This quarter, I wanted to share some simple rules we all should consider incorporating into our lives from people who have lived to 100 or older. I hope you are already following these:
1. Be social. Relationships are vital. In fact, social relationships are the #1 key to living longer and happier, according to the Harvard study on human happiness.
2. Exercise. We need to move. Generally speaking, more movement is better. If you are retired, and healthy, no excuses.
3. Challenge your brain daily. Read, play games, have meaningful conversations, anything to keep the brain going.
More great info in the article below! One thought: if you have a topic that is interesting to you right now, share it with me. The group might want more on the topic as well.
A 100-Year-Old Super Ager Followed These Daily Habits for Three Decades to Protect Cognition
4 science-backed Habits to boost brain power
Khyati Jain
Sep 10, 2023
Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels
Superagers are the exceptions who defy time wonderfully. They have the innate gift of longevity that helps them bypass all cognitive diseases well into their 80s.
I know a super ager who has maintained a tip-top memory and great cognitive health even after becoming a centenarian.
He is a 100-year-old retired soldier who has inspired thousands of people on the path of health and fitness. He is the personification of utmost discipline.
He has maintained an envious healthy lifestyle for more than 4 decades now. According to science, these top-notch habits helped him prevent cognitive decline in old age.
1. The Super Secret of Super Agers
Superagers are active people. Their social life will give you FOMO. They know how to make new friends better than anyone.
They can turn a casual hello into a full-blown conversation in minutes. They know how to make and keep friends that support their goals and hobbies.
My 100-year-old friend has more friends at each birthday party every passing year. And all his friends are younger than him. On his last birthday, the youth club of our society surprised him with his favorite ice cream cake.
Last year he finally stepped down as the president of the senior welfare association of the colony, a post that he has held for more than a decade. He tried to resign many times, but his pupil won’t let him. He had two personal secretaries to ease the burden a little.
Moreover, he lives with his family so he is cocooned in familial love all day long.
Social life is a significant factor when it comes to decreasing the risk of cognitive decline in old age. Seniors who maintained an active social life with at least two social interactions daily slowed down their cognitive decline significantly.
So, get out of your phone and make some real friends that will help you improve your quality of life in your old age.
Here’s what you can do:-
- Hold on tight to your fun friends for a better life.
- Explore your hobbies by joining a class where you can socialize with like-minded people.
- Join societies and associations that help you improve your relationship with mere acquaintances.
2. You Can’t Protect Cognition Without This Habit
Exercise is the single best thing you can do to protect your brain from the evils of aging. It’s been proven to improve cognitive health and decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s.
Moderate aerobic exercise is your best bet to boost memory performance through enhanced neuroplasticity. It is essential that you include 75 minutes of intensive activity in your week for better brain health in old age.
My friend is an avid fitness junkie, his time in the army made him realize the importance of physical health early on and he has followed a healthy lifestyle for more than five decades.
He is the most disciplined man I have ever met in my life. He wakes up at sunrise to go on his daily morning walks, a tradition that he shared with me two decades ago during a summer vacation.
He taught me headstand and handstand when he was 83 years old. It was an amazing experience that left a huge impact on me. He took it upon himself to take my friends and me to the park every morning for quality exercise.
And it’s inspiring to see that he still follows the same daily routine even at the age of 100. It’s less intense now but he makes sure to walk 6000+ steps daily.
Another hobby that helps him boost his healthspan is gardening. He is obsessed with growing his food. He has a small terrace garden that’s flourishing with tomato, eggplant, capsicum, and varied herbs.
You can’t have a healthy lifestyle without exercise. A healthy diet won’t deliver the best results without exercise. So, add movement to your day today.
Here’s what you can do:-
- Find a sport that you enjoy, to make fitness fun and effortless. Team sports are the best option to increase your healthspan.
- Take up gardeningas many centenarians share this hobby. It will keep you active and improve your diet as well.
- Make it a rule to walk at least 6,000 steps daily unless you have an ailment that prevents you from doing so. Consult your physician to know the best exercise that boosts your health.
3. Use Your Cognition Routinely for Better Oldage
Superagers challenge their brains every day. The top secret of better cognition in old age is constant mental activity.
This study indicates that cognitively stimulating activities that require a mental response can help slow down cognitive decline along with physical activities.
You boost your cognitive reserves and build better neuroplasticity with brain-boosting games like chess, checkers, and sudoku.
My friend is an avid reader and he carries a mini library with him wherever he goes and even poor eyesight can’t stop him from reading the morning paper.
He has adopted technology and shifted to audiobooks now. But he can still beat his accountant son and banker grandson in chess on any day. He cherishes reading bedtime stories to his great-granddaughter every night.
Here’s what you can do:-
- Play brain games with your family to make your weekends more fun. It will boost socialization and cognitive reserves at the same time.
- Reading is the most affordable hobby that you can have to protect your brain health in old age.
- Make sure to practice mentally stimulating activities at least twice every week.
4. Protect Cognition With These Two Restrictions
The easiest thing you can do to improve your chance at longevity is to stay away from the two most popular drugs in the world — tobacco and alcohol.
Myriads of studies prove that there is no single upside to smoking, it’s the most addictive drug that will mark the downfall of your health.
Alcohol on the other hand can improve your health but only in moderate consumption and that too if you only drink red wine. It’s been proven that red wine is good for the heart and cognitive health, and it decreases your risk of cancer.
So, pick your poison wisely. My friend has managed to nail the dosage to live a long healthy life.
Cancer runs rampant in his family, he lost his dad to this evil disease when he was a mere teenager. That’s why he decided to never touch a cigarette in his life.
His disciplined personality has helped him maintain this pledge throughout his life. He used to enjoy an occasional drink but he gave up drinking on his 75th birthday due to religious reasons.
So, he never smoked a cigarette and he hasn’t touched alcohol for the past 25 years.
Here’s what you can do:-
- Give up smoking seriously this time, have that last cigarette that you keep putting off. Also, vape is not a better alternative.
- Party within limits, you miss all the fun when you get blackout drunk. Instead, drink for enjoyment to have a good time with your buddies.
Conclusion
Superagers are not mythical creatures, I know one who lives in a building next to me.
And you can’t blame your shitty healthspan on your genes as it’s only 40% responsible for longevity.
You have the power to increase your lifespan but it will require self-control and long-term gratification, two qualities that we are losing with every passing minute.
One can learn a lot from his life. His discipline and tenacity are the reason he has been able to maintain such a healthy lifestyle that has enabled him to boost his longevity.
You can become a super ager by making these four small changes in your daily life.
- Get out of your shell and socialize with wonderful people around you.
- Make exercise a priority as you can’t achieve longevity without it.
- Challenge your brain routinely with intricate games and puzzles.
- Give up smoking and monitor your drinking habits