THREE HABITS FOR A LONG & HAPPY LIFE

Harry is a 97-year-old Korean male War veteran who currently has three children, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Harry wanted to learn ways to improve his health and continue his journey to live up to a 100. After his blood work and a comprehensive physical exam, the Naturopathic Doctor that he has been seeing for the past 5 Years confirmed to Harry that he could live up to however long he desired if he kept up his lifestyle. Nowadays, Harry makes his naturopathic visits mostly for chatting and getting out of the house rather than coming in for any specific health concern.

You may wonder how Harry could live an active life at such an advanced age, but if we take a look at some patterns in centenarians (people who live up to 100 years of age), there are similarities in the way of life and habits that we could also adapt starting today.

I will elaborate on the habits and how they can improve our immune system. A high T-cell count, specifically killer T cells, can extend longevity because these are like the patrols of our bodies, removing any cell that is damaged by a virus or have cancerous tendencies.

• The first habit many centenarians have in common is that they grow their own foods, eat organically, or eat locally (which tend to be grown without pesticides). Though organic and non-organic foods do not differ in their content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, we can confirm that organic foods will not contain any external antibiotics or pesticides. This simple practice can extend your life because pesticides can lead to neural damage in the long run and also increase your risk of cancer. A high risk of cancer means your immune system has been disabled, which is a consequence of wrong eating habits.

• The second habit we can adopt that many healthy centenarians share is social interactions. Studies confirm that a sedentary lifestyle shortens life due to many reasons. Some of these reasons are lack of physical activity, prolonged sitting, and isolation. When we have a social circle even into our elderly years, our life can be prolonged. About 80% of centenarians have been found to talk to a friend or family member at least once a day. Individuals with a healthy social group tend to have lower levels of CRP markers (a molecule that shows overall inflammation in the body) in comparison to individuals who isolate themselves or have an unhealthy social group.

• The Third habit that promotes a long and healthy life is fasting. Dan Buettner, the author of The Blue Zones Kitchen Cookbook, studied populations around the world with long lives, and he discovered something peculiar about centenarians. Buettner observed that they had a natural tendency to do intermittent fasting. In order words, these individuals had a short window of eating during the day, and for the rest of the day sleeping hours included, they would fast. The most common form of intermittent fasting is an 8-hour window of eating and a 16-hour window of fasting (not eating anything, only water is allowed). Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk in the long run, and it also allows the digestive system time to rest so it could detoxify better. Therefore reducing calories by eating only a certain period of time during the day can extend your lifespan.

In order to live a long and happy life, one should try the 3 habits of the centenarian: starting and growing your own garden, having some social interactions, and fasting.

Note: The information you see here, describes what usually happens with a medical condition, but doesn't apply to everyone. This information isn't a substitute for medical advice, so make sure to contact a healthcare provider if you have a medical problem.

Disclaimer: Any patient or person mentioned in this article, is a fictional character. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.