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Do optimists really live longer? Here’s what the research says

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fuschia-sirois-331254">Fuschia Sirois</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/durham-university-867">Durham University</a></em></p> <p>Do you tend to see the glass as half full, rather than half empty? Are you always looking on the bright side of life? If so, you may be surprised to learn that this tendency could actually be good for your health.</p> <p>A <a href="https://content.apa.org/record/2020-71981-001">number of studies</a> have shown that optimists enjoy higher levels of wellbeing, better sleep, lower stress and even better cardiovascular health and immune function. And now, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35674052/">a recent study</a> has shown that being an optimist is linked to longer life.</p> <p>To conduct their study, researchers tracked the lifespan of nearly 160,000 women aged between 50 to 79 for a period of 26 years. At the beginning of the study, the women completed a <a href="https://local.psy.miami.edu/people/faculty/ccarver/availbale-self-report-instruments/lot-r/">self-report measure of optimism</a>. Women with the highest scores on the measure were categorised as optimists. Those with the lowest scores were considered pessimists.</p> <p>Then, in 2019, the researchers followed up with the participants who were still living. They also looked at the lifespan of participants who had died. What they found was that those who had the highest levels of optimism were more likely to live longer. More importantly, the optimists were also more likely than those who were pessimists to live into their nineties. Researchers refer to this as “exceptional longevity”, considering the average lifespan for women is about 83 years in developed countries.</p> <p>What makes these findings especially impressive is that the results remained even after accounting for other factors known to predict a long life – including education level and economic status, ethnicity, and whether a person suffered from depression or other chronic health conditions.</p> <p>But given this study only looked at women, it’s uncertain whether the same would be true for men. However, <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1900712116">another study</a> which looked at both men and women also found that people with the highest levels of optimism enjoyed a lifespan that was between 11% and 15% longer than those who were the least optimistic.</p> <h2>The fountain of youth?</h2> <p>So why is it that optimists live longer? At first glance it would seem that it may have to do with their healthier lifestyle.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310828">research from several studies</a> has found that optimism is linked to eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, and being less likely to smoke cigarettes. These healthy behaviours are well known to improve heart health and <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases">reduce the risk</a> for cardiovascular disease, which is a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)">leading cause of death</a> globally. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857242/">important for reducing the risk</a> of other potentially deadly diseases, such as diabetes and cancer.</p> <p>But having a healthy lifestyle may only be part of the reason optimists live a longer than average life. This latest study found that lifestyle only accounted for 24% of the link between optimism and longevity. This suggests a number of other factors affect longevity for optimists.</p> <p>Another possible reason could be due to the way optimists manage stress. When faced with a stressful situation, optimists tend to deal with it head-on. They <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16859439/">use adaptive coping strategies</a> that help them resolve the source of the stress, or view the situation in a less stressful way. For example, optimists will problem-solve and plan ways to deal with the stressor, call on others for support, or try to find a “silver lining” in the stressful situation.</p> <p>All of these approaches are well-known to reduce feelings of stress, as well as the biological reactions that occur when we feel stressed. It’s these <a href="https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body">biological reactions to stress</a> –- such as elevated cortisol (sometimes called the “stress hormone”), increased heart rate and blood pressure, and impaired immune system functioning –- that can take a toll on health over time and increase the risk for developing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159115004316?via%3Dihub">life-threatening diseases</a>, such as cardiovascular disease. In short, the way optimists cope with stress may help protect them somewhat against its harmful effects.</p> <h2>Looking on the bright side</h2> <p>Optimism is typically viewed by researchers as a relatively stable personality trait that is determined by both <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/twin-research-and-human-genetics/article/sex-differences-in-the-genetic-architecture-of-optimism-and-health-and-their-interrelation-a-study-of-australian-and-swedish-twins/58F21AA11943D44B4BA4C63A966E6AC7">genetic</a> and early childhood influences (such as having a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6541423/">secure and warm relationship</a> with your parents or caregivers). But if you’re not naturally prone to seeing the glass as half full, there are some ways you can increase your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221122?journalCode=rpos20">capacity to be optimistic</a>.</p> <p>Research shows optimism can change over time, and can be cultivated by engaging in simple exercises. For example, visualising and then writing about your “<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-matters-most/201303/what-is-your-best-possible-self">best possible self</a>” (a future version of yourself who has accomplished your goals) is a technique that studies have found can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221122">significantly increase optimism</a>, at least temporarily. But for best results, the goals need to be both positive and reasonable, rather than just wishful thinking. Similarly, simply <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/SOCP.149.3.349-364">thinking about positive future events</a> can also be effective for boosting optimism.</p> <p>It’s also crucial to temper any expectations for success with an accurate view of what you can and can’t control. Optimism is reinforced when we experience the positive outcomes that we expect, and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1970-20680-001">can decrease</a> when these outcomes aren’t as we want them to be. Although more research is needed, it’s possible that regularly envisioning yourself as having the best possible outcomes, and taking realistic steps towards achieving them, can help develop an optimistic mindset.</p> <p>Of course, this might be easier said than done for some. If you’re someone who isn’t naturally optimistic, the best chances to improve your longevity is by <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003332">living a healthy lifestyle</a> by staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and getting a good night’s sleep. Add to this cultivating a more optimistic mindset and you might further increase your chances for a long life.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184785/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fuschia-sirois-331254">Fuschia Sirois</a>, Professor in Social &amp; Health Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/durham-university-867">Durham University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-optimists-really-live-longer-heres-what-the-research-says-184785">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Centenarian blood tests give hints of the secrets to longevity

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a></em></p> <p>Centenarians, once considered rare, have become commonplace. Indeed, they are the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/living-to-one-hundred-life-expectancy/">fastest-growing demographic group</a> of the world’s population, with numbers roughly doubling every ten years since the 1970s.</p> <p>How long humans can live, and what determines a long and healthy life, have been of interest for as long as we know. Plato and Aristotle discussed and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12092789/">wrote about the ageing process</a> over 2,300 years ago.</p> <p>The pursuit of understanding the secrets behind exceptional longevity isn’t easy, however. It involves <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7105197/">unravelling the complex interplay</a> of genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors and how they interact throughout a person’s life. Now our recent study, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-023-00936-w">published in GeroScience</a>, has unveiled some common biomarkers, including levels of cholesterol and glucose, in people who live past 90.</p> <p>Nonagenarians and centenarians have long been of intense interest to scientists as they may help us understand how to live longer, and perhaps also how to age in better health. So far, studies of centenarians have often been small scale and focused on a selected group, for example, excluding centenarians who live in care homes.</p> <h2>Huge dataset</h2> <p>Ours is the largest study comparing biomarker profiles measured throughout life among exceptionally long-lived people and their shorter-lived peers to date.</p> <p>We compared the biomarker profiles of people who went on to live past the age of 100, and their shorter-lived peers, and investigated the link between the profiles and the chance of becoming a centenarian.</p> <p>Our research included data from 44,000 Swedes who underwent health assessments at ages 64-99 - they were a sample of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28158674/">the so-called Amoris cohort</a>. These participants were then followed through Swedish register data for up to 35 years. Of these people, 1,224, or 2.7%, lived to be 100 years old. The vast majority (85%) of the centenarians were female.</p> <p>Twelve blood-based biomarkers related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, as well as potential malnutrition and anaemia, were included. All of these <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0719-5">have been associated</a> with ageing or mortality in previous studies.</p> <p>The biomarker related to inflammation was uric acid – a waste product in the body caused by the digestion of certain foods. We also looked at markers linked to metabolic status and function including total cholesterol and glucose, and ones related to liver function, such as alanine aminotransferase (Alat), aspartate aminotransferase (Asat), albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (Alp) and lactate dehydrogenase (LD).</p> <p>We also looked at creatinine, which is linked to kidney function, and iron and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), which is linked to anaemia. Finally, we also investigated albumin, a biomarker associated with nutrition.</p> <h2>Findings</h2> <p>We found that, on the whole, those who made it to their hundredth birthday tended to have lower levels of glucose, creatinine and uric acid from their sixties onwards. Although the median values didn’t differ significantly between centenarians and non-centenarians for most biomarkers, centenarians seldom displayed extremely high or low values.</p> <p>For example, very few of the centenarians had a glucose level above 6.5 earlier in life, or a creatinine level above 125.</p> <p>For many of the biomarkers, both centenarians and non-centenarians had values outside of the range considered normal in clinical guidelines. This is probably because these guidelines are set based on a younger and healthier population.</p> <p>When exploring which biomarkers were linked to the likelihood of reaching 100, we found that all but two (alat and albumin) of the 12 biomarkers showed a connection to the likelihood of turning 100. This was even after accounting for age, sex and disease burden.</p> <p>The people in the lowest out of five groups for levels of total cholesterol and iron had a lower chance of reaching 100 years as compared to those with higher levels. Meanwhile, people with higher levels of glucose, creatinine, uric acid and markers for liver function also decreased the chance of becoming a centenarian.</p> <p>In absolute terms, the differences were rather small for some of the biomarkers, while for others the differences were somewhat more substantial.</p> <p>For uric acid, for instance, the absolute difference was 2.5 percentage points. This means that people in the group with the lowest uric acid had a 4% chance of turning 100 while in the group with the highest uric acid levels only 1.5% made it to age 100.</p> <p>Even if the differences we discovered were overall rather small, they suggest a potential link between metabolic health, nutrition and exceptional longevity.</p> <p>The study, however, does not allow any conclusions about which lifestyle factors or genes are responsible for the biomarker values. However, it is reasonable to think that factors such as nutrition and alcohol intake play a role. Keeping track of your kidney and liver values, as well as glucose and uric acid as you get older, is probably not a bad idea.</p> <p>That said, chance probably plays a role at some point in reaching an exceptional age. But the fact that differences in biomarkers could be observed a long time before death suggests that genes and lifestyle may also play a role.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215166/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-modig-1473484">Karin Modig</a>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/karolinska-institutet-1250">Karolinska Institutet</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/centenarian-blood-tests-give-hints-of-the-secrets-to-longevity-215166">original article</a>.</em></p>

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You can’t reverse the ageing process but these 5 things can help you live longer

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>At this time of year many of us resolve to prioritise our health. So it is no surprise there’s a <a href="https://digiday.com/marketing/health-food-brands-ramp-up-marketing-efforts-around-consumers-new-years-resolutions/">roaring trade</a> of products purporting to guarantee you live longer, be healthier and look more youthful.</p> <p>While an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4822264/">estimated</a> 25% of longevity is determined by our genes, the rest is determined by what we do, day to day.</p> <p>There are no quick fixes or short cuts to living longer and healthier lives, but the science is clear on the key principles. Here are five things you can do to extend your lifespan and improve your health.</p> <h2>1. Eat a predominantly plant-based diet</h2> <p>What you eat has a huge impact on your health. The evidence overwhelmingly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8210981/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20an%20expansive%20review,13%20Given%20that%20so%20many">shows</a> eating a diet high in plant-based foods is associated with health and longevity.</p> <p>If you eat more plant-based foods and less meat, processed foods, sugar and salt, you reduce your risk of a range of illnesses that shorten our lives, including heart disease and cancer.</p> <p>Plant-based foods <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-019-0552-0">are rich</a> in nutrients, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fibre. They’re also anti-inflammatory. All of this protects against damage to our cells as we age, which helps prevent disease.</p> <p>No particular diet is right for everyone but one of the most studied and <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mediterranean-diet/#:%7E:text=%5B6%5D%20Those%20who%20had%20the,who%20had%20the%20lowest%20adherence.">healthiest</a> is the <a href="https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291120/mediterranean-diet-for-beginners-everything-you-need-to-get-started/">Mediterranean diet</a>. It’s based on the eating patterns of people who live in countries around the Mediterranean Sea and emphases vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fish and seafood, and olive oil.</p> <h2>2. Aim for a healthy weight</h2> <p>Another important way you can be healthier is to try and achieve a healthy weight, as obesity <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity/how-obesity-affects-body">increases the risk</a> of a number of health problems that shorten our lives.</p> <p>Obesity puts strain on all of our body systems and has a whole myriad of physiological effects including causing inflammation and hormonal disturbances. These <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572076/">increase your chances</a> of a number of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and a number of cancers.</p> <p>In addition to affecting us physically, obesity is also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6052856/">associated with</a> poorer psychological health. It’s linked to depression, low self-esteem and stress.</p> <p>One of the biggest challenges we face in the developed world is that we live in an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6817492/">environment</a> that promotes obesity. The ubiquitous marketing and the easy availability of high-calorie foods our bodies are hard-wired to crave mean it’s easy to consume too many calories.</p> <h2>3. Exercise regularly</h2> <p>We all know that exercise is good for us – the <a href="https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/au/news/breaking-news/hcf-reveals-australias-most-popular-new-years-resolutions-for-2023-431665.aspx">most common resolution</a> we make this time of year is to do more exercise and to get fitter. Regular exercise <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">protects</a> against chronic illness, lowers your stress and improves your mental health.</p> <p>While one of the ways exercising helps you is by supporting you to control your weight and lowering your body fat levels, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1402378/#:%7E:text=For%20instance%2C%20routine%20physical%20activity,HDL%5D%20cholesterol%20levels%20and%20decreased">effects</a> are broader and include improving your glucose (blood sugar) use, lowering your blood pressure, reducing inflammation and improving blood flow and heart function.</p> <p>While it’s easy to get caught up in all of the hype about different exercise strategies, the evidence <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320760">suggests</a> that any way you can include physical activity in your day has health benefits. You don’t have to run marathons or go to the gym for hours every day. Build movement into your day in any way that you can and do things that you enjoy.</p> <h2>4. Don’t smoke</h2> <p>If you want to be healthier and live longer then don’t smoke or vape.</p> <p>Smoking cigarettes affects almost every organ in the body and is associated with both a shorter and lower quality of life. There is no safe level of smoking – every cigarette increases your <a href="https://theconthatkills.org.au/?utm_source=googlesearch&amp;utm_medium=search&amp;utm_campaign=theconthatkills23&amp;utm_content=RSA&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwqP2pBhDMARIsAJQ0Czrlep6EQHC-8_9xUhpz0h9v2ZglMF-6-k7_65awq8FxVaIL5HRoivwaAqJwEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">chances of developing</a> a range of cancers, heart disease and diabetes.</p> <p>Even if you have been smoking for years, by giving up smoking at any age you can experience <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/benefits/index.htm">health benefits</a> almost immediately, and you can reverse many of the harmful effects of smoking.</p> <p>If you’re thinking of switching to vapes as a healthy long term option, <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-vaping-help-people-quit-smoking-its-unlikely-204812">think again</a>. The long term health effects of vaping are not fully understood and they come with their own <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-vapes-arent-95-less-harmful-than-cigarettes-heres-how-this-decade-old-myth-took-off-203039">health risks</a>.</p> <h2>5. Prioritise social connection</h2> <p>When we talk about living healthier and longer, we tend to focus on what we do to our physical bodies. But one of the most important discoveries over the past decade has been the recognition of the importance of spiritual and psychological health.</p> <p>People who are lonely and socially isolated have a much higher risk of dying early and are <a href="https://healthnews.com/longevity/healthspan/social-connection-and-longevity/#:%7E:text=One%20of%20the%20biggest%20benefits,the%20following%20factors%20and%20influences.">more likely</a> to suffer from heart disease, stroke, dementia as well as anxiety and depression.</p> <p>Although we don’t fully understand the mechanisms, it’s likely due to both behavioural and biological factors. While people who are more socially connected are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/">more likely</a> to engage in healthy behaviours, there also seems to be a more direct physiological effect of loneliness on the body.</p> <p>So if you want to be healthier and live longer, build and maintain your connections to others.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214580/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904"><em>Hassan Vally</em></a><em>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/you-cant-reverse-the-ageing-process-but-these-5-things-can-help-you-live-longer-214580">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Michael Caine shares his secrets to a long life

<p>Michael Caine has shared his top three tips for living a long, happy and healthy life. </p> <p>While promoting his new movie <em>The Great Escaper</em>, the 90-year-old Hollywood legend credited his nine decades of life to three things. </p> <p>He told the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-12540335/We-never-intimacy-coordinators-day-MICHAEL-CAINE-calls-woke-dull-says-young-man-national-service-truly-makes-man-reflects-acting-90.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a></em>, "Younger wives, no snacking and wear trainers at all times."</p> <p>Caine then quickly added, "And you have to be careful not to fall down."</p> <p>"Happens all the time. You have to just get up and carry on."</p> <p>Elsewhere in the candid interview, Caine explained how much the business of movie making has changed since his big break, discussing the relatively new phenomenon of having intimacy coordinators on set for love scenes. </p> <p>Asked about the coordinators, that are not found on most film and TV sets, Caine responded, “Really? Seriously? What are they? We never had that in my day.</p> <p>“Thank god I’m 90 and don’t play lovers anymore is all I can say. In my day you just did the love scene and got on with it without anyone interfering. It’s all changed.”</p> <p>Caine shared that his love of movies came after he served in the army, which he believes every able man should do to serve their country. </p> <p>The actor completed national service in the military himself, serving in Iserlohn, West Germany in the aftermath of World War II and seeing action in Korea.</p> <p>“I think every young man should be made to do it,” he said. “It truly makes a man of you.”</p> <p>He added: “I only became an actor after I left the army. I did rep for nine years then got a movie and was like, ‘f*** this! I love films more.’ I liked the money and all.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Three centenarians share their secret to longevity

<p>Reaching 100 years old is quite an achievement, especially for anyone hitting the milestone now. Back in 1916 the average lifespan for a man was 55, the average lifespan for a woman was 59 and the likelihood of making it to 100 was one per cent.</p> <p>Times have changed and now we have a raft of seniors around Australia hitting triple digits. To celebrate this incredible milestone, a group of centenarians have been honoured to a special morning tea at Government House in Melbourne.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>ABC Online</em> they shared some of their secrets to longevity. Follow this advice and we reckon anyone has a chance of making it to 100 years old.</p> <p>Jean Hills believes family is the key to success, telling <em>ABC Online</em>, "[I'm] thankful that I had so many marvellous relatives. Often people say they don't have anything to do with their relatives. It was the relatives that saved me and my family during the depression and gave us the opportunity to really achieve something."</p> <p>Jean also adds, “Don't go near the TV.”</p> <p>Stasys Eimutis on the other hand attributes his longevity to his passions and insistence to cut out drinking and smoking, “I have a workshop and I'm doing many things. I'm not going to bed in the night time, [I'm] always doing something. Mostly woodwork. I make musical instruments and organise a music group and I'm still playing. I'm the leader."</p> <p>For Annie Bernstein however, it all comes down to hard work, "I'm getting all the pleasure now from my daughter, my granddaughter and my grandsons and my great granddaughter.</p> <p>"They're lovely."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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New study reveals the lifetime health benefits of social interaction

<p dir="ltr">A new meta-analysis study - undertaken by the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (otherwise known as the CHeBA) at the University of New South Wales - has revealed that social interaction could have benefits many would never have thought to predict, from a reduced risk of dementia to overall increased longevity. </p> <p dir="ltr">Researches were investigating the link between social connections in senior citizens and the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as well as dementia and morality, compiling the results from 13 other international studies following individuals aged 65 years and up over extended periods of time - research published in <em><a href="https://u26892420.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=B8NE7CRkW4hCmh1dHfJbPqy22DjCz8-2Bq3ZidKWozGaZDoG-2FmVx-2BVsAja535jGrbQlYGwKkrcgY4HPBHrSRE-2Bpq1fwuJ0AQZcKTgnOiva5gsjqRFzNLSYGGzJ4hgT-2Bp0b-7Jp_W1g0lLgOQvKHpoedb1QOitWbx1JxegS3ChuQBoUMMSvQphp8oKfzCnK1hk7FLUZqqTLorFP-2FYQB6URmHLHx65PjMZSysYz3YQI-2BzvIxBhVdZr2Z1gRzt72cMfkaib4uVOYXTxECJWWsRmLyHtb8tdUoPs6u4lvqr8I7xD4zbJqJTqeP2zMO2vFFc6dcczrApzJnOWkq2tOchRyvzstzbQnlU1N4WSe4ZAMtqjmGx6sSvfxYICFLpppnmosd6kUUL-2B2zjjEQ61i38e9TYUaT6LZA5aIGcpHJw26Ob-2BXzuvv-2BuHbhihyIqh2AUTJ2WAYsCw6hpo5SJ7JKlgCF4nYeiekLQeVVLm4GRjjckYyIIN48-3D">Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">As author, clinical psychologist, and researcher Dr Suraj Samtani explained, “we know from previous research that social connections are important for our health and being isolated puts us at higher risk of dementia and death.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our goal was to find which social connections protect us from dementia and death.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Researches drew intel from studies in a number of countries - spanning low, middle, and high-income nations - and compiled a study population more diverse than the meta-analyses to come before, including the likes of Australia, European nations, North and South America, Asia, and Africa, as opposed to the previous North America and European study groups.</p> <p dir="ltr">From there, they looked at information about the connections between the participants, paying close attention to the types of social links (whether they were in a relationship, single, or married, or involved with their community), the function of them (whether or not they had social support on hand, or a close confidante), and the quality (how much satisfaction they did - or did not - receive from their relationships).</p> <p dir="ltr">With this information, they sought to find out if the participants had developed either MCI or dementia - as well as whether or not they had passed away.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We looked at social variables across these studies, such as living with others, interacting with friends and family, engaging in community activities, and social support,” Dr Samtani  said. “We wanted to know which of these are associated with risk of getting dementia over time or dying.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And from their research, they discovered that positive social connections did appear to be linked to a lower risk of MCI, dementia, and death. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We found that frequent interactions - monthly or weekly - with family and friends and having someone to talk to reduced the risk of getting dementia. We also found that living with others and doing community activities reduced the risk of dying,” Dr Samtani noted.</p> <p dir="ltr">Recommendations from the researchers suggest that people should be prioritising their social connections if they hope to reduce their risk of cognitive decline - with the added benefit of living longer, too. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Try to meet with friends and family at least once a month, take part in community activities like volunteering or a rotary club, and open your heart to someone when you feel stressed,” Dr Samtani said. “Living with others, for example in an intergenerational household, is also helpful.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Connecting with others helps us to keep our bodies and minds healthy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We hope that helping people to stay engaged in conversations and maintain healthy friendships and relationships will help them to stay healthy and happy.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty </em></p>

Relationships

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“100 is just a number”: Centenarian’s sweet solution for a long and happy life

<p>When Shirley Goodman reached the milestone age of 100 years old, the last thing on her mind was slowing down. </p> <p>And the centenarian, who lives in Florida, has shared her advice for living a long and happy life - though what she had to say has taken many by surprise.</p> <p>Rather than stressing the importance of getting enough rest and following a strict diet, as we so often hear, Shirley believes her passion for having fun, doing what she enjoys, and eating her share of well-deserved treats to be the secret of her success. </p> <p>As Shirley told <em>Today</em>, “I feel great. 100 is just a number to me.”</p> <p>This is despite the two open-heart surgeries she has undergone - including a bypass, and the installation of a pacemaker and a stent. Shirley also experiences difficulties with her vision and her hearing, but nothing will keep her from embracing life and doing what she loves: dancing.</p> <p>“My legs are still working,” she said. “I’m an optimist. I try to do positive thinking all the time. That’s very important. I have a bracelet that says ‘Positivity’ on it. </p> <p>“I wear it every day and I try to stay positive.”</p> <p>She started dancing when she was just eight years old, even opening up her own dance school at 17. And while she did close down her business after marrying, she never gave it up, following her heart - and her dancing feet - in her free time instead. </p> <p>And in recent years, Shirley has taken that same passion to a whole new realm, establishing herself on the internet as ‘The Dancing Nana’. On Instagram, her family regularly share clips of Shirley dancing, and even participating in some viral internet trends, from doing ‘the floss dance’ to ‘the Tush Push’. </p> <p>It was the latter that propelled her to viral heights in 2019, when a clip surfaced of a then-96-year-old Shirley enjoying herself at her nephew’s wedding reception, outshining the younger guests on the dance floor with her spectacular footwork and twirls. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwLLINgB2uX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwLLINgB2uX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Dancing Nana (@the.dancing.nana)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“I would advise people,” she told <em>Today</em>, “if they like music at all, to keep it in their lives and don’t just sit home in a rocking chair.”</p> <p>“I attribute [my long life] mostly to two things. One is my family,” she later added, “I have a wonderful, devoted family. </p> <p>“And the jazz, the music down here in Sarasota, and my tap dancing. That’s what keeps me going.”</p> <p>And while Shirley has dabbled in other pursuits, dancing still holds the key to her heart, as nothing else quite took with her, with the 100-year-old confessing that she “wasn’t crazy” about golf, and played tennis until she was 90. </p> <p>“I only walk as far as my mailbox,” she added, “which is about five minutes.” </p> <p>She does, however, enjoy her share of yoga. Every morning, she FaceTimes her daughter for a session, and the two spend some mindful time together from their respective homes in Florida and New York.</p> <p>Another thing Shirley very much enjoys is a sweet treat. And as some longevity experts admitted to <em>Today</em>, many who reach impressive ages like Shirley don’t often focus on their recommended share of vitamins and other ‘healthy’ snacks.</p> <p>“I don’t eat healthy food,” Shirley admitted. “My kids would holler at me … but when I hit 90, they stopped bothering me.”</p> <p>As Shirley’s 71-year-old daughter Joan added, they all just assumed Shirley was going to outlive them, but that “you would not want to write a cookbook based on her nutritional recommendations. I think the secret is to enjoy what you’re eating.”</p> <p>Top of Shirley’s most loved menu is “anything that’s cooked in batter”, or some chocolate and other sweets of the like. She enjoys a piece of chocolate after each of her meals, and views breakfast as the perfect opportunity for a chocolate chip cookie - however, you won’t catch her nibbling on any dark varieties, as milk chocolate with some nuts is what she prefers to reach for. </p> <p>And when it comes to home cooked meals with some vegetables, Shirley isn’t a fan. </p> <p>“I say ‘cook’ is a four letter word, so I don’t cook very much,” said. “I eat very small portions, but I eat everything and anything I like.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Longevity doctor shares secret to a long life

<p dir="ltr">A doctor who specialises in the science of longevity has shared his secret for living longer, and it's much more simple than you would think. </p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Peter Attia, a U.S.-Canadian physician, says exercising for just three hours a week is not only essential for a healthy lifestyle, but can reduce your chances of an early death by 50 per cent.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Exercising is the most underutilised change we can make to affect the length and quality of our life,” Dr Attia said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He encouraged everyone to include both strength training and cardiovascular fitness into regular exercise routines, and to eat enough protein in a balanced diet. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You want to make sure you're covering all your bases and that means both lifting weights, because strength is one of the most highly associated features with longevity, but also doing cardiorespiratory fitness,” he told the Sunrise breakfast show. </p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Attia believes that, in simple terms, if you're starting from zero, exercising for just 30 minutes a day, six days a week, can half your death rate.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, he said the “right” amount of exercise a person should be doing per week is dependent on an individuals’ level of fitness.</p> <p dir="ltr">While Dr Attia shared the physical benefits of regular exercise, he also reiterated how important daily movement is for mental health. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What we know is exercise is the single biggest elixir for brain health. And it's amazing how much more powerful it appears to be than nutrition, even sleep. And those things are very important, but exercise is on a league of its own,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought there had to be something more powerful. But as important as sleep [and] nutrition are, exercise kind of takes the cake.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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The surprising habit that can help you live longer

<p>Most of the time when we hear about life-extending wonders, it’s usually a bizarre new superfood or crazy exercise fad. But this is one we can get behind. <a href="http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/2/e010164" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">A new study</span></strong></a> from researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered that people who join social groups in retirement increase their quality and length of life.</p> <p>Researchers Dr Niklas Steffans and Dr Tegan Cruwys teamed up with UQ professors to track the health of 424 UK-based subjects over the age of 50 for six years and compare them to people of the same age, sex and health status who still worked. They found that the retirement group had a significantly higher quality of life, most notably if the retiree was a member of one or more social groups.</p> <p>“For retirees who belonged to two social groups before retirement, their chance of death was two per cent if they maintained the same number of groups for six years afterwards,” Dr Steffans told <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2016/02/want-longer-life-join-club" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UQ News</span></strong></a>. “For those who lost membership of one group, the risk of death rose to five percent, while those who lost membership of both groups had a 12 per cent chance of dying in the six years that followed.”</p> <p>Dr Steffans believes that a sense of belonging and identity helps retirees “sustain a meaningful and healthy life”. Also, many social group members were found to have higher levels of physical activity, which could account for a boost in longevity.</p> <p>“As people reach the end of their working lives, they are typically exposed to a lot of advice about how to plan their finances, medical care, and physical exercise in order to have a long and healthy retirement,” Dr Steffans told <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-retirement-socializing-idUSKCN0VP2KL" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Reuters</span></strong></a>. “One important way for all of us to enhance the health of those who are retired is to support them in their efforts to be part of groups that provide them with a sense of communality and belonging.”</p> <p>Tell us in the comments below, are you a part of any social groups or clubs? If not, will these findings inspire you to join one?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/09/the-biggest-problem-new-retirees-encounter/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The biggest problem new retirees encounter</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/09/is-it-ever-too-late-to-get-healthy/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Is it ever too late to get healthy?</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/08/signs-you-are-ready-to-retire/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 signs you’re ready to retire right now</strong></em></span></a></p>

Retirement Life

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The Proclaimers feel shocked at the longevity of their music

<p dir="ltr">The Proclaimers have been surprised by their own longevity, and have far surpassed their own expectations in the music industry. </p> <p dir="ltr">Craig and Charlie Reid formed the group in 1983, and Craig has admitted they have been shocked by their ongoing careers. </p> <p dir="ltr">Craig recently told the BBC, "We've had a much longer run at it than we thought we would, so now we are at 60 we just want to do the best that we can and do it for as long as we can and to keep enjoying it."</p> <p dir="ltr">With the Scottish band currently on tour, they said their classic tunes are as much crowd pleasers now as they were when they were first released in the 1980s. </p> <p dir="ltr">Charlie said, "<em>500 Miles</em>, <em>Letter from America</em>, <em>Let's Get Married</em>, <em>Sunshine on Leith</em>, we always do them at every show.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"The fact that people still want to hear them 30 years later is great for us and I suppose for the audience it connects them with their own past as well. But to do a show without any new songs would not be right because I think as writers we've got better as time's gone on."</p> <p dir="ltr">The Proclaimers' latest album, <em>Dentures Out</em>, is much more political than many of their previous records, with Craig suggesting that Britain is in a state of "terminal decline", which was a huge influence on the new music. </p> <p dir="ltr">He said, "I think Britain has been diminishing in power and reach since World War Two, but I think that in the last 10 years Britain has nose-dived as regards its own self-worth and certainly in regard to its own place in the community of nations."</p> <p dir="ltr">Charlie also admitted that the new album has a strong sense of "nostalgia" about it, and taps into some of their older style of music. </p> <p dir="ltr">He reflected, "For the first time ever there's a constant theme in an album we've done. A lot of it is about nostalgia, about people looking back and perhaps looking back with rose-coloured glasses or not remembering at all."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

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Do optimistic women live longer? New study seems to find it so

<div class="copy"> <p>A positive outlook makes you feel better – but does it make you healthier? A study of over 150,000 US women has found a link between optimism and longevity.</p> <p>The study, which was <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.17897" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in <em>Journal of the American Geriatrics Society</em>, examined data from the <a href="https://www.whi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Women’s Health Initiative</a>, a long-term study that enrolled 161,808 postmenopausal US women between 1993 and 1998.</p> <p>At enrolment, participants in the study completed (among other things) a test that measured their optimism.</p> <p>The researchers took this data from 159,255 of the participants, and compared it to their lifespan. (Study participants who died less than two years after enrolment were excluded from the analysis, on the grounds that their health may have affected their optimism, as were participants who didn’t complete the test.)</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p194387-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>The researchers found that, across every racial and ethnic group in the study, higher optimism was associated with a longer lifespan. Lifestyle accounted for about a quarter of this association, but the link was still evident even when lifestyle was taken into account.</p> <p>Other research has compared these optimism measures to other health factors in the past, but this is the first study to examine the race and ethnicity of the whole cohort.</p> <p>“Although optimism itself may be patterned by social structural factors, our findings suggest that the benefits of optimism for longevity may hold across racial and ethnic groups,” says lead author Hayami Koga, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, US.</p> <p>“Optimism may be an important target of intervention for longevity across diverse groups.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=194387&amp;title=Do+optimistic+women+live+longer%3F+New+study+seems+to+find+it+so" width="1" height="1" /></em></div> <div id="contributors"> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/optimism-and-longevity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Could this 10 second balance test determine the longevity of your life?

<p>For adults who fall in the older age bracket, being able to balance briefly on one foot may predict how long they’ll live.</p> <p>People who failed the 10-second balance test, which involves standing on one foot were nearly twice as likely to die in the next 10 years, according to a report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.</p> <p>Unlike aerobic fitness, flexibility and muscle strength, balance tends to be preserved until the sixth decade of life. After that, balance tends to wane quite quickly.</p> <p>Exactly why a simple balance test can predict risk of death is not yet known, said the study’s lead author, Dr Claudio Gil Soares de Araújo.</p> <p>Poor balance and poor muscular fitness can be linked with frailty in older adults. “Aged people falling are in very high risk of major fractures and other related complications,” Araújo wrote.</p> <p>“This may play a role in the higher risk of mortality.”</p> <p>Checking balance on one foot, even for those few seconds, can be valuable way to determine someone’s risk of falling.</p> <p><strong>How does balance predict longevity?</strong></p> <p>To explore whether a balance test might reveal insight into a person’s risk of death from any cause during the next decade, Araújo and his team reexamined data from the 1994 CLINIMEX Exercise cohort study.</p> <p>This study assessed associations between physical fitness, cardiovascular risk factors, and the risk of developing poor health and dying.</p> <p>For the new report, the researchers focused on 1702 participants from ages 51 to 75 with the average age being 61. At their first study checkup, when weight, waist size and measures of body fat were collected.</p> <p>The researchers included only people who could walk steadily in their analysis.</p> <p>At the first checkup, participants were asked to stand on one leg for 10 seconds without holding onto anything to support themselves.</p> <p>The participants were allowed three tries and were asked to place the front of the uplifted foot on the back of the weight bearing leg, while keeping their arms by their sides and their gaze fixed straight ahead.</p> <p>Overall, one in five failed the test with researchers noting inability to pass the test rose with age.</p> <p>In general, those who failed the test were in poorer health than those who passed, with a higher proportion being obese, having cardiovascular disease and unhealthy blood cholesterol levels.</p> <p>Type 2 diabetes was three times more common among people who failed the test as those who passed.</p> <p>After accounting for factors such as age, sex, BMI, history of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, the researchers found that the risk of death within 10 years was 1.84-fold higher in participants who failed the balance test.</p> <p>The good news, Araújo said, is “it is never too late to improve balance by specific training. A couple of minutes a day - at home or in a gym could help a lot,” he continued. </p> <p>During a physical, doctors typically check people’s hearts, lungs, cholesterol and blood pressure, but usually don’t measure what shape they’re in. If a doctor can determine if a patient has balance issues a program can be issued to improve overall fitness and wellbeing.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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How certain personality traits could add years to your life

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A recent study has shown that people who have certain personality traits </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">will enjoy health into their 80s and beyond.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to research, the link between longevity and personality is as strong as financial stability or intelligence, both of which have previously been cited as relating to longer lifespans. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While these traits are fairly stable in most people, experts believe these five key personality traits can be enhanced at any stage of life to increase the chances of longevity. </span></p> <p><strong>Conscientiousness</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who are often conscientious, meaning responsible and organized, tend to live longer than people who aren’t. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psychology professor Nicholas Turiano, says, “It’s probably the best silver bullet we can hope for.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He says that being conscientious builds up “a resilience factor” that can help individuals overcome major obstacles in life, such as health complications or poverty. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who are conscientious also tend to have healthier habits and lifestyles, and are diligent about having positive coping strategies. </span></p> <p><strong>Purpose</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another quality for longevity is having a purposeful life, and a clear direction in life and fulfilling goals to keep you motivated. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who are purposeful in their life tend to bounce back from confronting situations quicker than most, and have a self-awareness factor that can prove very valuable. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Purposefulness also shows itself in the form of creativity and hobbies, as having these outlets keep the brain alert and fulfilled, as well as working to decrease the risk of dementia and depression. </span></p> <p><strong>Optimism</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to psychologist Lewina Lee, optimism has long been associated with longevity, and often goes hand in hand with confidence. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would think that optimistic people tend to feel more confident about their ability to accomplish goals as they age,” said Lee.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who find the positives of ageing, like wisdom and emotional maturity, live an average of 7.6 years longer than those who feel negatively about getting older. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These advantages are often seen in people who regularly exercise, eat a healthy diet and don’t let the small, unimportant things get to them. </span></p> <p><strong>Extraversion</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being outgoing or extraverted is another trait that can help to lengthen your span of health. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psychology professor Susan Charles said, “The link between social relationships and longevity is as strong as cholesterol levels or smoking.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Social butterflies tend to be more active in their lifestyles, which greatly helps overall health. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is also a link between valuable friendships releasing chemicals in the brain that increase happiness, making an individual feel less stressed and more assured. </span></p> <p><strong>A lack of neuroticism</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inner tranquility and an even disposition often help to reduce stress levels, and therefore promote longevity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Susan Charles said, “They’re less likely to report feeling ecstatic or so sad that nothing will cheer them up.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This inner peace and acceptance also helps to promote a healthy sleeping schedule, and reduce tension.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reducing outside stress factors, assessing relationships and increasing creative outlets can all be valuable tools to help someone achieve this inner tranquility.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Shutterstock </span></em></p>

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This Italian village of centenarians holds the secret to a long life

<p>The secret to a long life may just lie in a small Italian village known for its fishing, olive groves and rolling hills.</p> <p>Scientist have spent the last six months researching why this one Italian village on the banks of the Mediterranean boast so many centenarians. In fact, in the village of Acciaroli celebrating a milestone 100th birthday is commonplace with one in 10 of the 700 residents expected to live to reach 100 years of age.</p> <p>So what did the team from Rome’s Sapienza University and the San Diego School of Medicine discover? The key to longevity is simple – a healthy Mediterranean diet with plenty of rosemary for good measure.</p> <p>The study found that elderly people in the village have unusually good blood circulation, which helps to feed nutrients to the body and efficiently take away waste products through the capillaries. Analysing the blood samples from more than 80 elderly people, the scientist also discovered that villagers had remarkably low levels of a hormone called adrenomedullin, more commonly seen in people aged in their 20s or 30s.</p> <p>Although scientists have pinpointed the exact reasons, they believe a combination of a healthy diet based on vegetables, herbs and fish, combined with lots of exercise and genetic factors has developed over centuries.</p> <p><img width="481" height="353" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/09/04/12/00684A5F00000258-3773109-image-a-1_1472989200818.jpg" alt="Locals typically eat a Mediterranean diet based on olive oil, vegetables, fish and a fresh fruit" class="blkBorder img-share" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-db52072c31518918"/></p> <p>The elderly people in the region exercise on a regular basis, and eat plenty of olive oil, locally-caught fish and home-reared rabbits and chickens. They also add lots of local herbs to meals, particularly rosemary, which is believed to help keep the brain functioning.</p> <p>Quite amazingly, the residents of Acciaroli not only live long lifes, but they seem immune from age-related diseases such as dementia, heart disease and other chronic conditions.</p> <p>It was in the Cilento peninsula that the American scientist Ancel Keys first identified the health benefits of what came to be known as the Mediterranean Diet, based on a diet of olive oil, fresh fruit and vegetables and fish.</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/music/2016/08/can-music-help-us-fall-asleep/"><em>Can music help us fall asleep?</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/health/mind/2016/08/stop-your-mind-racing-at-night/"><em>How to stop your mind from racing in the middle of the night</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/08/shocking-effect-of-a-bad-nights-sleep/"><em>The shocking effect a bad night’s sleep can have</em></a></strong></span></p>

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