September 2023 – HEALTHY AT 120

I am writing this on the 25th anniversary of my mother’s passing, so I am mentally in that space.

left: Bill Brown (my brother), Bernard Brown (Dad), and me. The next four or five years would change our lives in the early 1960s our future unknown.

My brother would be a Green Baret doing 3 or 4 tours in Viet Nan.

My dad died at 49 of a coronary occlusion.

I would be a runaway juvenile delinquent and budding athlete who found sport, surfing, and 2 lifelong friends in Keith and Ed.

Dad and Mom doing what they do.

How do these Family Facts fit into this Fitness Blog? The pictures speak.

Las Vegas this time of year beckons you to outside activity of any kind. I bought an electric scooter to enjoy the area. I crashed it right out of the Amazon box. I have been nursing my ego and body back into shape ever since then.

Practice then crash

I also fell off my diet too. As a direct result of poor eating, I had a major gout flair-up, driving me back to the veggies that I should have been eating.

Hopefully, you have watched the new limited series on Netflix or on the internet from the “Blue Zone”. There is some review, but lots of new stuff Dan Buettner is working on to bring us a healthy lifestyle. Here is what I want to concentrate on for now: Keiro no-Hi. This is a Japanese holiday that is Blue Zone friendly.

By Karen Yoshitomi

Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Aged Day) is a public holiday celebrated in Japan each year on the third Monday of September. Originally known as Toshiyori no Hi (Elderly People’s Day), the celebration was first organized by Masao Kadowaki, mayor of a small village called Nomadani-mura (Taka-cho today) located in the Hyogo Prefecture in 1947, a few years after the end of World War II. The mayor believed that the young villagers should show their gratitude and respect for their elders, by seeking their wisdom and guidance in the aftermath of the chaos and hardship of the war. The young were invited to gather together — to listen and learn from the older adults. This gathering called Toshiyori no Hi spread to other villages across the country, and the newly renamed Keiro no Hi became a national holiday in 1966.

Today, Keiro no Hi is celebrated as a way to honor older adults and express appreciation and gratitude for their contributions to society. During this holiday, the hustle and bustle of everyday life slows down in order to give rise to the opportunity to reflect on how the older generations have paved the way for those that would follow. It’s also an opportunity to gain some wisdom and insight that comes from many years of life experiences.

Honorees can be family members, people in the community, or just older adults in general. This year, Keiro no Hi will be September 18th. In observance of this day, consider sending a handwritten note or card to an older adult. Let them know you are thinking about them. Call or spend time with them. Keiro no Hi is a day to reflect on the life we enjoy today and how the knowledge and life experience of those who came before, helps us live better lives today.