- The Abkhasians in the Caucasus Mountains of Soviet Georgia. (The most famous)
- The Vilcabambans in the Ecuadorian Andes.
- The Hunzas in the Karakorum Mountains of Kashmir in West Pakistan’s Himalayas.
Carl Bourhenne's Fitness and Long Life Manual |
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Youthful and Attractive |
Recreation, Community, Work
The concept of "use it or lose it" in regard to health and long life is probably no new rule to you. In fact, it is probably one of the most used terms in discussions of how to stay healthy over time.
The directive to stay active through work, recreation, and community activities addresses a wide range of human abilities most people want to keep. The process of work involves the use of mind, emotions, and to varying degrees the body; as do recreation and community activities.
In addition to the
relaxation value of recreation, most recreational activities involve one or more
basic health-promoting activities. These activities, besides using and thus
keeping many faculties, also help to maintain various aspects of our health. For
instance, many sports and games have exercise value. Many forms of recreation
provide exceptional mental stimulation; and most involve some social interaction.
All of the faculties used are maintained by the fact of their healthy use.
Community Activities
In the three areas of the world where large percentages of the populations live
to advanced ages healthy and active,
It was shown that involvement in community activities is the norm. There is no retirement from involvement in the community. Each of the inhabitants, regardless of age, has a role to play in community affairs and activities, and thus maintains a sense of social worth.
It is not only the personal faculties that are maintained; but the joy of life and the excitement of participation, as well.
Depending on the type of work one prefers, the use of such faculties as observation,
memory, learning, judgment, decision-making, creativity, and other abilities are
used. Most work situations also involve social interactions to some extent; so the
many facets of social relations are stimulated, and thus maintained.
Work also provides the much needed feeling of being valuable.
Carl Bourhenne, MA
