My dear friend hiked strenuously 5-10 miles every week. Played pickleball and walked every day. She had told people that when she went she wanted to go while asleep in bed, and she did exactly that on 9/11.
I guess being careful about exercise and diet is OK, but from friends and family I know, it doesn’t seem that it’s THAT important. Those who have been hyper focused and sanctimonious about that actually seem to have died earlier than others who have just lived their lives.
{Definite “no” to smoking and excess alcohol, though!)
This year I’ve lost my sister (63), my uncle (67), and my father-in-law (81).
My father-in-law was an ass. Cheated on his wives. Drank. Smoked. Died of a heart attack.
My uncle ignored his diabetes. Was regularly having parts amputated. Smoked like a chimney. We found out after his death that he was dealing in prescription drugs. Died of complications of diabetes.
My sister hid that she was ill. She was a lifelong smoker and had partied hard when she was younger. She hid that she had lost her job. She hid that she had two outstanding warrants. She stopped paying her bills two months before she died. We texted regularly, but for the last 6 months of her life we rarely saw her in person. She died of a heart attack while puking into the toilet. We didn’t find her until two weeks after.
I never smoked. Rarely drink. Exercise regularly. Still had a stroke last November that messed up my vision.
This getting old crap sucks.