Beyond 100: What We Can Learn from People Who Pass the Century Mark

BEYOND 100: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO PASS THE CENTURY MARK Most people don't make it to their 100th birthday. In fact, only one in 5,000 people are expected to live that long. What are the secrets to centenarian success? - AN ISLAND OF LONGEVITY: OKINAWA, JAPAN Okinawans are less prone to disease. They have extremely low rates of developing: This is a result of eating: Low calorie foods Fruits and veggies Omega-3 and Monounsaturated fats Autoimmune diseases Inflammatory diseases Tons of fiber, flavonoids, calcium Breast cancer Colon cancer Okinawans also have lower rates of bone fractures Ovarian cancer Japan has 40% fewer incidents of fracture than Prostate cancer 20% fewer incidents of fracture than mainland Americans Japanese Common features of the healthy Okinawan body: These people often engage in healthy activities for the mind and Clean arteries Low cholesterol Low homocysteine levels body, as well. -HIGHEST RATES OF CENTENARIANS: TOP 5 COUNTRIES Unsurprisingly, Japan overall tops the list of countries with the highest concentrations of people ages 100+. United Kingdom 20.30/100,000 Japan 34.85/100,000 United States 22.45/100,000. France 26.88/100,000 Australia. 18.75/100,000 - IS IT THEIR LIFESTYLE OR GENES? A New England study of centenarians found certain lifestyle traits to be common: nlududu No smoking Healthy weight Regular exercise Healthy diet In some cases, individuals with unhealthy lifestyles have also been recorded to live long lives. WebMD's centenarian survey results reflect similar lifestyles: 89% 88% 82% 81% 80% keep their minds active keep physically active try to remain independent eat healthy foods laugh often Apart from lifestyle, genetics do come into play. MANANAAAANANAMÄM Genes are seen to count for anywhere from 10-50% of a lifespan Usually, it is about a third of a lifespan - TIPS FROM CENTENARIANS: Louis Charpentier "I don't eat very much," says Charpentier, "but I always eat a fruit, a vegetable, and a little meat, and I always make sure that I get sardines and salmon at least once or twice a week." Maurice Eisman "If I could leave any message, never stop learning. Period." Marianne Crowder Alice Herz-Sommer "I think the worst thing is stress, and you can avoid a lot of it by the way you "My twin sister was a terrible pessimist, she died when she was not yet 70 because she never laughed, never. Laughing is beautiful though." manage your life." Eating well, playing well, and getting out often are surefire ways to improve personal health. Even if you have the genes of centenarians, you can't count on reaching 100 without the right lifestyle. Ultimately, you need to take charge of your life to live longer. Provided by: Best-MHA-Programs.com SOURCES: http://www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/secrets-from-centenarians.aspx http://www.okicent.org/study.html (Informs most of the document) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18613263 http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/18/living-to-100-and-beyond/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centenarian