By Pam Mancuso
What does the 1-year-old infant, the 13-year-old set of fraternal twins, the 29 year old Olympic Gold Medalist and the 65 year old Rancher have in common? Well, as much as I’m sure we think more about it the older we get, the answer is Aging. Life is like that and as you’ve heard “time waits for no man”.
Longevity is one of the ‘hot’ topics right now with the addition of having longevity with quality living. All the popular Podcasters talk about it or are experimenting with it personally. Celebrities seeks it like butter to bread, and the average population desires it but isn’t sure how to embrace it, and if they are, they may not have the resources (time, money, etc.) to attain it in the way they would like.
Longevity is one thing but living a full and satisfying life into our 80s, 90s and beyond 100 is a challenge. Speaking to longevity or to the popular phrase “subjective well-being” the question becomes can we have both?
Let’s look at some things that are proven to increase longevity, which may, at the same time increase the quality of our lives.
Below are five areas that may help us live longer and better lives.
HAPPINESS OR MENTAL/EMOTIONAL WELL BEING
According to a paper published by Applied Psychology (Ed Diener), “the case that subjective well-being (SWB) influences health and longevity in healthy populations is compelling.” Evidence suggests that having an absence of negative emotions, feeling life is satisfying, and having positive emotions all play a role in living a happier life. According to award winning psychologist, Dacher Keltner, things like a good night’s sleep, curiosity and being kind add to our happiness as humans. Additionally, continued engagement is the world around us is good one to add when it comes to finding balance in well-being.
EXERCISING/STAYING ACTIVE
Personally, I believe that exercise is as important as eating well. There has been a great emphasis in the past on nutrition being the most important thing you can do, but I believe they go hand in hand. Movement is key to longevity! Strength training to maintain and create muscle is key for aging adults. Functional movement (bending, balancing on one leg, being able to stand up from the floor without hand assistance, and squatting correctly) can enhance your ability to enjoy life and is a great goal to work on. According to some experts as little as 30 minutes a day of exercise can create big changes and improve health. Walking is an exercise that benefits us greatly and doing it outdoors in nature trumps indoor walking.
Walking indoors and out, done consistently, increase energy, add to cardio and psychological well-being and may help with reducing hunger.
EATING FOR HEALTH
Eating a well-balanced diet and eating in moderation are two areas of well-being that promote good health. That means taking in foods with nutritional value (greens, lean meats and fish, protein in balance with carbohydrates), and doing so without feeling completely full. Keeping the ‘bad fats’ to a minimum along with reduced sugar will go a long way in providing us with additional benefits.
SLEEP
The area of sleep has become a very hot topic although it has been studied for quite some time. According to former strength coach, EXOS founder, and current High-Performance Strategist, Brandon Marcello, the one thing that you can do that makes everything else easier or unnecessary is ‘coaching sleep’. He says that “the most important area in the role of sleep is facilitating an optimal level of waking function”. Although Children require more sleep, an adult goal would be 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
AVOIDANCE
Although there are those Octogenarians that throw back a whiskey daily, and eat whatever they want, they are in the minority. For most of us a few simple rules help out. Here are the don’ts: no tobacco, limited or no alcohol, avoid overeating and sugary foods, sun without sunscreen, and a life without a social circle (family or friends or both).
It is cliché, but small steps lead to big change, so start small and be consistent. You don’t need to follow all the rules to begin to feel like change is having a positive impact on your life. Good luck!