By Larry Marsh, Kansas City Star Midwest Voices columnist

Senator Edward Kennedy's death was unusual with brain cancer hitting only around 7 people per 100,000 per year with over a third surviving at least five years. It is impossible to know if Kennedy could have done anything to avoid brain cancer since each death is unique, but his death reminds us once again how vulnerable men in their 70s are.

In general men who want to make it out of their 70s and into their 80s must become defensive players.

Here's the game plan.

(1.) Except for men who sweat a lot when the weather is hot, avoid salt. It takes a while for your taste buds to adjust, but reducing sodium intake not only lowers most men's blood pressure but also slows down the hardening of their arteries. Sometimes this is reflected in the difference between your systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers. If the difference is growing larger you could be in trouble. A small gap means your arteries are flexible and able to keep a relatively constant pressure, while a larger gap implies that they are stiff and unyielding.

(2.) Avoid sugar. This is difficult to do but well worth the sacrifice if you want to make it to your 80s. Sugar is calorie dense and leads to obesity. Sugar also supports rapid cell growth which is what cancer is all about. When cancer tries to gain a foothold in your body, it is best to avoid food and drink that support rapid cell growth. Babies need rapid cell growth. Old folks not so much.

(3.) Avoid trans fats. These are the worst kinds of fats that can show up in everything from crackers to french fries. Trans fats are associated with partially hydrogenated oils that turn methionine into homocysteine which can damage the walls of your arteries. You can reverse this process and convert the dangerous homocysteine back into harmless methionine by eating lots of dark green leafy vegetables containing vitamin B12. Many otherwise trans fat laden foods can be made without trans fats. Some cities have banned trans fats from restaurants forcing many fast food companies to get rid of them.

(4.) Avoid saturated fats. These raise your bad cholesterol which clogs your arteries. Red meat, french fries and many other popular foods typically contain a lot of saturated fat. Consuming saturated fats significantly raises your probability of having a heart attack or stroke.

(5.) Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Buy them raw and unprocessed with no sugar or salt added. Fresh or frozen are better than canned. Avoid overcooking in water. Better to briefly steam vegetables or eat them raw. Make your own tomato sauce heated with a little olive oil to enhance lycopene production which helps protect the prostate.

(6.) Unless you are already thin, lose weight. Being thin seems to be almost a requirement for entry to your 80's and 90's. Bug and animal studies have shown that calorie deprivation triggers some sort of defensive mechanism in the body that protects it from all sorts of age-related diseases.

(7.) Exercise, exercise, exercise. Vigorous aerobic exercise helps the heart while weight bearing exercise protects your bones. Exercise gets your blood flowing to all parts of your body flushing out potential carcinogenic toxins that might otherwise do you harm. Enjoy walking or running in the great outdoors or use a tread mill and/or exercise bike in the winter. Swimming is great for your heart, but careful, consistent weight lifting can strengthen your bones.

Life has many milestones. For most people graduating from high school and making it into their 60s is not too difficult. Getting into one's 70s is a bit harder. Making the grade to graduate into your 80s or 90s takes a lot more work and determination. Good luck.

Also see these links:

No-Eat-Day Diet: a good strategy or bad advice?

Is calorie restriction a good defense against cancer?

Bone density and osteoporosis

Reprogram you subconscious mind to commit terrorism or lose weight

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