Anti-Aging Health: Living the 100 Year Lifestyle

Anti-aging health should be a focus of baby boomers ¹ and even those between 40-45 years old, because the majority of us are likely to live longer than our parents and grandparents, well into our 80s, 90s and even over 100.

What is anti-aging health? Anti-aging health is a health care philosophy that says that the common diseases of aging are not inevitable, but are preventable and treatable by dietary modifications, nutritional supplementation, lifestyle modifications, and in some cases bio-identical hormone replacement.

Are most of us really likely to live longer?  In 1915, the average lifespan was 54.  In 1967, it was about 70.  Nowadays, it’s about 78.  This upward trend began in 1840 and is expected to continue.  As of July 2007, the number of Americans over 65 was 37.9 million.  By 2050, the projected number of Americans over 65 is 88.5 million.  By the same year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 5 Americans will be over 65.  It is estimated that there are currently 96,548 centenarians, and by 2050, the projected number is 601,000!  Some aging experts are saying that within less than 50 years, the average person with access to good health care is very likely to live at least a hundred years old.  Knowing this, should compel you to live your life focused on anti-aging health.

Researchers have studied (and continue to study) the people in “Blue Zones”, areas around the world where many people live a healthy life up to their 80’s through 100’s.  These people live the anti-aging health lifestyle, whether they are aware of it or not.  The following are some of the common lifestyle practices of people in Blue Zones:

• Eating plenty of various greens daily.  Organic and locally grown are best.  Many of these have up to 10 times the levels of antioxidants in red wine.
• Regular use of herbal teas.  Consumption of green and chamomile tea and other herb teas daily tends to lower blood pressure, and decreases heart disease and dementia.
• Not worrying.  Getting stressed out over things ages you faster in every way.  Low stress is associated with balanced nervous system function, which is in accordance with a subluxation-free lifestyle.
• Doing some type of manual body-work.  In many regions, there is some type of body-worker who manipulates the joints for decreasing aches and pains and removing nervous system interference.  In other words, they regularly do something similar to chiropractic adjustments.  Reducing nervous system interference through chiropractic adjustment is highly beneficial.
• Napping daily.  An afternoon nap for 30 minutes each day decreases the risk of heart attack.
• Regular exercise.  A lifestyle of regular exercise combining cardiovascular fitness and resistance training is common among all healthy long-living populations.  This doesn’t mean you necessarily have to go to a gym.  Walking up and down hilly terrain or chopping wood, for example, qualifies for endurance and resistance training.
• Keeping close social relationships.  Interacting and thinking of others is not only healthy but improves your quality of life.
• Believing in and worshipping God.  Though the Blue Zone people have different religions, they acknowledge a supreme being and regularly attend worship services.
• Maintain a Mediterranean diet.  A daily diet of liberal amounts of extra-virgin olive oil, vegetables, nuts, fruit, whole grains, fish, and some naturally raised beef, grazed on throughout the day is common in Blue Zones.
• Drink goat’s milk.  Centenarians in Ikaria, a mountainous Greek island, drink goat’s milk throughout their lives.  It is high in a blood-pressure lowering amino acid called tryptophan.

Notice that the above are lifestyle and dietary factors.  Notice also that none of these are dependent on genetics, but rather, all of them have a positive influence on our genes.

Many elderly people say that if they knew they would live longer than they expected, they would have done better to live a healthy life.  This article has given you advanced notice!  If you are already practicing anti-aging health, this should help motivate you to continue.  If not, now it the best time to start.  Most people tend to spend most of their energy dying more comfortably rather than living more vibrantly.  Let us help you to make healthy living a reality and to channel your energy to live the 100 year lifestyle.

We offer anti-aging health services, including chiropractic adjustments to maintain unimpaired nerve flow.  For more information check out our anti-aging health services.

Copyright © 2009 Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN. All rights reserved.

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