In 44 BC, the Roman scholar and great orator Marcus Tullius Cicero wrote a philosophical essay called Cato Maior de Senectute (“Cato the Elder On Old Age”) at the age of 62. The piece itself centers around a statesman named Cato, who argues that it’s entirely possible to remain dignified and productive in old age. Through Cato, Cicero insists that we have a duty to maintain ourselves as we experience the passage of time. He prescribed eating in moderation, taking care of the mind, and staying physically active.
More than 2,000 years later, the recommendation for physical activity is one…
