Aging – it’s normal that as time passes by, we age… We all do, but we don’t all age the same.

Believe it or not, we become 25 years older than our grandparents – at a mean.

How would you use those years?

AGEISM AT ITS FINEST

We get older from the day we are born, but it is not until we become around 50 that we in our culture use the term “elderly” – and string to get older with declining health… ain’t that a little ageist, packaging aging and declining health together, yeah?

Truth is…

There are 20-year-olds who show signs of declining health with diabetes, floppy muscles, and loss of balance, and “elderly” who end up being more athletic, and sporty, and you’d be surprised – could even beat you in a marathon because of their stronger cardiovascular health.

AGE IS NOTHING, BUT NUMBERS

You can be younger as a 60-year-old than you were at 30 because you have changed your lifestyle – and attitude.

Do you believe that after 50, it’s only downhill? Your looks, your energy, and speed, your memory, everything. Watch out, as this can be a fulfilling Prophetic if you start everything saying – at my age…. or I am too old for that… (listen to yourself, you’re becoming an ageist too at this stage).

But hey, we become what we think…

Our brain looks for what we think – so choose wisely.

A STORY TO SHARE/WORTH SHARING

I read a story about a 90-year-old lady who kept performing to people at homes for the elderly. She calls the listeners “The old ones” despite her being “older” than most.

Why not, if she sees herself as young at heart, and guess what? She’s had broken hips and bones, been through a lot – but still always coming back. She’s 90 and does that. So how’s age a hindrance, right?

10 Most Important Tips to Live Longer

A few years ago I found this article about a study of 100 100-year-old people in Sweden (yep, 100 people, aged 100).

They did deep interviews… “What has been the most important for you?”

And now I will share with you the top 10 most answered from the interview. 

1. Stop Smoking

Researchers at ‘Action on Smoking and Health have reported that a 30-year-old smoker can expect to live about 35 more years, whereas a 30-year-old non-smoker can expect to live 53 more years. (source: medical news today)

2. Keep An Eye on Your Weight

The study, published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, showed that life expectancy for obese men and women was 4.2 and 3.5 years shorter respectively than for people in the entire healthy BMI weight range. (source: BBC news)

3. Care for Your Social Network

People with strong social connections may live longer and healthier lives, according to numerous studies. (source: harvard.edu)

4. Care for Your Close Relations

One meta-analysis found that people with healthy and supportive relationships live longer and that these effects are surprisingly strong. (source: berkeley.edu)

5. Take Time to Laugh

 Laugh Lots, Live Longer. A vast new study finds that a sense of humor lowers mortality rates, especially for women. (source: scientificamerican.com)

6. Take Sleep Seriously

British researchers discovered less than five hours of sleep also doubled the risk of death from cardiovascular disease – which is the number one cause of death in America according to the CDC. (source: somnomed.com)

7. Booze – In Moderation.

Adults drinking seven to 14 drinks per week could expect, on average, a six-month shorter life expectancy as of age 40. (source: harvard.edu)

8. Eat Healthily

Researchers found that eating an optimal diet from age 20 would increase life expectancy by more than a decade for women and men. (source: theconversation.com)

9. Move Your Body

The more you move, the better. A new study led by NIH’s Dr. Steven Moore looked at data on more than 650,000 adults, mostly aged 40 and older. The researchers found that leisure-time physical activity was linked to a longer life expectancy, regardless of how much people weighed. (source: newsinhealth.com)

10. Be and Stay Positive

Plenty of research suggests optimistic people have a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung capacity and function declines. Optimism is also associated with a lower risk of early death from cancer and infection. And now a new study links optimism to living a longer life. (source: harvard.edu)

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

Another study was done by neuropsychology, Dr. Mario E. Martinez about how 100-year-olds live their lives. He has been interested in the connection between body and mind and how to grow old in a healthy way, so he interviewed 700 healthy 100-year-olds and found some similarities

1. They are future-oriented. 

They live in the now and plan for the future, they are not stuck in old stories and mishaps or arguments or hardships that they have endured. They are happy with “what is now”.

2. They still enjoy hanging out with the young.

“Vibe with the young, feel young” is the peg of some. It helps because they learn from them too, and they get the same energy from younger people.

3. They enjoy the ride.

Cigar, drinks, cake? They are “to make it fun” but never “to make it a regular thing”.

GET HELP IF YOU NEED

If it feels hard to decide what you want to do on your own – get a mentor. Reach out if you need help. It is always important and there will always be things that you can support.

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To your success and keep smiling,

Dr.-Annika