Longevity

I just finished reading a few great articles on longevity, How to Live to 100 and 14 Surprising Signs You'll Live Longer than You Think. I would definitely recommend reading the entire articles (they are very short, quick reads, packed with great information and tips). Here are a few key points:

The author studied people in the "Blue Zones" (Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, Calif.; and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica), where people live 10 years longer, experience a sixth the rate of cardiovascular disease and a fifth the rate of major cancers.

Move naturally, be active without thinking about it. Identify activities you enjoy and make them a part of your day. Walk for 30 minutes a day. Strong legs will help prevent injuries later in life.

Cut calories by 20 percent. Practice "Hara hachi bi," the Okinawan reminder to stop eating once their stomachs are 80 percent full.

Have a plant based diet. Use beans, rice or tofu as the anchor to your meals, and eat nuts. Don't drink soda.

Be a tea lover, drink 1-2 fresh brewed cups a day. Skip the milk, studies have shown that adding milk may reduce some of tea's health benefits.

Drink red wine. "Eat purple foods" which contain polyphenols (heart-disease reducing compounds--they keep your arteries and blood vessels healthy and flexible, as well as keep your brain's blood vessels healthy therefore improving brain function). Examples of purple foods are grapes, red wine, and berries.

Take time to relieve stress. Take some relaxation time every day, don't rush (plan on being early), and appreciate more silence (turn off the radio, tv, computer). Chronic stress weakens the immune system and ages cells faster.

Participate in a spiritual community.

Determine your life purpose. What gets you up in the morning? What is your personal mission statement? Be a flourisher, have a positive outlook on life, a sense of purpose and community, and meaning in your life.

Embrace new challenges. Become good at focusing your attention and using your brain power. Set goals, challenge yourself. If you always read novels, pick up an autobiography next time.

Having good interpersonal relationships can help achieve stress relief. Put loved ones first, make family a priority. Pick the right tribe, the people surrounding you influence your health more than almost any other factor. Be surrounded by those who share Blue Zone values, and really like your friends. Identify your inner circle, reconsider ties with those who bring you down, and be likable!

Don't try to change everything at once, you'll overwhelm yourself and get nothing done. Pick two or three of the ideas to work on at a time. Research has shown that if you can sustain a behavioral change for six weeks, you should be able to sustain it for the rest of your life.

Its interesting to think how all of this wisdom has been passed down through the ages, learned by the ancients, to be rediscovered, taught, and learned today by us. Also its interesting to think of the evolutionary/biological principles for the reasons behind all of these things that will help us live longer. Its just the way humans are, its just how life exists. It just is.

Post inspired by Jen Kivlin, a fellow flourisher.