The Centenarian

We found a old National Geographic in 2005 covering the CENTENARIAN. Here’s an abstract on the issue: What if I told you I could add up to ten years to your healthy lifespan? A long healthy life is no accident. It begins with good genes, but it also depends on good habits. If you adopt the right lifestyle, experts say, chances are you may live up to a decade longer. So what’s the formula for success? In recent years researchers have fanned out across the globe to find the secrets to long life. Funded in part by the U.S. National Institute on Aging [part of NIH], scientists have focused on several regions where people live significantly longer: (1) In Sardinia, ITALY, one team of demographers found a hot spot of longevity in mountain villages where men reach age 100 at an unusual rate; (2) On the islands of Okinawa, JAPAN, another team examined a group that is among the longest lived on Earth; and (3) in Loma Linda, CA, researchers studied a group of Seventh-Day Adventists who rank among America’s longevity “all-stars.” Residents of these three places produce a high rate of centenarians, suffer a fraction of the diseases that commonly kill people in other parts of the developed world, and enjoy more healthy years of life. In sum, they offer three sets of “best practices” to emulate. The rest is up to you.

Filed under: New on September 18th, 2007