Article: Do you want to live to be 100?
‘How to live to be 100’ – that sort of headline tends to grab people’s attention, most of us want to live as long as possible for a variety of reasons; to enjoy our retirement, see our grandchildren grow up, the list is endless. Ironically though statistics suggest that we may be the last long living generation, obesity and the diseases related to it mean that our children may not outlive us I would suggest to you, however, that for most of us the aim is not to live as long as possible but to have more life in our years, than years in our lives – it is better to be an active, alert 90 year old, than a bedridden senile 100 year old. So, how can we make sure that we maintain a healthy body and mind as we get older? Explorer and writer, Dan Buettner, has traveled the world and identified five areas he calls Blue Zones in which people live the longest, healthiest lives – Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, Loma Linda in California, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica and Icaria in Greece and studied the reasons for their longevity. Obviously it’s not practical or feasible for us all to move to these areas to extend our life span so let’s take a look at Dan Buettner’s conclusions and consider applying them to our lives to ensure we maximize the life in our years. · Move naturally – a simple principle but in our world one we tend to neglect. Don’t drive short journeys – walk, don’t take the lift – climb the stairs. Find an activity you enjoy and book a regular class in it. Play soccer or tag with your kids. Keep moving!· Cut calories by 20% - serve yourself a smaller portion, don’t go for seconds, don’t finish up what your kids leave. Eat at the table, not in front of the TV so you don’t mindlessly shovel food in.· Plant based diet – this doesn’t mean turning vegetarian, just increase the amount of fruit and vegetables that you eat. Add pulses to your diet. Have nuts as a snack instead of chippies and chocolates – they have the added benefit of lots of additional nutrients – selenium from Brazil nuts, vitamin E from almonds, omega 3 fatty acids from walnuts.· Drink red wine – in moderation obviously – a couple of servings a day. In clinical studies evidence suggests that the resveratrol and quercetin, which are found in red wine, boost the immune system, block cancer formation and possibly protect against heart disease. Sadly beer doesn’t offer any of these positive effects!· Determine your life purpose – decide why it is that you get up in the morning and what you aim to achieve during the day. If you can’t think of a reason find yourself a new challenge and set some goals.· Relax – Plan your time to minimize your stress. Aim to be 15 minutes early for appointments so you don’t have to rush. Reduce noise, don’t have the TV, radio and computer all going together, reduce the sensory input and enjoy silence. Take ten minutes to sit with nothing to do but relax.· Belong or participate in a spiritual community – this may not be for everyone, depending on your views but if you have an existing commitment of church or alternative spiritual tradition then deepen your involvement.· Family first – make your family, whanau and loved ones a priority. Schedule in regular family time, Sunday lunch together round the table, weekend walks, board games – any activity that promotes conversation and togetherness to enhance your relationships.· Pick the right tribe – those around you will have more influence on the way you live your life than anyone else, so pick the right people to surround yourself with, those who share your values and outlook and who will promote your lifestyle and health. Move away from those who are negative or try to undermine the way you live. These principles are very simple, and the population of the Blue Zones live very simple lives – they don’t rely on drugs to prolong their life, they use their diet to maximize their health; they don’t rely on liposuction and Botox to keep in shape and look good, they use exercise to maintain weight and strength; they don’t live their lives by the clock, worrying about emails and mobile phones, they take each moment as it comes and enjoy it. Doesn’t it seem that there is an awful lot we can learn from them so we, too, can get the most out of life for as long as possible? To find out more about Dan Buettner and the Blue Zones go to www.bluezones.com.