Biologists estimate that the human body is programmed to survive for around 120 years. So why only a few exceed a hundred? In an effort to solve this mystery, scientists studied communities where many people lived to an old age. Here are their conclusions. The key to longevity is not only good genes, but also he althy habits that pay off in the second half of life.
The biological limits of human age are set by Jeanne Calment (1875-1997), a French woman with a documented birth certificate who lived 122 years and 164 days, and for men - a Japanese Jiroemon Kimura (1897-2013), who lived 116 years and 54 days. Japan is nb. the country with the highest percentage of centenarians; The record is especially broken by the island of Okinawa, where the 100 thousand. There are about 39 inhabitants who have exceeded the hundred (for comparison - only 5 in Great Britain).
Okinawa is not the only region that can boast a high percentage of robust centenarians. Long-lived people live among the Caucasian highlanders, in Pakistan's Hunza Valley, in the Seventh-day Adventist community in Loma Linda, California, in the mountainous regions of Sardinia, and on the Greek island of Ikaria.
In order to find out what the secret of longevity is, scientists took a closer look at the everyday life of these communities: how they work, what they eat, what their habits and views. Despite their geographic and cultural differences, they noticed many similarities.
Ways of longevity - the principle of moderation
It is striking that the majority of centenarians in the surveyed population were quite thin. Their meals consisted mainly of the crops of modest crops; they ate little meat - hunted or caught in rivers and seas, or goat or mutton from their own breeding. They drank wine, green tea or spring water, which could have, like Caucasian mineral waters, additional he alth benefits. They ate their last meal in the afternoon, they did not overeat before going to bed.
Moderate eating and drinking, and often under-eating, was a consequence of the simple fact that there was never an excess of food in the studied regions. Because the food was precious, you ate slowly, chewing each mouthful. This allowed you to satiate yourself with less food, had a positive effect on digestion and contributed to the optimal use of nutrients.
Ways of longevity - lots of plants, littlemeat
The diet of Okinawans is dominated by vegetables, tofu, seaweed and seafood; the mountain peoples of the Caucasus and Sardinia and the Greeks of Ikaria, apart from vegetables and grains, eat goat and sheep meat and drink wine with pleasure, the Huns do without meat at all, relying on cereals, nuts, vegetables and cheese, while the Adventists are the only abstainers. What is common in their diets?
All of them have the advantage of little-processed plant products. They eat little meat and animal fats, the sources of protein are mainly legumes, possibly fish and seafood, and fats - plants (olive oil, seeds, nuts). If they drink alcohol, it is self-made wine. So, while different local products appear on the tables of the inhabitants of Okinawa, the Himalayas, the Caucasus Mountains and the Mediterranean islands, their diets are essentially very similar: rich in soluble fiber and vegetable protein, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, micronutrients and antioxidants. and low in animal fats, simple sugars and s alt.
Write out, paint over the nutrition pyramid recommended by today's dieticians, who emphasize the beneficial effects of unsaturated fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants on he alth.
ImportantIt is not only the proportions of the diet of centenarians that are important, but also the fact that they ate products harvested in the immediate vicinity. Compare this to our food, processed, preserved for transport and storage, and we will notice a significant difference. The meals in the surveyed communities were made of fresh produce that did not lose their valuable value before they hit the table, so they were more nutritious than ours. They also contained substances that were a natural antidote to harmful environmental influences.
Ways of longevity - physical exertion
Acquiring means of survival cost today's centenarians a lot of effort. From an early age, they were harnessed to help at home or on the family farm. They traveled on foot or on horseback. Their "gym" was everyday life amid the challenges posed by nature, which required being in constant motion, toughening the body and psyche. It must have been beneficial for the heart and circulatory system, but also for the he alth of the bones - aged Caucasian highlanders or Okinawan karate trainers did not suffer from osteoporosis, fractures were rare for them.
Do you know that…There are about 455 thousand centenarians in the world, and over 4200 people have exceeded the magic hundred in Poland. The oldest Polish woman is Jadwiga Szubartowicz, 111-year-old Lublin citizen, and Polish 107-year-old Józef Żurek from Czarnów
Ways to Longevity - Community Immersion
The long-lived are not peoplelonely. They often live in a family of many generations, have a sense of belonging to a local or religious community and are aware that - despite their old age - they are still needed by someone. It motivates them to act, gives them a sense of security, and constitutes an anti-stress umbrella. This is particularly important as chronic stress generates inflammation that causes civilization diseases, especially cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
See the gallery of 8 photosWorth knowing
Sense of meaning and purpose
Communities with many centenarians embrace a philosophy of life that one should have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Okinawans call it "ikigai." Realizing the goals to be pursued, the sense of the meaning of their own existence accompanies them until old age. It gives them everyday work, contact with children and grandchildren, some hobbies - but also deep faith, as for example in Adventists. This approach to life gives you mental resistance, which allows you to deal with adversities easier.
Ways of longevity - the ability to loosen up
Centenarians have the valuable ability to "switch off". Customs rooted in the tradition help them in this: Okinians spend part of the day meditating and remembering their ancestors, Adventists pray, and the inhabitants of Ikaria organize an afternoon nap. This helps to distance oneself from problems and provides relaxation for the psyche. Hence, centenarians are usually characterized by cheerfulness, kindness towards others, and positive emotions.
They laugh a lot - laughter relaxes and activates the muscles - so they have better circulation, lower blood pressure and, as a result, a he althier heart.
Is there any science for us, who are decades younger than that? After all, we cannot live like Caucasian highlanders or Japanese fishermen; our environment and the nature of work force a completely different lifestyle. However, we can try to modify it - also for the benefit of our children who learn from us how to live.
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