TRUE STORIES
LESSONS IN COURAGE AND DETERMINATION   

In the “Acknowledgments” in my latest book, BREAKING THE AGE BARRIER, Great Looks and Health at Every Age, I cited seven people who gave me inspiration.  By making tough choices and taking control, these people filled their lives with more years…and their years with more life.  Here are their true stories.  I think they will inspire you, too, so that, if ever you are faced with similar situations or problems, you will have the courage to make the kind of choices they made.  I hope that I would too.

Cast of Courageous and Determined Characters:

David Karzarian:  All the men in his family die young of heart disease.

Susan Scholsohn: Her genes gave her an 89% chance of developing breast cancer.

Howie Ackerman:  Decided obesity was no longer for him; neither was a formal diet.

Lynn Baron:  Generations of her family were overweight.  Her determination cured her…forever.

Herb Kanter:  87, 6’1”, 175 Lbs Body language and energy of someone half his age

Joan and Bob Wolff:  In their mid-80s, both with an enviable attitude toward life.

David Kazarian
David says, “EXCUSES will kill you.” 

David Karzarian is a friend of many years whom I met in New York.  He owned several pharmaceutical companies in the Northeast and was president of a national Pharmaceutical Association. His company, Infuserve America, is based in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he now lives.

Can we overcome being born with disease-prone genes? David says we can, and he’s living proof of it. His primary recommendation: get over yourself! Your family’s history can be an excuse for not fighting to preserve your health and a normal, vital lifespan If you or a loved one continuously blame “bad genes” as the reason (excuse) for a deteriorating condition, David Kazarian’s story will inspire you to take what you might see as destiny into your own hands. 

David was born with “bad genes,” rendering him a prime candidate for serious heart failure at an early age. His father died at age 64, his father’s brother died at age 56, and a number of other close relatives also died prematurely of complications from heart disease. David’s family medical history and consultations with his doctors gave him every reason to believe that he, too, would suffer the same fate. So, refusing to accept the inevitable, he decided to do something about it. 
 
I met David Kazarian when he was 41 years old. He had already been taking charge of his life and health for some years at that point, fighting to overcome his inherited destiny. 
 
David had decided he wanted to LIVE more than he wanted to EAT so he developed and adopted a stringent heart-friendly daily diet that he sticks to religiously.

He also worked out an exercise program for himself. He was not about to sit back and allow his genes to be a death sentence, like the one so many of his family members had succumbed to. 

David Kazarian is now 69 and rides a bicycle 4 ½ miles to his office and then home every day. When he turns 70, he plans to ride his bike from St. Petersburg, to San Diego, some 2500 miles one way.  His doctors say he shows no symptoms of heart problems, his energy level is very high and he is in excellent general health.  He has allowed me to tell his story in hopes it will inspire others like him to do the same… to beat the bad gene pool. 

David tells us about his routine in his own words

 
“I limit fat and sugar. 

“My exercise regimen is a six-day-a-week routine when I’m not traveling.  Each day is a minimum of 1 hour, but three days a week I add an extra 15 minutes of stomach and core exercises. 

“I eat an omelet first thing in the morning around 5:30AM, then go to my gym and work out.  After the workout, I have a muscle recovery drink that I blend.  It consists of 1 cup of oatmeal (old fashion kind), ¼ cup of blueberries (frozen), a banana, and a splash of cinnamon.  I put in 2 scoops of protein whey (the scoop that comes with the whey) and a handful of walnuts.  16 oz of skim milk finishes the formula.  I blend all that with about 4 ice cubes, and then drink it down with my exercise partner (the formula makes 2 servings) every morning around 8:30. 

“At about 10 am, I have a small handful of almonds.  Then at 1:00 a 6 oz piece of fish or chicken along with some veggies or salad.  When hunger calls around 4:00 l eat either an apple or some yogurt or, at times, another handful of almonds. 

“Dinner is 8 oz of protein (such as fish, chicken or lean pork (never red meat), and veggies, along with salad.  I almost never eat potatoes or rice.  I also don’t eat after 7:00 PM and I limit my alcohol consumption to one drink three times a week.  I know that reports suggest one drink per day is heart healthy, but I’ve found that my weight goes up in direct proportion to my alcohol consumption.
 
“I can hear you now: This is a lot to do and think about every day! My answer to you is that it’s better than being 6 feet under at an early age like so many of my family members."

_____________________________________

Susan Scholsohn
An inspiring story of how Susan took charge of her life because
of a family history of breast cancer.   

Susan Scholsohn is a lot younger than I am, she is always perky, vivacious, pretty and industrious. Her mind is always working - moving ahead …I thought this girl does not have a worry in the world. One night while out for dinner with our husbands she shared with us her story…as she went on telling her story I marveled that the smile on her face never left… talk about attitude!!  

I found out there’s some history of breast cancer in Susan’s family. At age 38, she had undergone a partial hysterectomy. When she was 55, her doctor suggested seeing a genetic oncologist to inspect the, so called, BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are human genes that belong to a class of genes known as tumor suppressors. Mutation of these genes has been linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer
 
Individuals with mutations in either a BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene have significantly elevated risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other types of cancers. BRCA mutations are inherited and passed from generation to generation.

The results of Susan’s blood test indicated that there was a problem with the BRCA-2 gene. The test was repeated to make sure of its accuracy, and the second test confirmed that the BRCA-2 gene was, indeed, defective.  Her oncologist estimated that the probability of Susan getting breast cancer was 89 percent.

Here Susan tells us about the gutsy action she took, how she arrived at her decision, and what life is like for her now as a result. I know Susan very well; her strong “can do” attitude comes through here, as well as in everything else she does in life.  

Susan’s Own Words

“I come from a family where the genetic mix is both good and not so good, perhaps as is the case with many families. In my earlier years, I had a few surgeries and always managed to spring back and land on my feet.

“I am the type of person who is fun loving, active, into eating healthy, working, in other words, always on the go.

“About three years ago, I developed a cyst on my left ovary. My GYN was not overly concerned as it seemed to be a simple cyst.  However this takes us back to the prior surgeries I mentioned before, a partial hysterectomy at age 38 and removal of my right ovary at 40.

“Now getting back to the cyst, my doctor, after 6 months of observing it, started to review my family history. Yes, my father's mother did have breast cancer, and my first cousin at age 38, but no one else. My mother's mother had lived a very healthy life till her mid nineties, along with her sisters. However, my mother developed breast cancer post menopausal at age 75. 

“My doctor suggested genetic counseling, as he felt this might give us a better idea about the cyst. When I met the genetic oncologist I was hesitant and extremely leery. I kept asking myself, what am I dong here. I should not be here. Finally I met this very kind, gentle doctor who sat down with me and explained about defective genes BRCA-1 and BRCA-2. She felt confident that, although  my family history was not that strong, most likely the blood test to examine these genes would come back fine. So I consented.

“About four weeks later I was called back to her office. The results were in. She was astounded. I was BRCA-2 Positive for a defective gene. I heard the words go in my ear and come back out. She could not be talking about me. She was so sure that the results were inaccurate; she wanted to run the test again to verify the results. She did it twice.

“As I sat there in utter shock, I heard my Doctor say, your chances of breast cancer are very high; they have risen from 12% to 89%, so you must be very proactive. You can be watched closely with regular screenings (mammograms and MRIs), go on Tomaxfin, a drug that will cut your chances down considerably, or have a bilateral mastectomy, which is very drastic. but will lessen your chances the most, to about 3%, because there will be no breast tissue left.

“I sat there trying to take all this in, when suddenly I said, I'll have the mastectomy and I’m not going to change my mind. I knew I had a long road ahead of me..... two more major surgeries...removing my left ovary and removing both breasts with immediate reconstruction. I was determined I was going to do this.

“But there was more to it than just that. I had a husband that did not understand why I would do such a disfiguring thing to myself, and a mother who could not really understand either. Could they not understand I wanted to live and not have this heavy burden on my shoulders? They tried desperately to convince me to wait and get checked often. I told them that was not good enough; I had to do what I had to do.

“I had the surgeries about two and a half years ago. I am very glad I did. I have gone back to exercise, tennis, working (as I love to do), but, best of all, I have a happy head and a happy heart.

“I often think of putting together a support group of women, who have discovered a defective BRCA gene, to share how they have handled it, or how they intend to cope with it, to have someone to discuss together the steps they have decided on.  This would open up a way for so many ladies like me to communicate easily and openly.”

Susan Scholsohn
Boca Raton, Florida

_____________________________________

 Howie, Goes On My Kind of “Diet”

Whenever I spotted Howie Ackerman at our club, he was never bashful about eating and adding on the pounds. His wife, Arlene, slim and in shape, was after him for some time to lose weight, but Howie wasn’t interested.
 
I had not seen the Ackerman’s for a few months last year while they were away for the summer, and, when they returned, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Howie was slim; not only that, he had no stomach at all, it was completely flat, and he showed no telltale signs that he had been on a stringent diet, like loose skin or lack of energy. Of course, I had to satisfy my curiosity as to how he did it.

Howie Ackerman’s story fits right in here, since it mirrors how I feel about weight loss, namely, you don’t need one of the hundreds of diet books on the market, or gimmicks, or fad diets to lose weight. Howie agreed to write up his story for me. Here it is, verbatim:

“I started out with a weight of 238 lbs. One day, after coming out of the shower and looking at myself naked in the mirror, I said to myself, "You look like a fat pig!"

“My wife had been asking me for months to go on a diet, but I wasn't ready. After that shower, I was ready!

“I didn't go on a diet, per se; instead, I watched what I ate and consumed less. I used to eat cake, cookies, and ice cream in the evening while watching television. I cut this out and instead had either fresh fruit or yogurt. I found that as long as my mouth was moving, the food didn't make a difference.

“As I saw my weight begin to come down, I became more conscious of the foods I ate. Instead of a baked potato I would have a sweet potato. I stayed away from sweets. Instead of having 3 meals a day, I would eat a lunch/brunch at around 11:30 in the morning, snack on a piece of fruit during the day, if I craved something, and then have a complete meal without dessert for dinner. 

“I stayed away from sodas and usually drank either tea or water. I really didn't deprive myself of foods I enjoyed, I just ate less. A lunch/brunch for me could be a cup of soup (not cream) and a large salad. I very rarely ate bread and, if I did, it would be only 1 piece not the 3-4 rolls I could easily consume in the past. A long story short is the results. At the end of 4 months I had lost 40 pounds and felt pretty good. I found that you can eat almost anything you want as long as you eat it in moderation.”

I’m very happy for you, Howie…Congratulations!

Note: After Howie sent his story to me, I called to ask him how much he exercised during the weight loss period. He replied, “I didn’t exercise at all.”

Howie’s weight loss program did not require help from anyone; not his wife, or a gimmicky book; no shopping for special food, measuring, or calorie counting. It is self-sustaining and independent; he started it and follows it quietly without fanfare or outside assistance.

I believe that, psychologically, so many people think they need a gimmick to get started …it sort of announces to themselves and the world that they have now started their diet…again! As he said, Howie didn’t go on a “diet;” he made a conscious lifestyle change, one that can be easy for him to maintain for the rest of his healthier, longer lifespan.

And, Howie, when you read this, I want you to know . . . you’re so handsome now, too!

___________________________________________-

Heredity vs. Determination - Don’t Use Genes as an Excuse
 Lynn Baron’s Personal Story

After knowing Lynn for some time it wasn’t until she knew I was writing my new book that she shared this story with me…proving my point about heredity and determination.

I often talk about overweight people who claim they have no control over their level of obesity because of heredity, and how, so often, it’s not their genes at all, but rather, merely the adoption of their parents’ bad habits (which may have been copied from their parents in a chain of dietary weakness handed down from generation to generation).

Lynn Baron is a good example of how a take-charge-of-your-own-life determination can mean a happier, healthier, more fulfilling existence. And I’m not talking only about weight, as you will see. The amazing part of her story is that she started thinking about taking charge so young.

Since the age of five, Lynn recalls her parents, aunts and uncles affectionately calling her, not by her given name, but “Butterball,” because she was just that, a cute, plump kid . . . a “butterball.”

Her grandfather owned an ice cream parlor, so her father’s love of ice cream was ingrained. As a result, the whole family “loved” ice cream, and Lynn was encouraged to indulge to her heart’s content. Also, she had an uncle who was a candy maker, so candy and ice cream were part of her daily ritual.

Lynn’s weight ballooned and her self-image, never very positive, deteriorated further. When she was nine, in the third grade, she recalls a classmate asking, “Are you pregnant?” This shocked and devastated her, and she remembers the incident vividly to this day at age 65.
 
Lynn’s parents and most of her relatives were overweight, except for an aunt who was slender and vivacious who would buy Lynn half-size dresses to accommodate her size. She became Lynn’s silent inspiration to help spark an inner, innate drive to be more like her, not only in style, but also her outgoing personality, a trait that was suppressed in Lynn because of her poor self-image. In other words, growing toward her teens, Lynn was heavy and shy, and although not reclusive, she pretty much stayed in a social “closet.”

Now, in her dreams, Lynn fantasized of one day becoming an air hostess for a major airline, which, in those days, meant you had to be a slender, attractive woman with an outgoing personality.

With unusual drive and determination for her young age (or any age), she set about on her own to accomplish her goal. While in her late teens, she decided her butterball days were over, she enrolled in a major, formal weight loss program, lost all the weight she wanted to lose, and her determination has kept her slim until this very day; she didn’t regain any of that extra weight over the following decades. But, Lynn didn’t stop there; her drive took her to Dale Carnegie where she learned how to overcome some of her social fears embedded during her childhood’s poor self-image. She learned one of Carnegie’s primary principals: “Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it... that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.”

Lynn interviewed with the airlines and would have fulfilled her dream of becoming a stewardess, but something more exciting came along first. She joined Avon, the huge cosmetics company, using her acquired good looks and outgoing talent to function in many capacities. At one point in the late1970’s she was in charge of Avon’s sponsorship of Women’s Tennis, a job that required many public appearances, speaking engagements, and congratulating tournament winners and runners up in front of huge crowds. She rose through the ranks to become Executive Director of Communications, before she retired a few years ago. Today she and her husband live in Connecticut and Florida, and travel all over the world meeting people and enjoying life.

A shy, reserved “butterball” grew into a dynamic, outgoing, successful executive and social butterfly through sheer drive and determination. As Lynn’s aunt was once her quiet inspiration, Lynn is now a wonderful role model for everyone she comes into contact with. Lynn Baron, age 65, 5 ft. 7 in., 124 Lbs, is beautiful inside and out with her own style and glamour topping it off.

Moral: Your life, your beauty, health, disposition and longevity is most often not inherited. You can take control. If Lynn Baron had succumbed to the excuse that her weight problem, the source of her poor self-image, was because of her genes, if she hadn’t taken charge of her life on her own, she would never have had the broad, exciting experiences, and her life thus far would have been far less rewarding. How many of us can take a lesson from her?

____________________________________

Herb Kanter
87-Year Old – Body Language and Energy of a
40-Year Old….With an Attitude!

I have watched Herb Kanter in motion many times. Everything he does - whether it’s walking, talking, golfing or competing in anything - is done with the enthusiasm and energy of a . . well, I’ve known people 50 years younger with less fervor. With his eyes dancing, and not missing a beat, he is curious about everything.

Herb Kanter is 87 years BOLD!...you would like to be in his shoes at age 87. When I found out he was not in his mid-sixties I had to learn more about him and his lifestyle; so I interviewed him to see if I could pick up any insights. I wasn’t disappointed.

Vital Statistics:
* Age 87, 6’1”, 175 Lbs
* Executive, changed careers at age 55 and retired in 1986 at age 65 from the Board of Directors of Bell’s Scotch Whisky.
* He has been active all his life: School teams: Baseball, Tennis, and Basketball. At age 87, consistently plays a mean game of golf - has shot his age 85 times, still hits a 220 yard drive. (I know, my husband has played with him) He’s a bowler, when he was active at it, his average was 190.

Kanter loves to read. He ravishly goes through his daily newspaper cover to cover every day, all subjects interest him and he likes novels and periodicals. He socializes, travels (favorite destination: Italy, especially Florence) and likes cruises. He is passionate about his wife Honey Lou, whom he has been married to for 63 years. Herb is a good-looking 87-year old specimen of a man.

Here is a synopsis of my interview with him.

Herb feels his longevity is largely due to his positive mental attitude. He made this point repeatedly during the interview, and it shows in his conversation. He also thinks that the fact that he has never smoked has contributed to his consistently healthy physical condition; he feels cigarette smoking has lasting deleterious effects on a person’s body, even after they quit.

His regular diet consists of just about everything, there’s nothing he doesn’t like, so it’s well balanced; he admits to a sweet tooth. All his life he has maintained his weight within the correct range for his height. He has never had to go on a “diet.” He loves Scotch Whisky and takes one drink of it almost every day.

Herb feels that people with a sedentary lifestyle age more rapidly. So that’s not for him. If he goes out to play golf, he wants to play eighteen holes - not nine as do some people his age - and he wants to beat whomever he’s playing with - I should say against - but in a good-natured way. He believes that inherited genes while important, is not the primary factor in the aging process, rather it is lifestyle, and an active one, mentally and physically. This is what he preaches, and what he practices.

He exercises regularly, at least three times a week at a fitness center, doing aerobics and working with light weights. He is slim, trim and a picture of health, and, at 87, still cuts a handsome figure.

He is a man with a highly competitive nature in everything he does, and it is this competitiveness that is a driving force in his everyday well being. That and positive thinking has carried him through the many stages of his life with dignity and success.

Born into a family of moderate means from German heritage, raised in the Middle West, he attended the GM Institute, a work/study engineering program, since college tuition was unaffordable, and then, later, took some accounting courses.

Herb says each stage of his life has been different. His marriage with his wife, Honey Lou; the birth of their two sons; the early days of a business career when he traveled by bus and subway to his office in Chicago; his rise in executive stature at Jim Beam Co., and the gutsy decision at age 55 to leave Jim Beam, where he was quite comfortable and fully vested, to join Bell’s Scotch Whisky Company, where he would have to do extensive travel all presented the usual spectrum of trials and tribulations to varying degree, but in a straight line average of onward and upward where the rewards were far greater than any of the downsides.
 
The advantage of a competitive nature and highly positive mind set is shared by Herb’s wife as well. Herb told me the story of Honey Lou’s many health problems and surgeries, a benign tumor at age 9, two hip replacements, back surgery, and more, and last year a very serious blocked intestine that leaked internally that put her in hospital where she remained for sixty-seven days having contracted a staph infection while there, all of which rendered her in very, very serious condition. Honey Lou’s attitude is what saved her, Herb told me. “It was her will to live that pulled her through,” he said.

Toward the end of our interview, Honey Lou, also an octogenarian had joined us and added, “I’ve been sick a lot, but each time it was something they could fix, so that’s OK!” How’s that for a positive attitude?

When I asked Herb what he would change if he could live his life over, he answered that there was nothing. When I asked if he had any further aspirations, anything else he wanted to achieve, he said “Listen, I’ve had a great run. If I left this world tomorrow, I’d have no complaints. This is the best time of my life.” And as Honey Lou nodded approval, he added, “Actually, I feel I’m on overtime.”

We can all take a mental lesson from Herb and Honey Lou Kanter.

___________________________________

THE STORY OF OCTOGENARIANS JOAN AND BOB WOLFF.
Can ATTITUDE keep you going happily well into your 80’s and beyond…you bet!

Joan 83 and Bob 86 look and act many years younger. Watch them walk into a room and you see bright eyes, smiles, straight bodies, youthful body language and an obvious zest for life. Sit down and talk with them and you’ll discover that both minds are as sharp and clear as a youngster’s. Bob maintains an unusual memory for names, places and numbers most people have never had. Joan seems never to be without a smile. Bob and Joan Wolff’s attitude is a good lesson for all of us.
 

Lunch with Joan and Bob

I’ve known Bob and Joan Wolff for several years. Their story is important because they are two people who have experienced sadness, death of a child and serious illness, but insist on concentrating more on the joy they’ve had throughout their lives.

By the end of our lunch together, I had learned that it was their very positive attitude, healthy life style and inner strength that pulled them through various adversities over the years…each time picking up the pieces and going on to lead active, fulfilling lives, especially now as octogenarians.

When I asked Bob Wolff the secret to his vivacious longevity, he replied that it was because of being married to a wonderful woman for sixty-two years. “OK, but what else” I said. “I want the full story.” So, they both agreed to be interviewed together.

Bob was telling the truth, partially, at least. Joan is a big reason he looks and acts so good at 86. But I discovered it’s mutual: he’s a big reason she’s so terrific, too, at 83. They trade off each other, and have been doing so all their married lives, especially since they started their company, ROWOCO, together in 1967 out of the basement of their home in Harrison, NY, and then built it into an operation with a large warehouse and many salesmen, selling their products nationally.

Bob and Joan lost a son to cancer at age 54, both their fathers died in their 50’s, Bob had a heart attack when he was 73 and wound up in the hospital for weeks, and later he had a bypass operation.

Now at 86 Bob plays bridge once a week, Scrabble and puzzles most days and he’s a volunteer at the local hospital (cashier in the Thrift Shop). He also works out at the gym three times a week. Bob was a 2-pack-a-day cigarette smoker. One day, some fifty years ago he announced that after dinner that evening, he was going to smoke his last cigarette, which he did, and has never touched one since. What will power! He is an athlete. He was on the tennis team when he attended CCNY in New York and he continued playing tennis until just a few years ago. He now plays golf three times a week. He still hits most of his drives in the fairway about 180 yards, he says.

Joan works out with a physical trainer twice a week. She has a little problem with a valve in her heart and goes to the gym using the treadmill for aerobics and does weight training. She has stayed busy as an artist specializing in water colors. She paints every week, mainly for her own pleasure. She plays bridge, is an avid reader, and spends lots of time babysitting her great-grandchildren. Joan plays golf twice a week; Sundays they usually play together.
 
Bob and Joan are of average height. Bob weighs 161 Lbs. I didn’t ask Joan, but she’s slim. They watch their diet, lay off red meat, eat a lot of fish, stay away from sugar and salt (although Bob sprinkles some salt on corn-on-the-cob occasionally). They love to go dancing and do it every chance they get.

Here is a wonderful example of how to age happily. To describe the reason for their contented longevity in a word, it’s attitude. Neither Joan nor Bob allowed the problems of life or their age to overshadow their positive attitude. They suffered through and moved on. They pull themselves up and got on with their lives, keeping busy with varied activities, enjoying all the good things—and they do it together. Take a lesson!

Afterthought

Having read the stories of these seven wonderful people, you now know there is a thread common to all that weaves through their lives.  It’s what I’ve been preaching for years in this Web site, my latest book, those that preceded it, and to anyone who will listen:  While the genes we inherited are important, they control only thirty percent of the way we age, the rest has to do with our lifestyle and environment, and more important, our mind set, aka, attitude.

None of my cast of seven characters allowed genes or adversity to control their future; they took control into their own hands, and made rich lives for themselves, rather than wallowing in excuses.

These courageous and determined people have filled their lives with more years…and their years with more life.  I hope you are as inspired by their stories as I am.

                                                                                    Love, Oleda 
 
If you want to know more about the book, or read the Introduction to the book, click the book below.