WELCOME!
GROWING YOUNG WITH RAY is a blog about what to embrace and
what to avoid in order to live a long and healthy life to 100 years—and beyond.
THANK YOU for checking
us out.
This is our FIRST POST
on our new blog and we’re excited!
Ray is Raymond Williams, age 73. He is qualified to write this blog because
not only is he is a Certified Fitness Trainer specializing in SENIOR fitness,
he also has an MSW so that he can exercise both mind and body at the same time. With over five decades of experience as a
social worker, mental health psychotherapist, school teacher, professional
actor and published writer, he views successful aging from different perspectives.
CO-CREATOR/EDITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER: Merrilee Keller Williams, B.A. from Brown
University, is a former world ranked professional tennis player, who has
improved the tennis skills of many players as a tennis teacher and as a tennis coach
at Brown, Harvard and M.I.T. She
provides computer skills, coherence, color and pizazz to this endeavor...besides,
she and Ray are married, so it works out pretty well for both of them.
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Ray is Raymond Williams, age 73. He is qualified to write this blog because
not only is he is a Certified Fitness Trainer specializing in SENIOR fitness,
he also has an MSW so that he can exercise both mind and body at the same time. With over five decades of experience as a
social worker, mental health psychotherapist, school teacher, professional
actor and published writer, he views successful aging from different perspectives.
CO-CREATOR/EDITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER: Merrilee Keller Williams, B.A. from Brown
University, is a former world ranked professional tennis player, who has
improved the tennis skills of many players as a tennis teacher and as a tennis coach
at Brown, Harvard and M.I.T. She
provides computer skills, coherence, color and pizazz to this endeavor...besides,
she and Ray are married, so it works out pretty well for both of them.
THE BEGINNING
I awakened early in the morning in a chilled sweat from a frightening dream that jerked me awake with an aerial view of my body reclining in a coffin. My initial feeling of relief that it was just a dream was immediately replaced by sinking feelings of despair and hopelessness as I thought about my death. I turned my head to look at the precious face of my sleeping wife, which caused me to catch my breath as tears flooded my eyes. The fear of us not “growing old” together totally overwhelmed me.
Now, after almost three years and hundreds of hours of research, study and writing, I am ready to share what I have learned and will continue to learn about GROWING YOUNG as we age.
GROWING YOUNG WITH RAY will be a blog about the cornerstones of health and longevity-- which are EXERCISE and DIET-- plus numerous other Lifestyle issues that either curtail or enhance healthy longevity.
The FUTURE appears PROMISING and HOPEFUL, however. We will keep you informed of the EXPLODING MEDICAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY, which could be just a few years away from curing the disease of death, resulting in the possibility of HEALTH and LONGEVITY FAR BEYOND 100 YEARS.
PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS
#1. RISE OF THE CENTENARIANS
The NUMBER OF CENTENARIANS-- those living to the age of 100 and more-- has more than DOUBLED in the U.S. from 32,194 in l980 to 71,944 in 2010. There is now a greater opportunity for humans to live longer than ever before, primarily because of the miracles of modern medicine. .JPG)
#2. SITTING DEATH
Most Seniors, and many younger people, spend 75% or more of their time sitting while driving, working, eating, watching TV, reading and relaxing.
The Surgeon General has compared a LACK OF EXERCISE equivalent to the health hazards of smoking a PACK OF CIGARETTES A DAY. And the American Heart Association has equated a sedentary lifestyle with smoking 2 PACKS A DAY.
A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE is definitely a shortcut to the grave and researchers are recommending a public health warning about a lifestyle based on continuous sitting and calling it the “Sedentary Death Syndrome”, which I call the SITTING DEATH SYNDROME.
It’s recommended that people take breaks from sitting every hour, for even a couple of minutes, to move, stretch and walk around, maybe even climb some stairs. While watching TV, standing up and moving about during commercials can also be very beneficial.
…To be continued…
#3. DEMENTIA
Seriously, losing your mind is a fear that often turns into reality as a consequence of getting old. Ultimately, most of us will face that frightening and confusing condition often sensationalized in horror films as DEMENTIA.
…To be continued...
#4. MICROWAVE OVEN DANGERS
I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS, but MICROWAVE OVENS ARE HAZARDOUS to your health. 
…To be continued…
#5. CELL PHONE DANGERS.JPG)
#6. MIGHTY MYSTERY MUSCLE RULES OUR LIVES
...to be continued...
Which previews are most interesting to you? Please feel free to let us know.
DEDICATION
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abraham Lincoln
THE BEGINNING
I don’t recall the exact date, but it was about two months before my 70th birthday.
I awakened early in the morning in a chilled sweat from a frightening dream that jerked me awake with an aerial view of my body reclining in a coffin. My initial feeling of relief that it was just a dream was immediately replaced by sinking feelings of despair and hopelessness as I thought about my death. I turned my head to look at the precious face of my sleeping wife, which caused me to catch my breath as tears flooded my eyes. The fear of us not “growing old” together totally overwhelmed me.
My fear was not totally irrational. When I met and married Merrilee in my early 60’s, she was and continues to be exactly 20 years and 1 month younger than me. She had become my major motivation for GROWING YOUNG. My passionate obsession was to stay healthy to share and enjoy life with Merrilee for as long as humanly possible.
I rolled out of bed, brewed a cup of coffee, turned on some Eric Clapton blues and sat down at the computer and began writing.
As I began writing about the nightmare of my death in the coffin, my depression and anxiety began to fade… I suddenly knew what I needed and wanted to do: I changed the title of “Ray’s Journal” to “GROWING YOUNG WITH RAY” and officially began my anti-aging blog.
Now, after almost three years and hundreds of hours of research, study and writing, I am ready to share what I have learned and will continue to learn about GROWING YOUNG as we age.
GROWING YOUNG WITH RAY will be a blog about the cornerstones of health and longevity-- which are EXERCISE and DIET-- plus numerous other Lifestyle issues that either curtail or enhance healthy longevity.
And although this blog is aimed at older adults (SENIORS), the information is FOR ALL AGES. There are so many LONGEVITY SECRETS that I could have benefited from if I had known about them earlier in my life...
The FUTURE appears PROMISING and HOPEFUL, however. We will keep you informed of the EXPLODING MEDICAL RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY, which could be just a few years away from curing the disease of death, resulting in the possibility of HEALTH and LONGEVITY FAR BEYOND 100 YEARS.
PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS
#1. RISE OF THE CENTENARIANS
The NUMBER OF CENTENARIANS-- those living to the age of 100 and more-- has more than DOUBLED in the U.S. from 32,194 in l980 to 71,944 in 2010. There is now a greater opportunity for humans to live longer than ever before, primarily because of the miracles of modern medicine.
…To be continued…
Most Seniors, and many younger people, spend 75% or more of their time sitting while driving, working, eating, watching TV, reading and relaxing.
The Surgeon General has compared a LACK OF EXERCISE equivalent to the health hazards of smoking a PACK OF CIGARETTES A DAY. And the American Heart Association has equated a sedentary lifestyle with smoking 2 PACKS A DAY.
The Surgeon General has compared a LACK OF EXERCISE equivalent to the health hazards of smoking a PACK OF CIGARETTES A DAY. And the American Heart Association has equated a sedentary lifestyle with smoking 2 PACKS A DAY.
A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE is definitely a shortcut to the grave and researchers are recommending a public health warning about a lifestyle based on continuous sitting and calling it the “Sedentary Death Syndrome”, which I call the SITTING DEATH SYNDROME.
It’s recommended that people take breaks from sitting every hour, for even a couple of minutes, to move, stretch and walk around, maybe even climb some stairs. While watching TV, standing up and moving about during commercials can also be very beneficial.
…To be continued…
I like to believe that a benefit of aging is the acquisition of wisdom. For example, as I move through my 70s, I frequently experience moments of brilliant insights regarding the meaning of life...which then magically disappear within moments.
Fortunately, my increasing forgetfulness is easily forgiven with an explanation of “sorry, just another SENIOR MOMENT”.
Lately, I’ve been spending increasing time contemplating the “HEREAFTER”. I often wander into a room and ask myself: “what am I here after?”
Seriously, losing your mind is a fear that often turns into reality as a consequence of getting old. Ultimately, most of us will face that frightening and confusing condition often sensationalized in horror films as DEMENTIA.
Dementia is a word that describes a decline in memory and coherent thinking that sneaks up on people, and ranges from mild cognitive impairment to full blown Alzheimer's Disease with a life expectancy of less than 10 years.
Experts agree that the NUMBER 1 PREVENTATIVE for dementia is EXERCISE, both PHYSICAL and mental.
…To be continued...
#4. MICROWAVE OVEN DANGERS
I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS, but MICROWAVE OVENS ARE HAZARDOUS to your health.
The problem is that the microwaves of microwave ovens bombard the molecules of food at the speed of light, millions of times per second, creating incendiary heat that TRANSFORMS the NUTRIENTS in food into strange new stuff called RADIOLYTIC COMPOUNDS that are NOT found in nature and are CARCINOGENIC.
Especially noteworthy is that the NUTRITIONAL VALUE of your food is REDUCED 60 to 90 PER CENT with microwave cooking.
…To be continued…
The long range effects of mobile phones are yet to be fully known since it is a relatively new phenomenon, and the unbelievably prosperous and powerful telecom industry has been very active in suppressing and discrediting studies showing potential harm.
However, studies have surfaced showing that brain cancer on the side of the head where the telephone is held has been increasing.
I realize it is nearly impossible to imagine life without mobile phones. But to minimize danger, it is advisable to avoid extended periods with the phone pressed against the side of the face, or any part of the body. And because of their thinner skulls and skin, parents are advised to keep cell phones away from children unless they are turned off.
…To be continued…
#6. MIGHTY MYSTERY MUSCLE RULES OUR LIVES
FACT: The single most IMPORTANT skeletal muscle is unknown and rarely used by 99% of all humans.
Failure to activate this muscle often results in injuries, chronic pain and decreasing mobility.
Using and strengthening this muscle can improve your performance in every move you make and every breath you take.
...to be continued...
Which previews are most interesting to you? Please feel free to let us know.
...to be continued...
Which previews are most interesting to you? Please feel free to let us know.
DEDICATION
About seven years ago, in collaboration with the Town of Weston’s Council On Aging in the Boston area, my anti-aging exercises were expanded and incorporated into a Total Fitness group exercise class for Seniors.
Our class quickly grew from once a week in a small room with a half dozen Seniors to three times a week in an expansive recreation room with attendance sometimes exceeding 20 participants.
For nearly 6 years, more than 100 Seniors participated. This group that I led provided an actual “laboratory” showing that regular exercise does indeed stop and even reverse the damaging effects of aging. With ages ranging from 60 to 95, many of the Seniors, especially those whose lifestyles had never included regular exercise, became more fit, balanced and mobile than at any other time in their lives since childhood.
Over a year ago, our class, named FUNctional Fitness, regretfully ended as circumstances necessitated our re-location to Vero Beach, Florida. Many class members were saddened because they had learned to regard the class as a source of motivation and information on how to live longer and healthier.
Since I had been writing and researching anti-aging, I promised to share my writings with them and this blog is a fulfillment of that commitment.
This blog is DEDICATED TO THE WESTON COUNCIL ON AGING’S FUNctional Fitness class members, who have demonstrated that GROWING YOUNG into the 70s, 80s and even the 90s, is certainly possible.
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abraham Lincoln
