 Oct. 17, 2002 |
| ASSEMBLY EDITION • SAN DIEGO |
A capacity crowd of men, women and even some children listened to, and laughed with, Zorba Paster, M.D., on Wednesday during a Family CME presentation on how to live a long and good life.
 Austen Perry interacts with her mother, Peggy Perry, during Wednesday's Family CME session. |
The session, "The Longevity Code: Crafting a Personal Prescription for a Longer, Sweeter Life for Your Patients," covered what Paster calls the "five spheres of wellness" that impact longevity. "Longevity is a two-sided coin -- longevity on one side; sweetness on the other," said Paster. "It's quantity and quality."
Paster, clinical professor of family medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, also wrote the recently published book, The Longevity Code -- Your Personal Prescription for a Longer, Sweeter Life.
According to Paster, a person's physical sphere is anything pertaining to the body. This includes not only what you eat -- but also where and how you eat it. For instance, he said, the French smoke and eat lots of saturated fat, so why are they so healthy? "When the French eat, they sit down -- and I don't mean in the car," said Paster. "They take the time to enjoy their food."
On the other hand, in America, "you're never five minutes away from a high fat (and fast food) meal," he said.
Paster's mental sphere refers to psychological health. "Major depression is as much a risk factor for heart disease as high cholesterol," he said. And its "kissing cousin" -- hostility -- is even more deadly. People who "rant and rave" are three to four times more likely than a calm person to suffer a heart attack, said Paster.
Family, friends and even pets make up the social sphere. "Social ties are important," said Paster. "What was the first thing all of us did on Sept. 11 last year? We talked to another person."
Spirituality, said Paster, is nourishment for the soul, be it religion, art or music. "Patients will be shocked when you ask them if they attend a church or synagogue ... but they will appreciate your asking, and it will make your relationship with them stronger," he said.
A positive material sphere includes living in a safe environment and having a good income and job satisfaction, said Paster. Studies show more money means a longer life, he said.
Most important of all, said Paster, is achieving balance between the five spheres. "Find a longevity mentor; a person 'doing it right' who is at least 25 years older than you are," he said. Look for these qualities in your mentor:
Paster's presentation was geared to helping FPs work with their patients in developing personal longevity codes. But the affirming nods from the crowd suggested that the information Paster passed along was applicable to everyone in the audience -- even the kids.
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