“If you’re not healthy, you’re not wealthy.”
– R.E. McMaster (The Maxims of Wall Street, Page 121)
Recently, The New York Times published an alarming article on gout, once called the “disease of kings,” and it reminded me of Benjamin Franklin, who in old age suffered from gout in his feet (as well as kidney stones).
The Times reported, “Globally, gout rates have climbed more than 20 percent since 1990, rising alongside rates of other chronic conditions like obesity, which can worsen the disease. In the United States, the condition affects more than 12 million and is up to four times as common in men as in women, whose higher estrogen levels are thought to have a protective effect.”
It went on to say, “Because attacks are often triggered by heavy meat or alcohol consumption, the holidays can be a dangerous time for people who leave the condition untreated.”
What is gout? According to my doctor, it’s actually a common and painful form of inflammatory arthritis, often in the feet. It occurs when high levels of uric acid in the blood cause needle-like crystals to form and accumulate in the joints, leading to sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness, most commonly in the big toe.
“It kind of makes you want to cut your foot off,” as one patient put it. “It’s like all your joints are full of broken glass.”
Modern-day medicine has made great advances in fighting diseases and illnesses that cause pain and even death. That includes gout and arthritis in the hands and feet. Doctors often prescribe various drugs to reduce the pain, but the best long-term solution involves lifestyle changes such as limiting alcohol, red meat, and sugary beverages, drinking plenty of water, and regular exercise.
“Dialogue Between Franklin and the Gout”
Even in the 18th century, medical doctors recognized the cause of gout: a sedentary lifestyle and eating too much rich food – something Ben Franklin indulged in while in France.
He was famous for writing satires, and when he suffered from gout, he wrote a satire on the subject. Here it is in part:
FRANKLIN: Eh! Oh! Eh! What have I done to merit these cruel sufferings [the gout]?
GOUT: Many things; you have ate and drank too freely, and too much indulged those legs of yours in their indolence… Your amusements, your recreation, at least, should be active… But what is your practice after dinner? Walking in the beautiful gardens would be the choice of men of sense; yours is to be fixed down to chess, where you are found engaged for two or three hours! This is your perpetual recreation… Wrapt in the speculations of this wretched game, you destroy your constitution.
FRANKLIN: Oh! Oh! – for heaven’s sake leave me! And I promise faithfully never more to play at chess, but to take exercise daily, and live temperately.
Advice From Dr. Franklin
Franklin was known as a polymath, with interests in all things: business, politics, philosophy, science, and yes, even living a long life in good health. He lived to the ripe age of 84 – not bad in an age when the average lifespan was 40.
As a scientist, he debunked many “quack” fads and superstitions about medical procedures and diets. He was skeptical toward 18th-century medicine and had a preference for natural, preventive, and, at times, experimental remedies.
As a young man, he was a fervent believer in regular exercise, which included swimming, lifting weights, and taking long walks.
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“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” wrote “Poor Richard,” emphasizing that avoiding illness is better than treating it. Franklin favored lifestyle-based health measures, including “air baths” (sitting naked in a room) and dieting, rather than relying on heavy medication.
He was known, after all, as “Dr. Franklin.”
For more on his advice for living long, see Chapters 27 and 63 of my book The Greatest American, available at a discount at www.skousenbooks.com.
“Never Retire!”
Franklin also never really retired, and he stayed active after he resigned his position as ambassador to France. He lived another five years in Philadelphia, involved in civil affairs as the governor of Pennsylvania and a member of the Constitutional Convention. He continued to write, including articles against slavery. He was surrounded constantly by friends and family.
He wrote a friend, “I find I love company [especially the ladies!], a chat, a laugh, a glass, and even a song, and relish the grave observations and wise sentences of old men’s conversations.”
Of course, in his old age, Franklin continued to suffer from gout, gallstones, and other old-age maladies. In his 80s, he was transported by carriage into Independence Hall. But he remained optimistic, saying, “There are many sorrows in this life, but we must not blame Providence inconsiderately, for there are many more pleasures. This is why I love life.”
Members of The Oxford Club can learn a lot from Franklin.
A few years ago, I had lunch with a longtime friend. He had been known for his wit and fun stories and was a brilliant economist.
However, he had decided to retire a few years prior, and it showed. Gone were the wit and humor, and he had little to say about the economic debates of today. He often stared into space.
The lesson is clear for all retirees: Stay active, join a club, adopt a hobby, be involved in a good cause, exercise, and diet. If you’re not satisfied, move to an active retirement community.
Live long and prosper!
Good investing, AEIOU,
Dr. Mark Skousen
P.S. Ben Franklin to Appear With George Washington on April 11 at the Nixon Library!
From time to time, I appear in costume as Dr. Benjamin Franklin, and I am happy to announce my appearance on Saturday, April 11, at the Nixon Presidential Library in Southern California. Benjamin Franklin will join George Washington (played by Dan Shippey) in a duet as the Grandfather of Our Country and the Father of Our Country.
The event is being sponsored by USA250-Orange County (part of a national celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding) and will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the 11th. There’s no charge, but attendees will need to sign up here.
C-SPAN will be covering this event, which will include a question and answer portion with the audience.
Afterward, I will do an autograph session, signing copies of my book The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin, the World’s Most Versatile Genius, and will inscribe each copy with a rare U.S. stamp that has the image of both Franklin and Washington. If you can’t make it, you can buy an inscribed copy with the Franklin-Washington stamp at www.skousenbooks.com.