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Want To Live To 100? Top Tips To Do Exactly That
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
Although life is sometimes tough, it’s all worth it and no one wants to check out early. Would you like to make it to 100? A healthy 100?? You can, you know; it happens every day. In fact, on the Greek island of Ikaria, it is quite common to live to be 90 and beyond. These island inhabitants have extremely low rates of heart disease, cancer, dementia, and depression. Why do these people live longer than most Americans and Europeans? Perhaps it’s because the island has very limited transportation, which means people have to walk quite a bit. Perhaps it’s their diet, which uses tons of olive oil, vegetables, fruits, and very little processed food. Or is it the herbal tea that comes from mountain herbs such as rosemary, purple sage, mint, and spleenwort? Perhaps it is a combination of these items.
The residents of the Okinawa, Japan, also live active lives, often into their late 90’s and 100’s. Many believe that their low rates of hormone-related cancer and heart disease come from their low calorie diets that consist mainly of fresh fish and vegetables. They consume very little dairy or other types of meat, but eat plenty of sweet potatoes, tofu, and seafood, including octopus and squid, which are known to lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Although there are many characteristics that play a role in a person’s life expectancy, such as genetics, smoking habits, and economic status, diet seems to play a large part in terms of decreased chronic disease and increased longevity. So keep reading to find out the top 10 things you can do to increase the odds that you can make it to the centenarians’ club.
1. Portion Control
Many of the centenarians that are alive today have been through a long list of amazing events: the Great Depression, several wars, man landing on the moon, and today’s technology. This means that these people have certainly learned to adapt and roll with the punches. Needless to say, portions sizes have changed dramatically during this time. A small drink used to be 6 to 8 ounces, now it’s 12 to 16 ounces! If you want to live to be 100, try eating portion sizes like they did in the old days- smaller, but more frequent meals. Eat only until you are about ¾ full and take your time when eating. In this case, less (calories) is definitely more (years).
2. Drink Alcohol in Moderation
In a study published in Alcoholism: Clinical &Experimental Research, showed that subjects who drank heavily and smoked showed early aging of the brain. This study was in the October 2013 issue of this journal. Other studies show that drinking one glass of red wine per day is actually adds years to your life and improves your health as well.
3. Don’t Act Your Age
In Okinawa, residents are honestly thought of as youngsters until they hit about 55. They also have a ritual where they start to” turn the clock back” on their 97th birthday called kajimaya. Don’t think that because you are 30 you shouldn’t swing on your kids swing set, or because you are 50, you shouldn’t move to another country, or that because you are 75, you really can’t stay up all night and dance at your granddaughter’s wedding. Why not? Always keep looking for new experiences, trying new technology, meeting new people, and looking for plain old fashioned fun.
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Kitsy WooWoo
May 11, 2015 at 12:59 pm
Interesting article, as was the video of the 110-year old man. As for the breakfast photo, was it the best you could find? A slab of what looks like processed cheese and those croissants made out of white flour — what’s that all about? Also, an egg every morning — no matter what the Paleo people and the egg industray claim — is not the way to go IMO.