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For as long as I’ve known him, my father, who passed away a year ago at the age of 101, led a very healthy and active life. He ran every morning until he was 70, kept his stress levels to a minimum, and maintained close ties with family and friends — three of the principles explained by Dan Buettner in his book “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from People Who Lived Longer. “
As I also hope to be a centenarian, I follow his example. I’ve incorporated many of the practices I’ve observed in it (and a few others) into my life.
“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper,” Dad intoned. He ate his smallest meal early in the evening. When it came to lunch, he followed another rule of the inhabitants of the Blue Zone: don’t eat dinner when it’s 80% full. .
Although I have a history of overeating, I’ve learned to eat healthy and in moderation most of the time: I eat 90% plant nutrition with fish and eat junk food in moderation. Main meal in the evening, but it’s usually an undeniable dish that’s prepared in a single pan.
As for alcohol, many centenarians enjoy a glass of wine, but they don’t overdo it. My father, however, drank heavily until the last five years of his life, when, after a serious catheter operation, his doctor prescribed him to avoid drinking. I drink two glasses of wine in the evening and it’s the pleasure to blame.
My father was a hiker, backpacker, and runner since his school days. By the time he was 70, he had gone from running outdoors to exercising on a motorcycle and treadmill.
I started running in school with my dad and gradually came to love exercises of all kinds; I’m an “adult fitness enthusiast” myself. Being physically active, especially outdoors, provides me with wonderful pleasure, whether it’s traveling long distances in other parts of the world (my husband, Barry, and I hiked the 540-mile Camino de Santiago). , cycling or rowing.
I’m also looking for tactics to incorporate physical activity into my daily routine, like many centenarians, who don’t exercise in the fashion sense but incorporate movement into their daily lives. And unlike my father, who lived in the suburbs, I live in walkable areas. communities (I split my time between Mexico and California), so I rarely drive and it’s easy to walk a lot every day.
Although my father suffered many losses throughout his life (he outlived not only my mother and her next two wives, but also two of his five children), he was very resilient. Then he got married, which wasn’t easy for me. However, I now realize that it helped him avoid loneliness, which in the opinion of the surgeon general is as deadly as smoking.
As for me, a few years ago I told a friend, “I don’t do Christmas stress. “Gradually, this attitude spread to the rest of my life. It’s not that simple, of course. Naturally, I enjoy stressful occasions from time to time, but I’ve learned to alleviate them by walking or doing other exercises, talking to a friend, journaling, and meditating.
Centenarians know why they need to get up in the morning. I never asked my father what his goal was, but he was very committed to life. After 9/11, for example, he joined an interfaith organization of Christians, Jews and Muslims, and then traveled. to the Middle East with a peace delegation. At the age of 80, he volunteered to build houses in Honduras.
I love connecting with people, learning, and being creative. I write, cook and paint. During the times of the year when we are in Mexico, I also speak Spanish and spend a lot of time volunteering.
My father lived in Pennsylvania. Although none of his children lived in the same state, we visited him and had regular telephone contact.
For 30 years, he met with a group of friends every month, and they all shared their lives and reflected on existing problems or a book they had read.
I also don’t live near the members of my family circle, but I have normal contact with them. And while I have friends in any of the communities where we live, new “prospects” have noticed that close ties can quickly end in moves, irreconcilable differences, or death.
Unlike most centenarians, my father didn’t have a strong faith. I’m not a classic believer either, but I act like I am. Call it the placebo effect. I write notes to God and ask for help when I’m struggling, and it works.
Of course, there are no guarantees. Many have compatibility, other people die young. Still, there’s no harm in my chances, especially since I enjoy those activities anyway and they contribute to my quality of life. What do I have to lose?