Recently I attended @What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit hosted by Mary Furlong Associates and AgeTech Collaborative from AARP. Now, it would take me a great many words (shocker) to properly summarize that amazing experience, and I may do so in the near future.
But first, it got me thinking about a topic I’d been wanting to write about for a while: What are the secrets to longevity and quality of life, shared directly from the people who accomplish it?
Years ago, I started asking questions to learn from these amazing people. To my grandparents, to their friends, to my friends who have parents and grandparents who made it into their 90s and 100s with good energy and zest for life. To what do you credit making it so far, and with a smile on your face? What if you had to pick just one thing?
Now, there are documentaries covering this topic, one for sure that I enjoyed and learned a great deal from is Dan Buettner’s “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones” – and I recommend it. Some of the things that were shared with me aren’t found in that documentary, though.
So here we go, I’ll share a few of them in the interest of brevity and in no particular order:
“Swim – it’s great for cardiovascular health and strengthens muscle.”
This one was from Ruth Waugaman, my grandmother on my father’s side of the family. She lived to her mid-90s and was in the pool at least 3 days per week for as long as I remember, and continued until she absolutely couldn’t any more. She was sharp as a tack until her final year, and always in great shape with good energy.
“Stay curious and keep learning.”
Chuck Waugaman, my grandfather on my father’s side, who also lived well into his 90s. He read. He attended lectures at the local college. He read some more. He listened to different types of music. He started new hobbies. He traveled to new places. He engaged his brain more than most, and was both brilliant and interesting because of it. And oh yes, he did many of these things with my grandmother, and they had many intellectual conversations together and with friends to keep the brain working.
“Share the love.”
Ruth Kistler, my grandmother on my mom’s side, also late 90s with spunk and class. She was always looking to make a difference for someone else. A new resident at her care community who needed a friend, a mission to donate her time or treasure, someone on her care team that needed uplifting. My mom Vicky has this gift too, giving of self to the benefit of others even at personal sacrifice.
“Never stop playing.”
This is from Antoinette Nappe, my friend Eric Spottswood’s grandmother who is 103. This makes sense to me, and I’ve learned over the years that taking oneself less seriously and injecting play and silliness along the way makes for a much more joyful life. Some of the most successful people I know are always looking for ways to bring some fun to situations, even the heavier moments.
“Sunbathe nude.”
That’s right! I laughed when I heard it, but it was serious advice. I wish I could give proper credit to the source but it was at a committee meeting for an alumni group a few years back and I don’t recall who said it. This member’s grandmother had just turned 100, I asked my question, “What’s her secret to longevity.” The answer, “She sunbathed nude every day until recently, when the neighbors started complaining.” How good is that?! Yep, Dr. Daniel Amen would agree, Vitamin D3 is a big deal and most of us don’t get enough sunlight or fatty fish to produce enough of it. Now, I’m not a doctor nor here to debate the pros and cons of this as it relates to skin cancer and sunburn, D3 supplements are another option to reduce those risks. This is simply one centurions secret to a longer life.
Have faith. Laugh a lot. Be yourself. Don’t sweat the small stuff. More time with family and friends. Work hard. These are some of the other answers.
And of course, there is also proper eating, sleep, and exercise, I’ll leave those to the documentary.
Albert Einstein said, “Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.”
When people celebrate birthdays, I say “Happy birthday! Another year BETTER.” This isn’t meant to be just words – it’s my serious hope for everyone, because aging is mandatory but growth is a choice and takes effort. Some embrace this fact and others are reactive and play the victim role. Older is older, and it’s not a good thing. But, the aging still happens whether you take a proactive and positive view or not. What direction will you take it? My mentor David McWilliams used to ask everyone on his team on their birthdays – “Are you older or better?” I love that.
Dr. Christina Chen, a Geriatrician at Mayo Clinic, said “Research suggests that only about 15% to 25% of aging is dependent on your genes. Your lifestyle and the environment in which you live are more influential in determining your life span. That means it’s never too late to change the course of your health.”
So what’s it for you? Older or BETTER?