Old Age, Best Health
All four of my grandparents died in the 80s.
When each of them passed away friends and relatives commented about the long, good lives they lived.
These words were not just platitudes spoken to reassure those who were grieving.
The expectation in our society is to live until the ripe old age of 80, give or take a few years.
This is considered a "ripe old age".
The truth of the matter is that we in the United States don't really enjoy old age.
Our generally unhealthy lifestyle puts a tremendous burden on our bodies and minds causing them to wear out well before they have to.
No, man can't live forever.
But, in certain parts of the world life spans well into the 100s is common and researches have discovered that the secret to what is truly a "ripe old age" rests in a large handful of lifestyle choices, or habits, that can help to sustain the human body well beyond our current expectations.
On the island of Okinawa the older citizens are still vibrant and engaged in life, many until the day they die.
There are few elderly wasting away in nursing homes or lingering in the shadow of death for years before actually passing away It has been recorded that the Okinawans are the longest living people on earth.
According to Sally Beare in her excellent book, 50 Secrets of the World's Longest Living People, thirty-four Okinawans per 100,000 are over the age of 100 while only 10 per 100,000 in the United States.
Similar statistics can be found in the Greek island of Symi, the Italian village of Campodiemle, Hunza in northeast Pakistan, Wangang in China.
How is it possible that where you live can dictate your chances for a longer life? It's really simple and it all boils down to lifestyle.
Scientists have identified specific lifestyle habits that can result in a longer life.
But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Aging is part of the life cycle that is a natural process that incorporates changes to the entire human organism -every cell, molecule and organ in the body.
There are changes that do not impact the health or longevity of a person such as graying of the hair or developing wrinkled skin.
But, there are other changes that occur that do have a direct impact on health and longevity.
The term senescence is defined as a slow decline in functions related to the aging process.
This refers to the deterioration of all bodily systems including sight, hearing, reproductive, cognizant, and muscular.
As a person ages his lung capacity diminishes, blood vessels become clogged with fatty deposits bringing about hardening of the arteries, the digestive process loses its efficiency making it more difficult to each the usual variety of foods and sexual capacity diminishes resulting in a lower sperm count, larger prostate and vaginal dryness in women.
There are many theories as to why we must grow old and why our bodies must age.
These include: 1.
Theory of Programmed Longevity which says that aging is the result of the sequential switching on and off of certain genes, with senescence being defined as the time when age associated deficits are manifested.
2.
The Wear and Tear Theory says that cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out.
3.
The Endocrine Theory says that biological clocks act through hormones to control the pace of aging.
4.
The Rate of Living Theory says that the greater an organism's rate of oxygen basal metabolism, the shorter the life span.
5.
The Immunological Theory says that a programmed decline in immune system functions leads to an increased vulnerability to infectious disease and thus aging and death.
6.
The Crosslinking theory says that an accumulation of crosslinked proteins damages cells and tissues, slowing down bodily processes.
7.
The Free Radicals Theory says that accumulated damage caused by oxygen radicals causes cells and eventually organs to stop functioning.
8.
Somatic DNA Damage - Says that genetic mutations occur and accumulate with increasing age, causing cells to deteriorate and malfunction.
In particular, damage to mitochondrial DNA might lead to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Source: National Institute of Health, 2004 With all of these aging theories it's difficult to determine what steps one can take to extend their life expectancy beyond the average United States age and work towards an additional ten, twenty, thirty, or even forty years like our counterparts in Okinawa and the other parts of the world where longevity is much more common that in our own country.
Beare describes fifty lifestyle habits that are common between the areas of the world with the oldest living people.
The top six habits can start us on the path to a longer and healthier life.
1.
Believe it or not, the number one longevity secret seems like simple common sense.
But, in the United States where overeating and obesity are on the rise and commonplace, there is a great deal of importance in stressing that we should only eat until we are satisfied.
Studies have shown the relationship between the number of calories you consume and colon cancer.
One study found that people under 67 years old who ate an extra 500 calories a day increased their risk of colon cancer by 15% in men and 11% in women.
2.
Consume Five to Seven Servings of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
We constantly hear how important fruits and vegetables are to the daily diets of all people.
Fruits and vegetables contain many important nutritional benefits that help the body fight off diseases including cancer and arteriosclerosis.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants and other phytochemicals that provided protection at the cellular level.
Studies show that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may also reduce the risks of a number of other cancers including mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, lung and bladder.
3.
Choose Buckwheat, Brown Rice and Other Whole Grains.
Much of the American diet is filled with carbohydrate laden bleached flower and grains such as white bread and white rice.
These products, while not ordinarily thought of as being unhealthy really have a detrimental effect on our overall health since they are high on the glycemic index which can lead to blood sugar imbalances, diabetes, heart disease and other life threatening illnesses.
Not so with whole grains which provide the body with vitamin rich fiber and other minerals such as zinc, an antioxidant, and magnesium, which is essential for a healthy heart.
Whole grains include whole wheat, buckwheat, brown rice, corn on the cob, oats, barley, millet, amaranth, hemp and quinoz.
An excellent benefit of fiber is digestive system regulation, healthy bowel movements and the elimination of toxicity.
4.
The link between eating meat and cancer has been proven through research.
Meat is high in saturated fat and can raise hormone levels in the body leading to such cancers as breast, prostate and colon.
While the average American eats 151 grams of meat protein daily, the people in the countries studied in Beare's book average only 50 grams daily.
While proteins are an important part of the healthy diet they do not have to come from animal meat.
Alternatives such as fish, soy, dairy, avocado and certain beans and grains contain the amino acids and proteins needed.
5.
Get Plenty of Aerobic Exercise.
Exercise has many benefits including heart health and detoxification.
Exercise helps you to sweat out toxins and you should try to work a thirty to sixty minutes aerobic exercise activity into your routine about two to three time a week.
6.
Stress is a major killer in the United States.
Our Type A, do everything lifestyle is contrary to the pace our bodies need to thrive.
Stress speeds up the aging process and causes disease.
Among the countries with the longest life spans, the Okinawans have very low stress levels.
They live life at a relaxed pace known locally as "Okinawa Time" and do not feel compelled to rush or be on time.
People are known to sing as the walk through the streets or when working in the fields.
Also, Okinawans amidst the supportive love of their extended family and practice meditation.
This, along with their strong spiritual beliefs, reduces stress and the rate of aging.
These six lifestyle elements are top level of a large iceberg and if followed, can improve your chances for a longer life.
When each of them passed away friends and relatives commented about the long, good lives they lived.
These words were not just platitudes spoken to reassure those who were grieving.
The expectation in our society is to live until the ripe old age of 80, give or take a few years.
This is considered a "ripe old age".
The truth of the matter is that we in the United States don't really enjoy old age.
Our generally unhealthy lifestyle puts a tremendous burden on our bodies and minds causing them to wear out well before they have to.
No, man can't live forever.
But, in certain parts of the world life spans well into the 100s is common and researches have discovered that the secret to what is truly a "ripe old age" rests in a large handful of lifestyle choices, or habits, that can help to sustain the human body well beyond our current expectations.
On the island of Okinawa the older citizens are still vibrant and engaged in life, many until the day they die.
There are few elderly wasting away in nursing homes or lingering in the shadow of death for years before actually passing away It has been recorded that the Okinawans are the longest living people on earth.
According to Sally Beare in her excellent book, 50 Secrets of the World's Longest Living People, thirty-four Okinawans per 100,000 are over the age of 100 while only 10 per 100,000 in the United States.
Similar statistics can be found in the Greek island of Symi, the Italian village of Campodiemle, Hunza in northeast Pakistan, Wangang in China.
How is it possible that where you live can dictate your chances for a longer life? It's really simple and it all boils down to lifestyle.
Scientists have identified specific lifestyle habits that can result in a longer life.
But, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Aging is part of the life cycle that is a natural process that incorporates changes to the entire human organism -every cell, molecule and organ in the body.
There are changes that do not impact the health or longevity of a person such as graying of the hair or developing wrinkled skin.
But, there are other changes that occur that do have a direct impact on health and longevity.
The term senescence is defined as a slow decline in functions related to the aging process.
This refers to the deterioration of all bodily systems including sight, hearing, reproductive, cognizant, and muscular.
As a person ages his lung capacity diminishes, blood vessels become clogged with fatty deposits bringing about hardening of the arteries, the digestive process loses its efficiency making it more difficult to each the usual variety of foods and sexual capacity diminishes resulting in a lower sperm count, larger prostate and vaginal dryness in women.
There are many theories as to why we must grow old and why our bodies must age.
These include: 1.
Theory of Programmed Longevity which says that aging is the result of the sequential switching on and off of certain genes, with senescence being defined as the time when age associated deficits are manifested.
2.
The Wear and Tear Theory says that cells and tissues have vital parts that wear out.
3.
The Endocrine Theory says that biological clocks act through hormones to control the pace of aging.
4.
The Rate of Living Theory says that the greater an organism's rate of oxygen basal metabolism, the shorter the life span.
5.
The Immunological Theory says that a programmed decline in immune system functions leads to an increased vulnerability to infectious disease and thus aging and death.
6.
The Crosslinking theory says that an accumulation of crosslinked proteins damages cells and tissues, slowing down bodily processes.
7.
The Free Radicals Theory says that accumulated damage caused by oxygen radicals causes cells and eventually organs to stop functioning.
8.
Somatic DNA Damage - Says that genetic mutations occur and accumulate with increasing age, causing cells to deteriorate and malfunction.
In particular, damage to mitochondrial DNA might lead to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Source: National Institute of Health, 2004 With all of these aging theories it's difficult to determine what steps one can take to extend their life expectancy beyond the average United States age and work towards an additional ten, twenty, thirty, or even forty years like our counterparts in Okinawa and the other parts of the world where longevity is much more common that in our own country.
Beare describes fifty lifestyle habits that are common between the areas of the world with the oldest living people.
The top six habits can start us on the path to a longer and healthier life.
1.
Believe it or not, the number one longevity secret seems like simple common sense.
But, in the United States where overeating and obesity are on the rise and commonplace, there is a great deal of importance in stressing that we should only eat until we are satisfied.
Studies have shown the relationship between the number of calories you consume and colon cancer.
One study found that people under 67 years old who ate an extra 500 calories a day increased their risk of colon cancer by 15% in men and 11% in women.
2.
Consume Five to Seven Servings of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
We constantly hear how important fruits and vegetables are to the daily diets of all people.
Fruits and vegetables contain many important nutritional benefits that help the body fight off diseases including cancer and arteriosclerosis.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants and other phytochemicals that provided protection at the cellular level.
Studies show that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may also reduce the risks of a number of other cancers including mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, lung and bladder.
3.
Choose Buckwheat, Brown Rice and Other Whole Grains.
Much of the American diet is filled with carbohydrate laden bleached flower and grains such as white bread and white rice.
These products, while not ordinarily thought of as being unhealthy really have a detrimental effect on our overall health since they are high on the glycemic index which can lead to blood sugar imbalances, diabetes, heart disease and other life threatening illnesses.
Not so with whole grains which provide the body with vitamin rich fiber and other minerals such as zinc, an antioxidant, and magnesium, which is essential for a healthy heart.
Whole grains include whole wheat, buckwheat, brown rice, corn on the cob, oats, barley, millet, amaranth, hemp and quinoz.
An excellent benefit of fiber is digestive system regulation, healthy bowel movements and the elimination of toxicity.
4.
The link between eating meat and cancer has been proven through research.
Meat is high in saturated fat and can raise hormone levels in the body leading to such cancers as breast, prostate and colon.
While the average American eats 151 grams of meat protein daily, the people in the countries studied in Beare's book average only 50 grams daily.
While proteins are an important part of the healthy diet they do not have to come from animal meat.
Alternatives such as fish, soy, dairy, avocado and certain beans and grains contain the amino acids and proteins needed.
5.
Get Plenty of Aerobic Exercise.
Exercise has many benefits including heart health and detoxification.
Exercise helps you to sweat out toxins and you should try to work a thirty to sixty minutes aerobic exercise activity into your routine about two to three time a week.
6.
Stress is a major killer in the United States.
Our Type A, do everything lifestyle is contrary to the pace our bodies need to thrive.
Stress speeds up the aging process and causes disease.
Among the countries with the longest life spans, the Okinawans have very low stress levels.
They live life at a relaxed pace known locally as "Okinawa Time" and do not feel compelled to rush or be on time.
People are known to sing as the walk through the streets or when working in the fields.
Also, Okinawans amidst the supportive love of their extended family and practice meditation.
This, along with their strong spiritual beliefs, reduces stress and the rate of aging.
These six lifestyle elements are top level of a large iceberg and if followed, can improve your chances for a longer life.
Source...