Do you want to live to be 100? Experts estimate genetics influence the opportunity at 25%. But whether or not you have longevity in your genes, you can greatly impact the other 75% with lifestyle and wellness strategies.
Advances in healthcare, good nutrition, regular exercise and having strong relationships can help those who want to live a long life.
Of course, most of us don’t want to merely live longer.We also want to live a quality life.
Longevity Tips for Living to 100
If you find yourself among those who are curious about living to 100, studying the research and lifestyles of those who live in one of the designated Blue Zones can jumpstart your efforts. These are geographic areas that have been identified as places where residents live extraordinary long and quality lives.
Harvard Medical School has also outlined the following as possible keys for making it to the century mark.
1. Healthy Diet
What you eat directly impacts your cells – which have a direct impact on your longevity.
Healthy foods provide energy for your cells, the ability to defend against infections and to help repair or replace damaged cells. Living a long life is more challenging if your diet consists of high sugar levels, unhealthy fats and processed foods. These foods can put you at an increased risk of cancer, inflammation and developing chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Tips for Living a Longer Life:
Talk to your doctor or dietician about the benefits of plant-based meals, such as the Mediterranean Diet, which focuses on vegetables, nuts, grains and fruits while minimizing red and processed meat.
2. Exercise
Physical exercise can improve heart and lung function, blood vessels, stronger muscles and better balance. These results may in turn lower your risk of a heart attack, stroke, falling or developing diabetes. And physical activity may also help you maintain healthier sleep patterns and improve your mood, which together can contribute to a longer life span.
The benefits are clear for those who sit less and move more and there’s a wide variety of activities to choose from, including walking, weight lifting, running and swimming. Even cleaning your house or gardening counts.
Tips for Living a Longer Life:
Talk to your doctor if you have been inactive but for most individuals, the following are the recommended exercise goals:
- 150 minutes a week of moderate activity
- 75 minutes a week of vigorous movement
- An equivalent combination of both intensities
3. Lifestyle Choices
The decisions we make on a daily basis can greatly influence our overall health, quality of life and longevity.
Tips for Living a Longer Life:
Consider the following lifestyle options that can improve your chances of extending the possibility of living to 100.
Don’t smoke: the damage from smoking includes reduced lung function and heart health and increases the risk of cancer.
Limit alcohol: even moderate drinking can carry a higher risk to your health, but if you drink, it’s recommended for women to have one drink or less per day and two drinks or less per day for men.
Sleep well: getting a good night’s sleep is more than just nice to have. Poor sleep quality can increase your risk for chronic health problems. Try to get between seven and nine hours regularly.
Stay hydrated: Maintaining hydration has often been shown to improve health, develop fewer chronic conditions and extend lifespans.
Socialize: Connecting with others can improve the odds of living longer. And the more an individual socializes, the likelihood of an increased lifespan grows.
Be positive: How you think can greatly impact your physical health and possibility for living to 100. Studies have found a link between optimism and lifespan as well as making it easier to achieve better emotional health.
How an Independent Living Community Can Help You Live a Longer Life
Residents have discovered how easily their independent living community supports their health and wellness goals, including their attempts to live to 100.
Communities offer several features that are positive contributors to a long and healthy life – especially when compared to the challenges that may be apparent when living at home alone.
- Healthy diet: While independent living residents typically have full-sized kitchens in their apartments, there is usually the choice of delicious and nutritious dining in the community as well. Appetites are often influenced by the sights and smells of a meal – as well as having several menu selections.
- Exercise: Staying active is easier when you have the convenience of equipment and classes right outside your door. And another advantage that an independent living community can offer is the added motivation when joining friends and neighbors to achieve an exercise routine.
- Restful sleep: One of the reasons people achieve good sleep habits when they’re older is being able to eliminate the anxieties that often accompanies aging. Whether it’s concern about living alone and requiring help, the headache of maintaining a home or the worry of climbing stairs or other needed age-friendly improvements – all of these can keep you up at night.4. Connecting with friends: Another huge advantage of an independent living community is the ease in making new friends. Meeting your neighbors and fellow residents at one of the many social events makes creating new relationships natural and comfortable.
Independent Living at Presbyterian Village North
We offer a unique blend of comfort, convenience and peace of mind with our non-profit senior living community set on 66 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Whether you prefer a spacious apartment or a freestanding home, the variety of beautiful residences ensures you’ll find the perfect space to call your own.
With chef-prepared dining and a wide range of amenities, including a fitness center, therapeutic aquatic center and walking paths, every day offers opportunities to stay active and engaged. Residents enjoy a vibrant, welcoming community, open to all faiths, with endless opportunities for connection and personal growth.
From our on-campus pharmacy services to a resident clinic, professional security 24/7and a wireless emergency call system in every residence, your well-being is always a top priority. With exceptional amenities like a performing arts theater, woodworking shop, dog park, putting green and salon services, every detail is designed to enrich your life.
For more information about how Presbyterian Village North can help you or your loved one thrive in retirement, please reach out by calling (800) 391-2779 to request a personal tour or more details today.