Whenever a centenarian is interviewed, that trite question always comes up - what is the secret of your good health? Isn't it obvious that there is no secret? Even in the studies conducted in Japan, in the province where longevity is phenomenal, they couldn't find any clue why those people have surpassed the projected lifespan. Jean Calment lived for 122 years and some studies point to drinking French wine as a clue. But there's no conclusive opinion on the matter. What is your opinion on longevity? Food supplement? Going organic? Herbal? Exercise and diet? Healthy living?
My opinion is one's lifespan is heredity, perhaps. In my own family I have my mom and her sister for examples. My aunt , (mom's sister) was determined to live to be 100 years age. She was oh so careful about her weight, what she ate or drank and would visit her doctor for regular checkups or for any ache, pain or sniffle. Auntie would never think of riding in a car with the windows down or the air conditioning on. She was an indoor person. My mom was the exact opposite. She was a bit plump much of her life. She ate or drank whatever and whenever she wanted and tried to avoid doctors as much as possible. As a young girl she loved roller skating and played hokey with neighborhood kids on a pond when it froze over. She met dad at a roller skating rink. All he had then was an old Indian motorcycle. What I'm getting at is, both these women lived to about the same age, dying at 85-86 years of age. It would seem my aunt should have lasted longer. My dad was very active all his life. Was in the USAAC during WW2, came home, farmed a few years and worked at a factory at the same time. Quit farming and built a house from the ground up, by himself. My daughter now owns that house. Dad worked at ALCOA in later years and after retiring he prospected for gold in the summer, out west. He rode a motorcycle into his early 80's. He died age 86 also. I don't expect to make the mid 80's, but, who knows?
I agree genes have more to do with length of life than lifestyle. I think a healthy lifestyle can increase the quality of life though, if you don't become obsessed with it. I think worrying about your weight or what you eat can be more harmful than anything.
@Ike Willis, I think I have to agree with you. Lineage is a factor when it comes to longevity or life span. This is not to put down the health advocates but it seems to me that those healthy living would not do us any good in relation to longevity. Maybe the healthy food and healthy lifestyle can free us from sickness and ailments but it wouldn't guarantee us to live longer. I cannot use my own for an example because my father died of liver cancer a long time ago. But my husband's parents can be a good case study - mother died at 82 and father died at 86. Mother's father died at 66 and mother's mother died at 69. Father's father cannot be used because he died at age 34 due to TB. But father's mother died at 84. Well? PS. In my next post, I would show a living example of a long lifer... with proof.
My Grandmother worked as a sharecropper in her younger days. She was an old strong, proud Cherokee, who loved God and her family more than anything. She NEVER saw a doctor, except for the ones who came to her house to deliver her nine children. She dipped snuff, and ate biscuits and gravy and sausage for breakfast every morning. She was almost 90 when she died. I never saw her down or depressed about anything. The rest of my family passed away in the 60-75 range, including my siblings. All except one brother died from smoking-related disease. That one brother developed Parkinson's disease with dementia. We never could figure out how the hell he got it. I think it's mostly hereditary, with a few variables, like smoking, etc.
I expect, want and hope to live up to 120 years old, and enjoying life as it goes. I still would probably be writing, or perhaps, signing autographs for my several published books, haha! But I can't imagine how I'd manage with bone and body aches, limited mobility, but sure would not take medication for them--aches and pains. Probably do gardening on the side or on spare time :-D.
My mom is 90, it seems my family has a nice long life span. My aunts, my mom's older sisters have passed recently at the ages of 92 and 91. I expect to live past that age not only because they lived to their ages but because I am healthy have never had any serious conditions and take good care of myself. I really don't care how old I live to as long as I am healthy and able to take of myself. Having a long life in pain or helpless is not my idea of a good long life.
Okay, here is my promised post about a living example of a centenarian. His name is Antonio, a great uncle of my husband. He celebrated his 102nd birthday last June 13 and it's just sad that we were on a tour so we failed to attend the celebration. He is strong like a 70-year old guy, eats anything even pork or any meat but doesn't drink beer anymore because he usually feels sleepy. Unlike other aged people who needed a nurse or caregiver, Grandpa Antonio does everything by himself like dressing up, walking, eating, an any other physical activity. We are all amazed by his strength and he is of sound mind. Whenever he would see my husband, Grandpa would always ask about me. The only defect of his body is his hard of hearing but his hearing aid works good for him. If it can be considered a peculiarity, he takes a siesta after lunch. Maybe that gives him the energy. And he listens to the radio at night until he falls asleep. Another thing is his smoking. He is a heavy smoker, finishing 2 packs of cigarettes a day. What more can I say? Here is the video of Grandpa Antonio when he celebrated his 100th birthday -
I never assume that I will achieve longevity. Both my parents died in their early sixties and all but one of my grandparents died before I was born. One grandfather lived to 89 and I know of an ancestor who outlived four wives, one of which he was married to for more than twenty years. I think it has a lot to do with attitude. It is possible to worry yourself into an early grave and I think having an open mind and feeling good about life will usually keep you living for longer. There is, of course, no guarantee of longevity for anyone and I think we should all make the most of our lives and always be aware that "tomorrow we may die"
Wow! He's amazing! He does move fast like a 60-year old. My husband is 60. I think it's the rice and the fatty viand that goes with it. Haha! Does he live in the province?
Grandpa was born and raised in Manila, right there in the city. His family used to own a building in the heart of Manila. This is not to praise cigarette but all of us agree that it may be his smoking habit that gives him the strength. His youngest son who is past 60 also smokes and whenever that son would want a cigarette, he would tell us that he would take his elixir. Everyone is puzzled by Granpa's health because when you get to know him, you would think he is only in his 70s, not even 80s because he's still sprightly.
Longevity is a process of luck I believe. Some people interviewed smoke cigarettes and drank alcoholic beverages and some did not. So I would guess that longevity is pure luck. Some children that saw in a Saint Jude's Hospital donation public service announcement had ailments from a tender young age. Some people have gotten hit by a car in high school and they passed away. I think it's mostly a matter of luck living a long life.
The blue zones [national geographic] are the places that people live the longest. The things they all have in common are most are living in poverty, have no doctors or very little medical, but they do have a large amount of minerals in the soil. There is a few trace minerals that double the life span of laboratory animals like Europium, neodymium, praseodymium, thulium, yttrium. These minerals are extremely rare and are no longer in out food supply. Actually are soils are mineral deficient and that is part of the problem of our health. The average plant needs about 9 minerals to grow well most people need to use fertilizer to get to do well. Most fertilizers are NPK which are three minerals missing out of nine. Humans need 60 minerals so where are we going to get them they are not in the soil and plants don't need all 60. If you want to live a long life you might have to supplement to find those other minerals
When longevity is the our topic of conversation, my husband would always tell me to enjoy life and not think of the numbers. What good is it if you live to a hundred with ailments? My mother is 81, she had a stroke 5 years ago that left her in a bad condition. She has a caregiver who does everything for her from feeding to dressing up because half her body is paralyzed. Worse, she had lost her speech so she now communicates with hand signals only. That pitiful condition is like a punishment that she is serving so sometimes I pray that it is all right for her to go.