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Seeking Happiness, Fighting Muscle Loss, and more

Week of: December 17, 2023

Author

James Alvarez
December 17, 2023

“It’s your road and yours alone,” wrote the Sufi poet Rumi. “Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.” (excerpt from Strength to Strength)

A Week of Happiness with Arthur Brooks, Ph.D.

Last week Peter Attia, MD drew me into an episode of The Drive with a title: The Science of Happiness. The podcast guest, Arthur Brooks, Ph.D., was new to me, but I enjoyed their conversation so much that I decided to read one of Dr. Brooks’ books, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.

Now contrary to what it may seem like, I actually wasn’t looking for advice on how to be happy and succesful in the second half of my life. I chose this book because it was the most reviewed of the 6 he’s written. And it’s a good thing I did, because as it turns out, according to Dr. Brooks, the sun has already started to set on the first half of my life.

Nothing motivates the gym rat in me like knowing that 7 years ago I started losing muscle. Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass as we age, begins at around age 30. Yikes! In this short 30 minute episode EC Synkowski provides tips and tricks to slow down the process.

Alcohol is a drug that continues to fascinate me. With all of the rules, regulations and laws surrounding most other drugs, alcohol, despite it’s long list of harmful side effects, remains abundantly available and endlessly promoted across all media. In this article Peter Attia, M.D. discusses the increased risk of cardiac disease (the #1 cause of death in this U.S.) from even low levels of alcohol consumption.