My life is a gift | Corwell Health

If they give out Olympic medals for healthy habits, Jodi Weckenman could claim the gold.

For 50 years, she walked for an hour every day.

Rainy or sunny. On hot, steamy days. It’s icy cold. Seven days a week.

In the past five decades, this would add up to more than 18,000 walks.

Now, at 80 years old, Jodi shows no sign of slowing down.

She said, “I’ll walk until I can’t walk.” “I don’t feel well without it.”

To her doctor, Judy sets a shining example of healthy aging.

“I like to see patients in the later stages of life who are just thriving – in a physical way, mental capacity, mental health and social aspects,” he said. Christine Jacob, MD, an internist and pediatrician at Corewell Health. “Jodi really embodies that.”

She said that a lot of factors can affect how we age.

But a healthy habit, like Judy’s daily walk, provides plenty of benefits. It can enhance physical health, mental health and cognitive functions.

When asked to talk about her healthy habits, Judy was amused and wondered what all the fuss was about. But as a retired nurse who once worked in a nursing home, she remembers how much she learned from her older patients.

So I sat in her living room one day—tall and slender and looking ten years younger than her age—and she sent her secrets with her, from genes to lifestyle.

“On my mother’s side, they lived long. On my father’s side, not so much,” she said.

She hopes to follow the example of her mother, who lived to be 97, and her aunt, who made it to 93.

“I hope I have good genes,” she said. “But you are also part of the solution. Your genes only go so far.”

about those walks

After the birth of her youngest son 50 years ago, Judy began walking an hour daily with her sister Bonnie Christensen and friend Berta Apse.

They diversified when they walked, depending on their family’s schedules. But they’ve made a decent point in that daily dose of exercise.

Big and small changes occurred during those years.

Judy’s three children have grown up. She now has four grandchildren.

When she was 46 and her sister, Bonnie, was 51, they attended college and became licensed practical nurses.

Judy worked for 17 years before retiring.

And 13 years ago, Jodi lost her beloved husband, Joe, to bladder cancer.

They got married 47 years before his death.

Over the course of 50 years, the trio has shared all of their milestones–joyful celebrations and heartbreaking losses, as well as the little details that make up everyday life.

Dr. Jacob said that this social connection can be just as beneficial as the cardiovascular fitness, balance, and strength that come from exercise.

“Loneliness is really a public health crisis in this country,” she said. “I was struck by the research that really speaks to how loneliness — or social connectedness — can independently be a factor affecting physical health.”

The women in the neighborhood were known as “walkers”.

Recently, a man driving by stopped to say hello. He had just returned to the neighborhood after a 10-year absence.

“He couldn’t believe we were still walking,” Judy said.

on the list

In addition to working out, Judy appreciates a healthy diet filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

She makes her own bread, and rarely buys it at the grocery store.

In her fridge, she keeps a mixture of ground chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp hearts, wheat germ, almonds, and walnuts. She adds some to her morning oatmeal, along with a cup of berries and a banana.

Lunch includes more fruits and vegetables. For dinner, she eats a colorful array of vegetables, often with fish. Dinner is a vegetarian meal twice a week.

She enjoys eating hamburgers when she goes out to eat, but generally she eats very little red meat.

“I eat a lot of nuts,” she added. “If someone says I have to choose meat or nuts, I’ll choose nuts.”

Almost every evening, she indulges in her favorite treat: ice cream.

“When I was younger, I used to eat it out of cardboard,” she said with a laugh. “Now as I get older, I measure that up.”

travel bug

Curiosity and learning are part of Judy’s daily life, too.

Travel books are on the shelves in her living room, next to souvenirs she brought back from her travels: a painting of a French city, wooden flowers from Ecuador.

She traveled extensively with her sister, Bonnie, and other family members.

“The funny thing about traveling is that the more you go, the more you realize what you haven’t seen,” she said.

She reads a lot, watches movies, and often shares her notes with friends on Facebook. She attends lectures and takes trips with a major local center, including her recent visit to see a Van Gogh exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

“This is probably one of the best times to grow old,” she said. “It’s much better than it was 20 or 30 years ago. There’s a lot we can do.”

Take that first step

“Eighty percent of the chronic disease burden is driven by lifestyle factors,” he said. Caroline Vollmer, MDCorewell Health, lifestyle medicine specialist.

“And we know that lifestyle habits — such as good healthy nutrition, daily exercise, restorative sleep, engaging in cognitive activities, and finding time to relax — can all reduce our risk of disease and cognitive decline as we age.”

Dr. Vollmer said Jodi’s commitment to a healthy lifestyle “is one of the things that has contributed to her profound quality of life.”

But even if you don’t spend decades walking daily, you can still reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

“It’s never too late to start,” said Dr. Vollmer. “Exercise has a huge positive improvement in your health. The more you do, the more benefits you will see.”

Research has shown that walking for 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

“But you don’t have to start at 30 minutes, five days a week,” Dr. Vollmer said. “You can start with five minutes a day and get up from there.”

She has seen patients in their 70s make health-conscious changes that lead to weight loss and reverse disease.

“You just have to be motivated,” she said. “Find the reason – why you want to do it.”

It changes with time

Jody’s walking routine has changed quite a bit over the years. Her sister, Bonnie, no longer joins her, but she still walks with her friend, Berta.

On snowy days, if they couldn’t see the ground, they wouldn’t walk on the street. They tread a path around Judy’s backyard.

On rare occasions, they are absent even one day.

“The only thing that will stop us is the snow,” Judy said. “I can’t do that anymore. The worst thing for seniors is to fall.”

But even on snowy days, they explore their options before canceling their walk. Sometimes a cleared parking lot is fine.

“I love being outdoors,” said Judy. “I need that fresh air.”

Four years ago, she started wearing a Fitbit watch, which measures her steps—usually a total of 35-40 miles a week. And every hour, for nine hours a day, remind her to walk at least 250 steps.

“One needs to move all day,” she said. “Not moving is probably one of the worst things we can do to our bodies.”

in the fresh air. Fresh air. Movement and social communication. All of these factors make her walk.

And beneath those healthy habits is a deep appreciation for life.

“I don’t think you should take your life lightly,” she said. “My life is a gift, and it is valuable to me.”