Here’s to long life!

We’re all grateful that wine is good for our health, but what else can we do to increase our chances of living long, happy lives? We scoured the Internet for the best advice on longevity – particularly paying attention to an array of Octogenarians, and gleaning from their hard-earned wisdom and experience.

Behold: Five tried-and-tested tips for a longer life…

  1. Keep moving.

Exercising regularly and throughout one’s life is key. After serving in World War II, marching with Martin Luther King Jr. and serving at the D.C. Superior Court, George Boggess is 103 and hopes to live to 105. His advice for living a long life: lots of walking. “I attribute my longevity to a great extent to walking, not being in the back of the car strapped down,” he told Washington’s Top News in 2013. New York resident Duranord Veillard, 108, starts each day with five to seven pushups every morning, even now. He celebrated his latest birthday in February with his wife of 82 years, Jeanne, who turned 105 in May.

  1. Love freely, laugh lots and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Although this could be three separate tips, they all point to a common outlook on life – an antioxidant-rich attitude if you will. Almost all of the octogenarians interviewed seemed to stress the importance of stressing less. Many also credited the ability to laugh at themselves and life as an important key to their lifespan. Gertrude Weaver, lived to the ripe old age of 116. One of the last surviving people born in the 1800s when she passed in April 2015, she credited her 116 years to simply being kind. Her advice for a long life: “Treat people right and be nice to other people the way you want them to be nice to you,” she told TIME in 2014.

  1. Don’t underestimate sleep.

Many of the people interviewed cherish rest. Weaver (mentioned in the point above) also credited her lack of chronic health problems to getting plenty of sleep. Burning the candle at both ends is a sure-fire way to decrease not only your health, but your overall years too.

  1. Eat good food.

Although there’s room for enjoying life, maintaining balance and an overall healthy diet is important. Misao Okawa reached an impressive 117 years of age and credited her long life to her diet of sushi, getting eight hours of sleep each night and relaxing. Japan is believed to have more than 50,000 people who have lived to be over 100 years old. This is often attributed to the country’s low-fat diet, which is rich in sushi and fish.

  1. Live a little.

Despite the general rules of healthy eating, Jeanne Calment lived until 122 and ascribed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance to olive oil, port wine, and nearly one kilogram of chocolate every week! And although Paul Marcus clocked in time at his local fitness facility, even into his 100’s, he said the secret to longevity is luck and ice cream! Indeed, none of us are guaranteed another year, decade, or even day. So embrace the people around you and the joy that today brings with it.


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