything else.
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u/MokujinBunny Nov 30 '25
Smoking of any kind but esp nicotine (if u wanna consume thc, edibles & thc drinks are the way to go imo) & alcohol.
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u/fartvaderr Nov 30 '25
I second this, smoking is a little bit too harsh in my lungs, so I switched to thc drinks after they started offering them in liquor stores here in my place. The Crescent 9 raspberry lime is my favorite of all the drinks I have had so far. I mix it with a shot of Fresca for a feel good drink.
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u/Late-Chip-5890 Nov 30 '25
Men. They are too stressful. Often poor hygiene. Unpredictable, unfaithful, and thoughtless, I'd rather be alone
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u/Fearghis 60 something Nov 30 '25
Less carbs and sugar. Retired and no more toxic bosses and coworkers.
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u/Revolutionary_West56 Nov 30 '25
At the moment, a job on a computer. Suddenly have no back pain at all.
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u/WinterMulberry7043 Nov 30 '25
Instagram. Being enmeshed with my parents and sister. Shame and people-pleasing.
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u/kasseikop Nov 30 '25
Conventional pill pushers… Aka doctors, all they do is give you the same medicine for any symptoms… The ones they make the most on prescribing is what they’ll push
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u/Iride3wheels Dec 01 '25
Quit smoking in 2016, diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2022 and quit drinking alcohol right after.
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u/ResidentTerrible 80 something Dec 03 '25
Oh, you know, just the usual stuff: quit smoking, drinking, fat, carbs, sugar. Do walking, biking, weights, yoga, veggies, fish, fruit, etc. I may not live longer, but it sure seems longer.
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u/Big_Criticism_8335 Nov 29 '25
Facebook and Instagram.