A 90 Plus Polish Sculptor Shared His Most Important Key to Longevity

When I was in my late 20’s I learned a key longevity secret from a brilliant and eccentric man named Stanislav Szukalski. He was a distinguished Polish artist and sculptor. We met when he was 90 but he had all his wits about him. I was surprised to find out he was also a horny old dude.  Every time he had a chance, he’d “cop a feel.”  He’d been quite the lover in his day and must have worn out his beloved wife to death.

To view Mr. Szukalski’s work click here.

He wasn’t a creep, though

He was one of the most interesting and talented men I’ve ever met. At one point, he was recognized as “Poland’s greatest living artist”, but most of his work was destroyed by the Nazis, and he ended up living unrecognized in Burbank, CA until he died in 1987 at the age of 93.  He’s since been referred to by art aficionados as a “forgotten genius.”  He had bizarre theories about the origins of life that were too complicated to explain. His “far out” views inspired his art, which is stunning, emotional, and intricate.

His energy level in old age was like that of a man in his twenties.

You can purchase books about this remarkable Polish artist below:

Mr. Szukalski’s Longevity Secret

Stanislav Szukalski was adamant that people must stand up straight and have good posture. He stood straight as a board and didn’t have the usual aches and pains most people do in old age.  This was reflected in his art because he most often drew or sculpted the human form and had a keen understanding of anatomy.  He told us if we didn’t stand straight we would be mistaken for apes.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more aware of the importance of good posture.  When you hunch over or sit in a sedentary position for too long, your spine starts to shape itself to compensate.  It can turn into scoliosis or other debilitating ailments.  Our mothers were right when they told us to stand up straight.

I believe he was able to keep his vigor because he made posture a priority in his life.

If you find yourself slumping, think about how your health will suffer.

2 ways to improve your posture:

1. Imagine you have a string on top of your head holding you up sort of like a marionette and then walk around.
2. Turn your palms upwards as if you are meditating.  It immediately improves your posture.

This amazing Polish artist was inspiring to me in so many ways. I was so sad when he passed away.

As an addendum to this post, Mr. Szukalski’s life was made into a documentary and I was featured in it. It was produced by George and Leonardo DiCaprio. Learn more about our Netflix documentary here.

 Do you know anyone in their 90s and beyond who has shared a longevity secret with you?  Please leave a comment below and share it.