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Secrets
of the Very Old
The average person has the ability to reach the age of 88, but there’s
a great deal of variation around the average. The New England Centenarian
Study took a look at centenarians to see what they had in common.
Extreme
old age is connected very much to your genes, and being a female
is also helpful. 85% of centenarians are female. Due to menstruation
women tend to have lower iron counts than men. Iron produces free
radicals in the body, the element that drives aging. So, less iron
means slower aging. Men can help themselves by donating blood every
eight weeks. In one study, men that donated blood just twice a year
had a 20% reduction in the formation of preoxidized lipids, the
predecessor of artery-clogging plaque. Of all the centenarians,
in general, men that live to 100 have better physical and mental
conditions because they must be in particularly good health to live
as long as women.
It’s
not all about your genes, however. You can have the best genes possible
and still die quite early as it is estimated that genes are only
30% of the long-life equation. Most centenarians reported regular,
moderate exercise and a healthy diet. And, yes, some people can
get away with smoking, others can get away with being a little overweight,
but the more careful you are, the better your chances of reaching
100.
So
what can you do now to expand your age limitations? Stop smoking
and eating so much red meat. If you are overweight, lose a few pounds.
Lower stress and donate blood. Exercise not only your body, but
also your brain to delay the onset of age-related mental deterioration.
Get regular chiropractic care to keep your nervous system functioning
at its optimum. Most importantly, treat your body well, that’s
the vehicle that is going to get you down the road towards a long
life.
Yours
in health,
Lynne
Sullivan D.C.
www.drsully.com
Ps:
I am pleased to announce the addition of Marcia Murray to our team.
Marcia is professional acupuncturist. She has a special interest
in women’s health issues. To make an appointment or contact
her call (510) 909-0800.
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