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When the Italians lift their glasses, they toast "Cent’Anni" -- to one hundred years. Jews bid each other "biz hundert und tzvansig" -- till 120.
Now,
thanks to scientific advances, these age spans are not just toasts, but truths.
In fact, demographers predict that the number of centenarians people who live
to celebrate a 100th birthday will increase over 50-fold in the next 20 years.
More importantly, many of those older folks that is, many of us— will continue to be vital, energetic and healthy for most or all of those 100 years.
"What’s important isn’t just adding years to your life," says Michael Roizen, M.D., author of Real Age: Are You As Young as You Can Be (Cliff Street-Harper Collins, 1999). "Equally important is adding quality of life to those years."
The growing science of "proactive aging" can help you do exactly that. By examining which habits prolong life and help keep people vital, physicians and researchers have determined several changes we can all make in our daily lives to achieve longer, healthier lives. Here are some of the most important:
Antioxidize
Vitamins C and E and beta carotene, which attack free radicals and keep your cells healthier, can extend your youthful life significantly. According to a UCLA study of 11,500 people who took over 500 milligrams a day of vitamin C and drank 8 ounces of orange juice daily, the men added five years to their lives, on average, and the women added a year, while cutting their risk of stroke and heart attack by 25%. In addition to eating a healthy diet with lots of green and orange vegetables, take a multivitamin daily.
Shun The Sun
Nothing ages your face faster than the sun. Its rays are responsible for wrinkles, sagging, and those unsightly brown splotches that scream "granny" from across a crowded room. So quit baking like a potato! If you want to spend time at the beach, slather on the sunscreen (SPF of 15 or higher) and do something active: take a long walk (sand-walking is great for your leg muscles). Swim. Or organize a pickup game of beach volleyball; it’s a great way to make friends.
Pal Around
People who have more friends live longer, says Dr. Roizen. So do folks who are involved in their communities. "The biggest factor in aging is stress," he says. "And while none of us can avoid stress, having friends who help us get through tough times can make a significant difference in how quickly we age." If you already have lots of close buddies, make time to spend with them (joint gym dates are a great way to double-up on the life-lengthening benefits!). If your address book is anemic, join a club, a volunteer organization or a political campaign. Or, to maximize friendship’s life-enhancing benefits, choose something like a book group that will expand and energize your mind.
Bend Your Brain
Alzheimer’s disease is far less common in college graduates. Why? Scientists suppose it’s because people with more schooling are more likely to read and pursue other intellectually-challenging activities, which stimulate regeneration of nerve endings in the brain. So, whether you’ve got a Ph.D. or barely finished high school, keep reading or listen to intellectually challenging books on tape instead of pop music when you drive. Join a political discussion group or attend lectures on topics that interest you. Do the crossword or other brain-teasers. Anything that challenges your brain will help keep it young.
…And Bend Your Body
Believe it or not, exercise, too, can stave off those "senior moments." Researchers at the University of Kentucky have found that aerobic exercise increases seniors’ ability to recall names and perform other mental tasks. And at the University of Maryland, they’ve learned that fit adults are better at solving math problems than those who don’t exercise. And of course, exercise can help lower your risk of hearts attacks and stroke.
Just Say Ommmm
In 1992, The International Journal of Neuroscience reported that daily mediation added a full twelve years, on average, to the life span of senior citizens. A study of 2,000 seniors found that those who did relaxation exercises daily had 87% fewer heart attacks than is normal for heir age group; 55% fewer cancerous tumors and 87% fewer nervous disorders. To relax, try T’ai Chi, Meditation, Yoga or sex.
Get it On
Sex keeps you younger. According to experts at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York City, sexual activity releases endorphins, which lower stress. Thanks to those brain chemicals, lovemaking can also reduce the pain of arthritis and other illnesses. To retain your sex drive as you get older, avoid fatty foods, which can clog blood vessels and make orgasm more difficult. And exercise regularly. A study at Bentley College in Massachusetts found that women in their forties who swam regularly had sex twice as often as their sedentary counterparts. If you don’t have a steady sex partner, learn how to please yourself. Orgasm no matter how many people are in the room is good for your heart, your lungs and your skin.
Get it Off
Being overweight can cause life-shortening illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. If you’re overweight, ask your doctor to recommend an exercise program that will help you burn off calories, and an eating plan that will help you slim down gradually. Forget crash diets. Not only don’t they work after the first few pounds, they’re also likely to leave you with baggy skin and a washed-out pallor. What’s more, yo-yo-ing up and down can shorten your life span. So pick something safe and slow (a pound or two a week is a healthy rate at which to lose) and stick with it.
Boost Your Bonepower
What makes old ladies look like old ladies? Often, it’s their posture. Your bones start losing mass as early as your thirties, so it’s never to early to start preventing osteoporosis, the disease that causes shrinking, slumping and hip fractures. Weight-lifting and walking or jogging can help retain bone mass, and stretches will help keep your posture straight.
Here’s the Rub
Think massage is just for pampered spa-goers? Think again. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, which devotes itself full-time to the scientific study of massage (nice work if you can get it) has proven in several experiments that immune system function is improved in people who have massages regularly. Good news: In recognition of these and other data, many health plans now offer partial or full reimbursement for licensed massage therapy.
Catch Some Zzzzz’s
Is just thinking about these life changes making you tired? Get a good night sleep. Sleep boosts the immune system, and keeps you looking your best. It’s during sleep that the body releases the most growth hormones which aid in cell turn over and keep you from looking and feeling stale. So, for the maximum number of birthday-cake candles, quit burning your own candle at both ends!
Susan Kleinman writes about health and women's issues for major magazines and newspapers. Her work has appeared in leading publications including Cosmopolitan, Working Mother and Health. Susan doesn’t have to be told twice to make love, take a nap or get a massage.
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