Схемотехника / Мультимедія / Сайти / Віртуальний музей / ukrainiancomputing.org / AMOSOV / txt / September2000

http://www.icfcst.kiev.ua/amosov/

Nikolay Amosov
Thoughts on the experiment (September, 2000)

I used to write such a lot of stuff on health problems and then on my
experiment to slow down aging through intensive physical exercises, that
now I feel like writing a few pages and making some comments, all the
more so, since seven years have passed since the experiment began and
those years have not been easy ones.
Have my convictions changed?
My answer is resolute - no. Furthermore, they have become even
stronger and more profound with my illness experience.
But first, a little of my health story to understand what it is all about.
In 1954 I was tortured by spinal pains and even some dorsal
alterations were discovered. Then I invented my system of physical
exercises comprising of about thousand movements. I started jogging in
1971, when a dog was purchased. In 1985 I had a heart blockage with a
pulse rate of 40 beats per min. I stopped jogging and restricted myself to
physical exercises. In 1986 after the implantation of a pacemaker I began to
feel myself better and resumed jogging. In 1993 the stimulator was replaced.
I started feeling like I was aging in 1992 when I stopped
practical surgery. I thought over the aging mechanism and made up my
mind then to resist aging thought intensive physical exercises – “the
experiment”. I started with 2500 physical exercises, half of which were
made with the dumb-bells up to 5 kg. Then I redoubled the number of my
exercises. I used to jog up to 5 km. And the aging receded. For two and a
half year I felt very well. At that very time I wrote the book
“Overcoming Aging “, as well as some brochures. I was fully aware of my
decreased aorta activity, but hoped it would improve, but it never did. I
developed stenocardia but I went on carefully with my experiment this time
giving up the jogging. I had regular check-ups: my heart was getting
enlarged. It was clear to me, that I had failed to deceive nature and that it
was time to get ready to die. I accepted it in cold blood. I felt like having
fulfilled all my life tasks. I even wrote my memoirs “Voices of Times”.
In Mai 1998, my daughter, a professor of cardiology and my pupils
offered me to undergo surgery in Germany - such old men as me are not
used to be operated in my own clinic.
Professor Korfer implanted an artificial mitral valve and put two
shunts in the coronary arteries. The operation was a success, though it was
followed by long but not very hard complications. I resumed my physical
exercises immediately after the operation: first, I increased the number of
exercises up to 1000, then I resumed my one hour indoor and outdoor
walking.
Rehabilitation went on slowly. There were a lot of minor
complications: headaches and instability of movements but I was patient. I
added the chapter on the surgery to my memoirs. The book was published in
December 1998, I was over 85.
I got again be interested in science and the desire to live returned again. I
made up my mind to resume experiment. To my usual physical exercises I
added dumb-bells-exercises and increased the walking time.
Only in summer 1999 it turned loose: the aging seemed to step back.
I felt at once ease by walking. In the course of winter 1999-2000 I increased
the number of exercises up to 3000 (1200 of them were dumb-bell-
exercises) and walked for 1 hour daily. As for jogging, I did it carefully and
no more than 1-2 km per day, mostly downhill. Soon I doubled jogging time
and rate. I lived: wrote books, got switched to Internet.
Every six months I undergo a medical check up: until now
everything is all right. My heart has decreased in size reaching the level
when the experiment began. No, my old age hasn’t disappeared: my
movements are constrained, especially when going upstairs. But I walk in
the city and take buses or trams easily. My weight: 51-53 kg, height: 166 cm.
I am happy, but at the same time afraid, what if everything comes
back again ? Besides, I am not very optimistic about my future : I have a
fully replaced heart: valve, shunts, pacemaker. Pacemaker is soon be
replaced, artificial valve is intended to last for 5-7 years (it is taken from a
pig, Korfer promised to change it), shunts might be blocked… I pull myself
up: Hey, Amosov, you should not forget the God ? You will soon be over
ninety, will not you ?!).

Enough about myself, let’s talk about some essential
problems: about health, illnesses, experiment, the way to live.
First about “intensive physical regimen”. There is no need to talk a
lot about the “mode of restrictions and loading”. My recommendations for
everybody is the same: 30-45 minutes of physical exercises, 1000-1500
movements, including 500 exercises with 5 kg- dumb-bells (I recommend to
do it before TV set to spare your time), plus one hour of intensive walking,
but 2-3 km jogging is still better. An active man is advised to double this
regimen, especially an old man. Funny? But it is really so: doing exercises
in old age is not easy.
Important to increase intensity of exercises gradually: no more than
3% per day. The pulse rate has to be always under control: pulse
acceleration shall be no more than 50% of the initial state. The highest rate
for young people – 140, for old men – 120.
Food: fresh vegetables and fruits – 0,3 – 0,5 kg. Milk. Meat – 50-100 g. Adipose is to be avoided, vegetable oil - in small quantities. Salt and
sugar are to be cut down. As to the bread, it is better to eat rye bread, plus
porridge . Weight is to be under control and brought to conformity with the
formula “Weight=Height minus 105-110 (depending on muscle)”. Don’t be
afraid of fasting – it is useful. No allowances are to be made for old men :
weight has to decrease but not to grow, because the bulk of muscle albumen
diminishes and it is no use to accumulate fat.
Very important to have command of one’s mind: the number of
illnesses provoked by stress is far larger than those provoked by other
factors. (This piece of good advice is as much important as it is useless—it
is being hardly followed ). One has at least to control oneself: don’t be
agitated on trifles.
Prophylactic check up: one has to know his blood pressure
(110-140/60-80). Pulse rate 60-70. Some periodic blood tests can be helpful as well.
One doesn’t need to get upset by the first signs of illness and call the
doctor immediately (except for acute stomach pains). Some minor
symptoms that do not prevent working have to be waited through, a week
or even a month- nature requires it. I understand that for me it is easy to
state so, because I know what is dangerous and what – not. When one is
ignorant of medicine, one can not do without a doctor and can easily be
taken a doctor’s prisoner (not to mention the doctor’s fees). But if a doctor
happens to say “not dangerous”, please believe him and stop treatment: a
physician would rather be overcautious than he would reassure a patient.
My attitude towards medicine has not changed. Surgery is powerful,
it is not to be feared. I have felt therapy on my own back as never before.
There are some effective drugs, but about two thirds of them are only
psychotherapy. I can not advise you how to distinguish them – one has to
write a book about it. It is impossible to organize a good treatment without
special checks up: ultra-sound check, X-ray photography, tests. But it is not
worth to do it for some trifle indispositions. One should not make excessive
use of self-treatment. The less drugs - the better.
A recommendation of an experienced patient shall be: relax and put
up with it! As to the old men, I do not see any problem for them, because I
have felt on my own back what I knew before: to die is not terrifying.
Nature protects the mind of a dying man from suffering.
Do not be afraid of illnesses: the nature is happened to be strong
when it is not being damaged. Medicine is a strong ally. It can help and
even save.
As to my experiment, I am sure, that if a heart is strong, intensive
regimen would provide an active life up to 90 years. And for those who
happy (or unhappy) – up to 100.
I suppose it be all.