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Marilyn McKelvey's avatar

I loved this article! 75 and working on it.

However, I am not sure which step would help me deal with the little snake that visited me in my kitchen yesterday. Yes, I live in the country, and yes the back door was open for a while, but before I could trap it it disappeared into a crack behind the baseboard, never to emerge. I may never sleep again!!!

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According to Mimi's avatar

So many great comments! Love the article. I don't do many of these things, so I will have to get after it if I plan to live to my 70s!

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

:)

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Francesca Bossert's avatar

I felt like I was one of those fuzzy dogs people used to have back in the 70s on the back windows of their cars; you know, the ones that nodded with the vibrations and the bumps in the road!! Yes yes yes to all this! I just wish my poor IBD messed up gut would tolerate fibre. And more! But yes to everything else, and to fibre SOON!

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Hi Francesca,

Thank you for being here! I love connecting with readers.

The fiber is definitely an issue with IBD. I have found the more you mechanically alter the food, like cooking and blending, and more starchy veggies tend to be more tolerated as you heal your gut. This young man has an incredible story you might resonate with. https://www.highcarbhealth.com

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Trudi Nicola's avatar

Brilliant and insightful. Thank you.✨

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Thank you for your kind words!

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Trudi Nicola's avatar

Pleasure!

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keith robinson's avatar

LM: I LOVE this post SO MUCH‼️ As I have gardened, scooped kitty litter, played with the pup, Sat in waiting rm, etc etc etc, I have either listened to or read through this MULTIPLE times! I’m actually in the process, right now, of creating a reminder poster board w/the 7 Habits on it!

Many thanks‼️

❤️

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Keith, that is fabulous! Please share a picture of your poster board when it is completed. I would love to see it. Love your enthusiasm!

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keith robinson's avatar

Ta-daaa!

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The Platypus Never Suspected's avatar

I should add I'm picking up the mandolin as a keeping the brain active sort of thing. Walking helps too.

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Incredible!!

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The Platypus Never Suspected's avatar

At the tender age of 62, I can use all this information. Having been diagnosed at the age of 4 with ADHD, focus has always been somewhat of an issue. Both parents were professors and family counselors who stressed the importance of education and expanding one's horizons. When I do manage to settle on something, I can dig right in. I failed math in grade 9 due to it not grabbing my attention. When I learned to fly, however, I realized it was sort of useful. I went from a math dud to trigonometric calculations on the fly, so to speak in a six month period. I think one takeaway here is to approach learning as the best ride at the fair. Stock up on tickets, and don't ride the zipper if you just had two chili dogs.

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Yes, excellent life lesson right there.

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Kisane Slaney PhD's avatar

At 83, I'm learning a new phrase, 'intentional forgetting'. There are a couple of glitches in particular that I need to intentionally forget! Thank you so much for that, Laurie :-)

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Yes! It is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets. I have found it to be one muscle that I flex often that brings instant peace, like a breath of fresh air.

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Michelle's avatar

Thank you for the inspiration! I’m 71 and after losing my husband I really struggled to find my purpose for sticking around. I love the truth that we can all be stronger, sharper, more peaceful and funnier as we age. Being a role model for my children is a great purpose!🥰

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keith robinson's avatar

Stronger, sharper, peaceful, FUNNY! Y E S ‼️Glad you found your purpose, Michelle.

Struggle - Makes sense After so many years together, then having to find your new way.❤️

Brava!

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Michelle's avatar

Thank you Keith. And I agree that funny is the operative word!😊

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Oh Michelle, I am sorry for your loss. Our children are a wonderful purpose, I have 3 grown children now and they are the joy of my life.

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Davo Slater's avatar

Hello Laurie,

Welcome to another great day on this Amazing Planet we are so lucky to call Home 😊.

Some "gold nuggets" in your post,thanks.

I'm loving my 81st trip around the sun,

to celebrate my 79th trip around the sun I decided to do a backwards somersault off Moona Moona creek bridge at Huskisson.

It's on YouTube and only 2 minutes but you might get a laugh 😂.

@davidslater9297

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Oh my goodness! I love it and you are plant-based! So am I, 13 years now!

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Ann Richardson's avatar

I am 83 and, as it says on the tin, I stand on my head (you can see me do so, three years ago –only 80 years old – in a 2 minute video as a pinned post on my Substack). I have a very positive view of being old - even wrote a book about why. And I feel pretty good most of the time. I was interested in your seven habits because they are things I have done for ages – eating well, exercising, feeling positive, have laughed at myself all my life etc. I was particularly interested in the explanation for doing things by habit, as it didn't occur to me that that was good for me, but what you write makes sense. I restacked a Note about your article. Thanks for writing it.

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Thank you so much for sharing the post, Ann! I loved your video!

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Miriam's avatar

I’m so glad you mentioned #5. I’ve been accused of being in a rut and told I needed to vary my routine. Why? A routine means I don’t have to waste time thinking of daily occurrences. Also it saves me later aggravation. One such is always locking my door with a key. I walk my dog first thing in the morning, on goes the leash, next is to grab my house keys but once in great while something interferes and I walk out the door without them. I turn to lock the door, no keys. No biggy, I just need to step back in and grab them. Had I used the automatic lock feature on the door instead, it’d be locked and I’d be in big trouble. Habit saves the day!

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

EXACTLY!

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Eleanor's avatar

No 4 "A morning with a reason is stronger than a triple espresso." ... 🤔 what if 'my morning with a reason' = a triple espresso!!!

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Haha! You do you! 😄

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fuzzi's avatar

About routines: my spouse had early onset dementia, and while doing research I read the opposite, don't do the same things the same way every day. Shake up your routine to make your brain leave the ruts and work more.

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Routines help you maintain habits whether they are good or bad. So be selective. If you have an unhelpful habit that is the routine to shake up.

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Murray Zedeck's avatar

I'm 88 with all original body parts and I would echo all 7 "rules" plus one.... Learn something new every day .

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Yes! Have an entire article on that one alone!

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Murray Zedeck's avatar

Thank you for what you do. I'm a retired family doc and I teach leadership to high school students ... and I learn from them as much as I teach . I'd like to read your article on "learning every day" .

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

This is the one I was referring to, more aligned with creating but still suffices the goal of learning. https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/if-youre-waiting-for-life-to-feel

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Diane Hunter's avatar

I’m 91 and fully agree with all your suggestions. The hardest for me was to stop kicking myself for staying in my bad first marriage. It was the 50’s! I was a different woman!

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Sylvia Chard's avatar

I'm 87 and your comment sounds so like me!!

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Eleanor's avatar

It's not often I get to say, I am only 80 😄

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Robin Inskip's avatar

Me too

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Haha!

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Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA's avatar

Oh my heavens! I bet you have some incredible stories.

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