Three Ways To Live Longer
A recent news article highlighted three keys to a longer life - eating (much) less, getting high (altitude-wise) and being happy. In some ways, the last one seems obvious. Only happy people would even want to live longer, and the unhappy ones frequently bump themselves off. But here’s the author’s take:
Chico Enterprise Record - Optimism is one of the keys to a long life
People who restrict their caloric intake may be able to lengthen their lives. Swanson said a study funded by the National Institutes of Health was conducted using overweight people as subjects. People who were in the group that reduced their caloric intake by 25 percent for six months not only lost weight, but reduced their core temperature and their nighttime and resting metabolic levels — changes that are linked to longevity.He said there is a Caloric Restriction Society for people who are trying to live longer by eating fewer calories.
Okinawans, who have about 70 percent of the caloric intake of other Japanese people, have 40 times more centenarians than that country as a whole, Swanson said.
Another way to increase your lifespan is to live in the mountains. Swanson said people in Colorado’s seven counties with the highest elevations have the longest lifespans — 81.3 years — of anybody in the country.
Caloric restriction and a low-oxygen environment are both examples of how an organism’s reaction to stress can boost its survival strategies. But humans have additional mechanisms for extending their lives, Swanson said. Our minds can influence our bodies.
Another study found that one of the best ways to avoid dying from a heart attack — along with having the right family history and lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol — is optimism. Swanson said people who can “get up and get going” whenever they have setbacks are more likely to stay healthy.