Live 100 years plus with a few lifestyle changes and be around to see what a century changes in the world.
With current life expectancy in the U.S. at an average of 78.7 years, I was interested in what accounts for some people living, and living well, way beyond that. After some study I found that those who live beyond 100 years of age do have a secret, but it is one that they are anxious to share. Maybe it’s because they want the company.
There are a couple of advantages that these senior-senior citizens mentioned that we can’t do much about. Genetics is one of those; some families just seem to have better DNA when it comes to longevity. Almost humbly, many of these centenarians acknowledged that their long lives are, at least partly, due to just being lucky. Virtually without exception, the savvy social-security recipients say that diet is supremely important, yet surprisingly simple. No long list of pills, potions, or prescriptions, just a menu of pretty ordinary foods. There was a theme to their advice though that I’ve boiled down to this, “Fill your plate with plants.”
Attitude is huge. These 100-plus-year-olders are optimists, they’re upbeat, and they’re not complainers. They are happy, grateful, trusting, and have a habit of looking on the bright side. They have an active sense of humor. They smile, laugh, and have fun. They have a great support system. Family and friends are important, and they love to socialize. They exercise their brain and brawn. They are active, on the go, love to work, read, and enjoy listening to music. They’re participants in life, not spectators.
A few months ago I viewed a TV News Special that claimed they had found the healthiest, longest living people on Earth; it’s the people of the small Mediterranean island of Sardinia. The average age at death is 100, which is twenty years more than the U.S. It’s not due to modern hospitals, skilled doctors, or plentiful medications, which they have almost none of. The study found that they had low blood pressure, low cholesterol, and almost a complete absence of heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. The Sardinian diet is almost entirely plant-based, especially heavy on beans, only having meat about twice per month and that is usually chicken. They continued to stay active, walking an average of six to eight miles a day. They joke that they live until they die.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to move to Sardinia. Just follow their motto: “Work hard, play hard, rest well, eat wisely, laugh often, love deeply, and forgive quickly.”
