Fancy
being a centenarian? According to statistics, more people across the world are
achieving that goal, thanks to scientific advances and medical breakthroughs.
And no, living to 100 here does not mean being infirm, incapacitated or
confused. One can be in reasonably good physical and mental shape for a century
and beyond if one wanted to.
The
body, according to some scientists, can reach a maximum age of 120. And, as
certain communities such as the Okinawans in Japan, the Ikarians in Greece and
the Sardinians in Italy have shown, it often boils down to lifestyles and
habits. Members of these communities typically live to 90 or 100, and their
cultures have become models for the rest of the world.
The
longest living person on record was a Frenchwoman named Jeanne Calment. She
lived to 122, from 1875 to 1997. She rode a bicycle till she was 100, smoked
cigarettes till 117, recorded a song when she was 120, and joked and flirted
for much of her life.
Considering
that Singapore men live till 80 and Singapore women till 86, could you extend
your life by 20 or 14 more years respectively to be a healthy centenarian too?
Some scientists say yes.
Research
on ageing has come a long way to show how you can stay healthy and happy for
100 years or more. Prof Stuart Kim of Stanford University says that living to
110 and beyond still requires exceptional genes. However, he and other experts
agree that diet and exercise can add at least five to 10 years to your life.
Here’s some other advice:
Eat right
In
a nutshell, take daily five servings of fruit and vegetables daily, three
servings of wholegrain foods, and two servings of dairy products. On top of
that, take a serving of nuts every other day, oily fish every third day, and
green tea, chocolate and red wine judiciously. Avoid sugary foods and processed
food. Also, eat less than you have to.
Dr
Shuhei Kyo of Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of
Gerontology quotes a Japanese saying: "Hara hachi bun me", or
"Eat till your belly is 80 per cent full." In lab experiments, mice
that were allowed to eat as much as they wanted died within two years. Mice
that were only allowed 70 per cent of their normal caloric intake prolonged
their lives by 25 per cent. Other studies have also shown the benefits of
fasting. Meanwhile, a study of the famous "Blue Zones" - places such
as Okinawa, Sardinia and Loma Linda where people typically live till 100 -
found that their diets consist mostly of plants, especially beans. They eat
meat rarely and always in small portions. On the whole, they don't suffer from
heart disease, obesity, cancer or diabetes. The phenomena lasted centuries
until the arrival of fast food restaurants and supermarkets in some of these
communities. Today, even the Okinawans have seen their life expectancy decline,
possibly due to their changing diets.
Stay connected
People
who need people are the luckiest people in the world, so goes the song. But the
song should clarify that they get to live longer too. Women outlive men by
about five to 10 years, and 85 per cent of the world's centenarians are women.
There are many competing genetic, scientific and social theories.
But
the famous psychology-based Terman study says that it has to do with women's
ability to establish strong social and emotional ties with others. (Think for a
moment how women are much better at remembering and celebrating birthdays and
anniversaries.) The study even found that men with some "feminine"
qualities, such as sensitivity and understanding, had happier relationships
with their wives and lived longer. ("Feminine" here is not used to
connote sexual orientation but personality traits.) "Masculine men"
and "masculine women" died sooner than "feminine women" and
"feminine men". Divorced men who stayed divorced had the highest risk
of premature mortality.
Exercise
It
cannot be said enough: Regular exercise is key to a long life - perhaps even
more so than all the other factors. Prof Hiroyuki Murata who heads Centre for
Studies on Ageing Societies says that after 20, the body starts to age in
different ways - yes, 20, not 40 or 50. And the best way to manage or reverse
that is to stay physically active.
But
it is important to know what your body can withstand. Extreme exercise can put
unnecessary strain on your joints. So instead of jogging, many successful
centenarians choose walking. Brisk walking can have the same cardiovascular
benefits as running. But if you don't like walking, opt for cycling, swimming
or even gardening. Incidentally, activities that involve socialising with other
people such as dancing and badminton have dramatically positive. effects on
mood and temperament. Just don't stay home and watch TV - that's exactly what
the Grim Reaper wants you to do.
Conscientiousness
Believe
it or not, conscientiousness is perhaps the most important personality trait
that could help you extend your life. A groundbreaking 80-year longitudinal
study led by Stanford psychologist Lewis Terman tracked 1,500 people born
around 1910 and tested them over the course of their lives on a range of
traits, from cheerfulness and optimism, to ambition and religiousness.
The
study found that many of these qualities had no bearing on longevity, except
one - conscientiousness. Conscientious people were simply more responsible with
their lives. They put on seatbelts when they drove, took the medication that
their doctors gave them, planned their finances carefully, and tried to be good
and fair to others. Contrary to popular belief, cheerful people died earlier
than the conscientious or even fastidious people. Whether these conscientious
people were married or single, religious or atheists, shy or outgoing, their
longevity was consistent across the board.
By Helmi Yusof/
The Peak Magazine