Solomon’s Blueprint for a Fulfilled Life

I expect you are like me and want to live a long and healthy life.

One concern I have when observing others is the prospect of premature death. Unfortunately, some people experience this tragedy, affecting not only them but also their loved ones.

Here are some insights from a respected longevity expert on how to maintain a long and healthy life.

You may be familiar with these suggestions, but it helps to review them. Let’s see how well we’re integrating them into our lives.

(1) Balanced Diet and Caloric Restriction: The SAD diet, unfortunately, is the Standard American Diet. It is rich in calories, involving processed foods, added sugars, trans fats, and more.

A balanced diet involves eating one rich in whole foods such as vegetables and fruits. These foods are packed with essential nutrients and have been shown to help us live longer.

Interestingly, calorie restriction without malnutrition has been shown to increase our lifespan.

(2) Physical Activity: Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and a host of other chronic conditions.

Volumes have been written about exercise. One of the things I learned from physical therapy after surgery on my knee and hip is the phrase, “motion is lotion.”

The kind of motion we get from exercise lubricates the body and helps us live longer.

(3) Mental and Brain Health: I recently read that the brain consumes 23% of our body’s energy. This seems astounding, but apparently, it’s true.

We must use our brains and manage our stress. The message is, that if we want to live a full and productive life need to take care of our brain and mental health.

(4) Regular Health Check-ups and Prevention: I don’t know anyone who likes to go to the doctor.

However, getting regular health checkups and screenings can detect potential health issues before they become serious.

(5) Social Connections and Purpose: If you have a close circle of family and friends, studies have shown that you will live longer.

The same is true for people who have a sense of purpose in their lives.

Solomon’s Wisdom for a Long Life

Solomon, the wisest man to live on Earth during his lifetime, had advice about living a long life. Let’s read what he has to say.

Hear, my child, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.

I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble.

Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life. (Proverbs 4.10-13)

The Book of Proverbs is a series of lectures to the people Solomon loved, intended for them to have the best life possible. We can go so far as to memorize the Proverbs, but first, we have to accept them and follow their teaching.

Have you ever heard of the one-car theory? If you have, you know it’s a comparison between having only one car for your lifetime and having only one body for life.

If you knew you would only have one car for your life, how would you treat it?

We only have one body. How are we going to treat our bodies?

How are we going to treat the one life we have to live, particularly in the light of eternity?

Will we receive God’s wisdom and act upon it for a good life here and then a great hereafter?

Don’t Fall

I’m at an age where much of the health literature addresses the risk of slipping and falling. Balance exercises are recommended for senior adults, as falling is a significant health hazard.

From a spiritual perspective, Solomon says, “If you follow all the words of this Book, then your steps will not be hampered and you will not stumble.”

We must embrace and act on this wisdom before it becomes beneficial for us.

Guard Wisdom

Proverbs teaches that the fool and the scoffer despise wisdom. To despise wisdom is to think lightly of it, not to pay any attention to it, not to follow it, and not to incorporate it into our lives.

On the other hand, when we guard wisdom, we continually refresh the thoughts of God’s wisdom in our minds. We make sure that we don’t just hear it, but we do it.

This is the key to a long, full, and successful life.

YouTube Video

Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.