INCREASE YOUR LIFESPAN WITH THE VILPA METHOD IT ONLY TAKES 6 MINUTES EACH DAY!
Could ‘50 First Dates’ Really Happen? TBI IN THE MOVIES The rom-com “50 First Dates” was a big hit in 2004. It had everything: Adam Sandler as the hero, Drew Barrymore playing his adorable love interest, and an unexpected medical twist. In the movie, Barrymore’s character, Lucy, suffers from amnesia. Lucy’s condition is called “Goldfield Syndrome,” and she’s had it ever since surviving a car crash. She wakes up every day without any recollection of the previous one. It’s the perfect setup for rom-com magic. Adam Sandler’s character, Henry, has to win her over daily with fresh romance! However, just because a plot makes great movie fodder doesn’t mean it’s realistic — or does it? In this case, there’s more realism at play than you might think. Our team specializes in settling claims for people with traumatic brain injuries caused by car crashes, so we spotted it right away. While Goldfield Syndrome isn’t real, a similar condition called anterograde amnesia exists. It’s triggered by brain damage and causes short-term memory loss in real life. While it isn’t a 24-hour reset like in the movie, people who struggle with it often forget acquaintances they’ve just met or changes to their routine. Someone with anterograde amnesia might not remember taking a new job, for example, or breaking up with a partner. Picture this: You’re sitting in your doctor’s office at the end of a checkup, waiting for her final words of wisdom on your health. “Things are looking good,” she says, nodding thoughtfully. “But you could do better. I know a way to increase your lifespan by doing a simple task for just six minutes each day. Do you want to try it?” That scenario might sound like science fiction — after all, we don’t have a pill for longevity yet — but according to the latest research, it could very well happen on your next doctor’s visit! This January, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that by practicing a method called VILPA, it might be possible to lower your risk of death from any cause, including cancer, by 38%–40%. The method may also decrease your risk of death from heart disease specifically by 48%-49%. Both of these effects essentially increase your lifespan! What is VILPA? VILPA stands for “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity.” In other words: exercise. Specifically, VILPA involves doing short, intense bursts of challenging exercises like climbing stairs or jogging down a hallway — anything that gets your heart pumping. According to the study, you only need to practice VILPA for 1–2 minutes three or more times per day to get the protective effects!
Do you need to be in shape to try VILPA? Nope! The VILPA study JAMA reported involved more than 25,000 people ages 40–69 who identified as “non-exercisers.” They never hit the gym; the most strenuous exercise routine they reported was a leisurely walk once a week. How should you start? It’s easy to try out the VILPA method: Simply take the stairs instead of the elevator and carry your groceries to the car instead of pushing them in the shopping cart. That said, we recommend visiting a physical therapist before you jump in. Many PTs offer free or low-cost health screenings that can identify problem spots and weak areas of your body. Scheduling a screening before you push yourself with VILPA can save you from injuries down the road.
Lucy’s Goldfield Syndrome is entertaining in “50 First Dates,” but anterograde amnesia can be scary and debilitating in real life. The movie pokes fun at “10 Second Tom” (who forgets things every 10 seconds), but it isn’t exactly funny if you’ve met someone with TBI- triggered memory loss. If you know someone who has been seriously injured in a car wreck, slip and fall, or workplace accident, don’t write their symptoms off as new quirks. Call our team for help, and we’ll make sure they get the medical care and compensation they deserve. –Kevin Mottley
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