Factors we can control for longevity

[Beendare]

It's common sense and I doubt this will be a surprise to any of us.

Study, "Following Four Behaviors after 70" essentially increases our lifespan and quality of life- on Real Clear Science

LINK

Spoiler;
Mediterranean diet,
moderate physical activity, [minimum 30min/5 days a week]
non-smoking,
and moderate alcohol consumption

 

[Mike Islander]

Missing a few biggies.

1. Do not smoke.
2. Maintain high cardiovascular fitness through regular physical activity.
3. Get consistent, high-quality sleep in adequate duration.
4. Maintain healthy body fat, muscle mass, blood sugar, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity.
5. Eat a nutrient-dense diet based primarily on minimally processed foods.
6. Maintain strong social relationships and a sense of purpose.
7. Avoid heavy alcohol use and recreational drug abuse.

 

[Sandy Swede]

It's common sense and I doubt this will be a surprise to any of us.

Study, "Following Four Behaviors after 70" essentially increases our lifespan and quality of life- on Real Clear Science

LINK

Spoiler;
Mediterranean diet,
moderate physical activity, [minimum 30min/5 days a week]
non-smoking,
and moderate alcohol consumption

Howdy,
Newbie here and a spry 76. I walk at least 2 miles per day and do stretching exercises. Probably going to need a right knee replacement, but those are normally a piece of cake these days. I now only eat two meals per day (noon and 7 - 8 pm) of high protein. Getting my weight down. I am a firm believer that, once you stop moving, you are done.

 

[ScottRK]

The guy that brought medicine to the residents at the assisted living apartments my Dad was at said a lot of people there needed to drink more water and were dehydrated. It caught up with Dad once.

I guess you lose the sense of thirst as you age. Also the ability to process protein to maintain muscle gets restricted.

 

[hand skills]

I've heard from some that aging IS dehydration of tissue.

Babies are 75% water, and apparently it drops to 55% as we age.

Obviously there is more to it than that, but something to keep in mind...!

 

[5MilesBack]

I have longevity in my family genetics. Heck, I've been doing everything I can do to "shorten" my life, so I don't have to live in a nursing home......ever. My sister once told me, "you'll still live to 100......you'll just feel every minute of it". She might be right.

 

[Laelkhunter]

..... once you stop moving, you are done.

I am a firm believer in this too. You see the people that are riding the scooters in WalMart and they are really heavy. If they could resist the urge to get on that scooter and instead push a shopping cart around, they might actually get a benefit from it. They are doomed once they resign themselves to riding instead of walking. I understand if they have mobility problems, but some seem just lazy (sorry-don't mean to judge them).

 

[RockAndSage]

Missing a few biggies.

1. Do not smoke.
2. Maintain high cardiovascular fitness through regular physical activity.
3. Get consistent, high-quality sleep in adequate duration.
4. Maintain healthy body fat, muscle mass, blood sugar, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity.
5. Eat a nutrient-dense diet based primarily on minimally processed foods.
6. Maintain strong social relationships and a sense of purpose.
7. Avoid heavy alcohol use and recreational drug abuse.

Nailed it. #6 is huge and underappreciated.

Within it, I'd also add trying to be around children in general, and providing teaching/mentoring to younger people - just being around the young keeps a lot of older people much sharper, engaged, and feeling a sense of meaning, purpose, and worth. It's also why warehousing the elderly is the fast-path to them dying.

One additional thing, is to do things that actively challenge the mind - puzzles, games, figuring out projects, etc. Without mental sharpness, people tend to let the rest of their bodies and lives go.