8 Tips to Age Well From Centenarians

Blog Category: Lifestyle

Living into your hundreds used to be a rarity, but now people are living longer than ever. How are so many people making it past the average life expectancy of 78 to the age of 100? If you want to strengthen your quality of life and have a better chance of extending your years, check out these centenarian tips.

Eat Well

A nice balance of olive oil, fruits, veggies, seafood, whole grains, nuts, low-fat dairy, a moderate amount of wine and cheese, and less fatty meats, butter, sugar, salt, and packaged foods is great for your overall health. In fact, many studies have linked the Mediterranean diet to health benefits, such as:

  • Preventing heart disease and stroke
  • Keeping you agile
  • Reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
  • Increasing longevity
  • Protection against type 2 diabetes

Stay Active

Brisk, regular exercise delivers huge health benefits, including keeping brain cells healthy from more blood and oxygen. Even just 30 minutes a day can greatly improve your long-term health, so consider these exercises to stay active:

  • Walking
  • Jogging
  • Stretching
  • Swimming

Avoid Toxins

Be careful about what you breathe. From inhaling gas fumes to smoking, breathing in toxins can lead to cell degeneration and increase mortality rates. Some common substances that put people at risk are:

  • Benzene found in cigarette smoke, detergents, dyes, gasoline, lubricants, petroleum products, and vehicle exhaust pesticides
  • Beryllium found in ceramics and fluorescent lamps
  • Diacetyl found in butter flavorings and e-cigarette juice
  • Talcum Powder found in baby, body, and facial powders

Learn About Your Genes

While a healthy lifestyle can help people make it to old age, your genes dictate the maintenance and basic functions of your body. Learning about your genetics can help you determine which lifestyle choices to avoid or promote. The benefits of understanding more about your genes are:

  • Reduced risk of certain diseases
  • Ability to avoid certain risk factors

Get Your Z’s

Getting good sleep is just as important to your health as diet and exercise. Make sure to set a routine for yourself and get 7-8 hours of sleep every night to enjoy health benefits like:

  • Boosts to your immune system
  • Weight gain prevention
  • Improvement in heart health, memory, and mood

Take Your Vacation Time

Those who sleep less, are overworked, and don’t take their vacation are likelier to shorten their lifespan than those who do. Enjoy your vacation and the many benefits that come with it:

  • Increased mindfulness
  • Improved heart health
  • Reduced stress
  • Boosts in creativity
  • Improved sleep

Stay Positive

Choosing to think positively and face your challenges with optimism reduces stress, which is great for your overall health. There are many ways you can stay more optimistic every day:

  • Smile often and freely
  • Don’t dwell on the negatives
  • Keep a gratitude journal to keep track of all your positive thoughts so you can remind yourself when things get hard
  • Be kind to others and build good connections with the people you love

Socialize

Loneliness is a major factor in developing depression and dementia as we age. Staying social reduces stress, inflammation and swelling in arthritis patients, and becoming diabetic. There are all kinds of ways to stay social, such as:

  • Getting in touch regularly with friends and family in person and virtually
  • Taking classes and joining clubs or sports groups
  • Volunteering and getting involved in the community

Learn more tips and tricks about aging well with our free ebook, Living and Aging the Way You Want!

At Life Enriching Communities (LEC), we’re committed to ensuring patrons feel well-equipped to plan their future and age how they wish. Explore more resources on senior living or contact us today to learn more about our legacy of services and programs that bring meaning and purpose to every stage of life.