How to live to 100

Here are some top tips on how to live to 100.  These tips are from Dr Claudia Kawas at the University of California, on of the world’s leading scientific researchers into longevity and scientists at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and the scientists working on the Blue Zone project.

Scientists studying lonevity are tyring to answer the question why doesn one person live until they are 94 while another dies at 75.  Dr Claudia Kawas has spent 15 years studying “super-agers” – those who live until into their nineties and beyond while keeping their minds sharp.  By studying the lifestyles of these “super-agers” scientists have discovered some common lifestyle habits and traits including:

  1. Drinking two cups of coffee a day
  2. Don’t over eat
  3. Get out and socialise including talking to strangers
  4. Drink two glases of wine a day
  5. 15 mins of light exercise a day
  6. Positive thinking or optimistic outlook in life
  7. Resilience when bad things happen
  8. Having a purpose/ belief in life
  9. Put others including family first
  10. Be with the “right” people for you
  11. Healthy eating i.e. more plant based diets

References

Nature, 2017; 546 (7660); E8; doi: 10.1038/nature22786

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