Mick Jagger and his Blues Zong

Even though I enjoy listening to a few of their songs (notably “Sympathy for the Devil”), I’ve never been a fan of the Rolling Stones. Most of the time, they are simply not my cup of tea, even though I recognize their expertise.

The Rolling Stones recently released a new album, “Hackney Diamonds”, on the 20th of October 2023, which so far has been a sales and critic success, and, to me, it contains the best song ever by the Rolling Stones, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven”; I keep playing it several times a day and singing it on the guitar. Mick Jagger is 80 years old but sings like he is 30, and his bandmates play as they always do. We, the public, are in awe of the old still behaving like they are young.

Inevitably, those who never had the discipline to lead a healthy lifestyle have displayed an envy that highlights their own failures with snarky remarks of the type, “Well, it is just because Mick is rich; with money, you can buy health; he has the most expensive personal trainers, doctors, medicines, food, massagists, private gyms, swimming pools, and all types of sports and health-making machines," and they always end with a “if instead of being poor I were as lucky as him to be rich, I would also have his health”.

But what is the secret behind Jagger’s seemingly eternal youth?

Well, it is not a secret at all!
Mick Jagger has always openly spoken about his dedication to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He’s known for his commitment to exercise, often engaging in various physical activities and workouts to stay fit and energetic. Additionally, he has emphasized the importance of eating well-balanced, nutritious food. His interviews and public statements often highlight the significance of regular exercise and a healthy diet in contributing to his longevity, vitality, and ability to continue performing at a high level, even in his later years, inspiring others to improve their health and well-being as well.

For example, Sir Mick told the Daily Mail that he trains up to six days per week. This includes running 8 miles a day, swimming, kickboxing, and cycling. In Sir Mick's own words:

“I train five or six days a week, but I don’t go crazy. I alternate between gym work and dancing, then I do sprints, things like that. I’m training for stamina.”

“While on tour, he warms up on a treadmill. In a typical show (the Stones’ stages are 100ft wide by 50ft deep), he covers 12 miles. Sir Mick is also a fan of healthy, whole, organic, fresh food—he's particularly fond of avocados because of their regenerative qualities”.

(https://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/mick-jagger-fitness-workout/).

Furthermore, Mick Jagger, throughout his life and career, has always been surrounded and supported by a network of friends, collaborators, and family members. It is a well-known fact that social connections are excellent aids to maintaining good mental and emotional health.

A fourth essential aspect of maintaining good health, according to the most reliable research available (“Blue Zones Project”), is having a strong sense of purpose and passion and staying actively engaged in life, especially in our older years. Mick Jagger’s dedication to music and performing and his continued passion for creating and entertaining mirror this aspect.

Projections

At the same time, Mick Jagger has experienced the phenomenon of people projecting their own fantasies onto him. These projections range from assumptions about his personal life to judgments about his lifestyle choices, hardly never based on reality.

There is an interview available on YouTube in which Jagger talks about how the public projects their own lurid fantasies on famous people like him. He gives an example of how the public had fantasies about Errol Flynn's sex life and how on one occasion Jagger was at a pub and some member of the public asked him to leave the pub because—the member of the public claimed—he did not like Jagger’s "lifestyle"; even though this member of the public did not know Jagger at all, and therefore it was not possible for him to know if he liked Jagger’s lifestyle or not. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqgA6veZCEA)

The public’s tendency to project certain lurid fantasies onto celebrities like Mick Jagger can be analyzed through various psychological lenses. Freudian theories explain that these projections stem from repressed desires or unfulfilled fantasies. Individuals project their own desires, fantasies, or even their perceived limitations onto celebrities. For example, someone with a suppressed desire for adventure might project this onto a celebrity known for an adventurous lifestyle.

Many assume that if they were in a similar position of wealth and fame, they would indulge in similar behaviors as they fantasize Sir Mick and other celebrities engage in. It’s a form of imagined empathy or identification with someone who is perceived to have more freedom or fewer constraints due to their status, assuming that the only thing that stops them from living their own lurid fantasies of engaging in such extravagant behaviors is their lack of success or wealth. It clearly oversimplifies the reality of a famous person’s life.

Modern psychology explains these instances of projection as multifaceted and influenced by a combination of societal constructs, individual desires, media portrayal, and the psychology of fame. It’s not necessarily just about repressed desires but rather a complex interplay between individual fantasies, cultural narratives, and the fascination with celebrity culture.

Fantasizing about the excessive and glamorous lifestyles of celebrities like Mick Jagger might be a form of escapism for some. People may be drawn to these fantasies as a way to temporarily escape their own realities and live vicariously through the perceived excitement of a celebrity’s life.

Society often creates idealized notions of fame, associating it with indulgence, excess, and freedom from conventional constraints. These perceptions influence how individuals view celebrities, assuming that a glamorous or rebellious lifestyle is synonymous with fame.

The portrayal of celebrities in the media—often highlighting their extravagant parties, relationships, or controversies—contributes significantly to the public’s perception. Media sensationalism can amplify certain aspects of a celebrity’s life, leading to exaggerated or skewed perceptions.

Ultimately, these projections onto famous figures say more about the person doing the projection, societal perceptions, and the human psyche than they do about the actual lives of Sir Mick and other celebrities.

Blue Zones Project

The Blue Zones Project is a global initiative that focuses on identifying regions around the world where people live significantly longer and healthier lives. These areas, termed “Blue Zones,” have populations with exceptional longevity, often reaching age 100 at rates much higher than the global average. The project seeks to understand the lifestyle, environmental, and cultural factors contributing to the exceptional health and longevity observed in these regions.

The original Blue Zones were identified by National Geographic explorer Dan Buettner, who studied areas such as Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Icaria (Greece), and among the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California (United States). These regions have notably low rates of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

The Blue Zones Project aims to implement principles from these long-living regions in communities worldwide to promote healthier lifestyles and improve overall well-being. It involves collaborating with local governments, schools, businesses, and community organizations to create environments that encourage healthier choices, such as better nutrition, increased physical activity, social connectedness, and stress reduction.

The project’s principles emphasize aspects like a plant-based diet, regular physical activity, strong social connections, a sense of purpose, and a supportive community—factors believed to contribute significantly to the longevity and vitality observed in these Blue Zones. The goal is to apply these lessons to help people live longer, healthier lives, regardless of their geographic location and financial situation.

https://www.bluezones.com/services/blue-zones-project/

What is the relationship between being rich and health? Is being rich a prerequisite for being healthy at old age?

The Blue Zones Project and the studies on longevity in these regions clearly show that having lots of money is not a prerequisite for being healthy at an old age. In fact, these studies demonstrate the opposite—that extreme wealth is not a common factor among individuals in these long-living regions. In many Blue Zones, the populations tend to live modest lifestyles, often with lower incomes compared to more economically affluent areas. What’s remarkable is that despite these lower socioeconomic statuses, these regions have higher rates of centenarians and lower instances of chronic diseases compared to many wealthier areas.

While having financial resources can certainly provide access to certain health-related amenities or services, the Blue Zones findings underscore that wealth itself is not the determining factor for living a long and healthy life. Instead, it’s the adoption of certain lifestyle habits and community-based practices that significantly contribute to overall health and well-being, regardless of one’s financial status.

More over, being rich and having access to top-notch medical care doesn’t guarantee good health or longevity if a person consistently engages in unhealthy lifestyle habits. There are too many real-life examples of wealthy individuals who, despite having access to the best medical care, faced health issues or passed away prematurely due to poor lifestyle choices and habits like excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, a lack of exercise, and high-stress lifestyles. While they had access to top medical professionals and advanced treatments, it was their lifestyles that determined their bad health. Chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity-related issues, and stress-related illnesses develop or worsen due to unhealthy habits, regardless of one’s financial status or access to the best medical resources.

Sir Mick’s influences

Parental influence has a deep impact on an individual’s lifestyle choices and habits, including those related to health and well-being. Mick Jagger’s parents likely played a significant role in shaping his early understanding and appreciation for aspects of health, fitness, and nutrition.

Mick Jagger’s father, Basil Fanshawe Jagger, was actually a teacher and a physical education instructor. He taught at a school in England and had a background in physical education. Mick Jagger’s upbringing has been influenced by his father’s profession, instilling early on the importance of physical activity and fitness in his life. This background has played a role in shaping Mick Jagger’s attitude towards health and exercise.

Mick Jagger’s mother, Eva Ensley Mary Scutts, although not a nutritionist by profession, was very interested in a healthy diet and fitness. Eva had a passion for healthy living and was known to have an interest in natural health remedies and organic foods. While she was not formally trained as a nutritionist, her emphasis on healthy eating has influenced Mick Jagger’s awareness of the importance of diet and nutrition in maintaining overall health. Eva’s interest in health clearly contributed to the environment in which Mick was raised, influencing his own attitudes and habits toward a healthy lifestyle.

Growing up in an environment where physical education was valued through his father’s profession and where an interest in health and natural remedies was present due to his mother’s inclination, Mick Jagger was exposed to these principles from an early age, instilling in him an understanding of the importance of staying active, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and the impact of nutrition on overall well-being. This exposure clearly contributes to Sir Mick’s lifestyle choices.

While Mick Jagger’s access to resources might differ from those in some Blue Zones, the essence of his lifestyle—regular physical activity, a balanced diet, social connections, a sense of purpose, and adaptability—perfectly fits with the principles observed in the Blue Zones long-living communities.

Longevity and vitality stem from right judgments and good lifestyle choices, not from financial resources.