In today’s times, people are living a lot longer than they used to in the 20th century, and it is not unusual to see a person become a centenarian (have a hundredth birthday). In fact, there are so many people who reach the age of 100 or more that people are beginning to have real hope that they can reach that age too. This article will look at some of the secrets that people provide who have reached that milestone age of 100. Perhaps it may be possible for future generations to hope to reach the age of 150.
Looking at the Wonder of Reaching the Age of 100
No one can say for sure what one thing allows a person to reach the age of 100 but medical researchers have embarked upon a protein that may offer a clue for some people. The klotho protein is a natural human protein that promotes the improvement of cognitive performance and can lead to a reduction in the negative effects of aging. It has been shown that an 85-year-old person with high levels of the klotho protein can have the thinking abilities of a person who is 75 years old. This is certainly something worth looking into when trying to explore ways to reach that centenarian age.
Secrets of Becoming a Centenarian
Although genetics play about a 20 percent factor in aging, there are other things a person can do to increase the likelihood of longevity. One of the things a person can do to help increase a longer life is to quit smoking or if he or she has never smoked, don’t start. A second thing a person can do is to eat healthy, being sure to include plenty of vegetables and fruit in the diet. The less meat a person intakes, the better his or her chances are of not getting clogged arteries, thus shortening the lifespan. A third thing a person can do is to become more physically active, doing everything possible to make the heart rate better.
More Secrets to Living to Be 100 or Better
There are some centenarians who swear by the adage of staying single as a key to living longer. This may not be directly true, but there is merit in living a life that is as stress-free as possible. Another centenarian believes that wine, ice cream, and chocolate have been factors in reaching the 100 mark. Another thing that can be done is to stay busy doing something because it has been shown that when people retire, they tend to waste away. The more the mind is challenged to do something, the longer the person may live.
Final Thoughts About Living Longer
People can also ensure to get more Vitamin D and calcium in their diet, as these have been shown to be linked to people living longer. Developing a network of people with whom to remain socially active can also be a factor in increasing longevity. It is also recommended for people to take better care of their sight, their hearing, and their overall health to maintain quality in a long life well-lived. Of course, there is no one secret or magic formula to cause a person to reach the age of 100. A lot of it may very well depend upon luck, but the more the person takes care of himself or herself, the better.
I’ve read a good bit about how people who retire earlier often wind up kicking the bucket sooner.
The meat of the research points to it mostly being about the network at work that they lose. It doesn’t seem to be related to not doing actual paid work anymore.
As you pointed out, maintaining a healthy, involved social network seems to be really important to sticking around a long time!