Living Longer

The old paradigm of living was that body wore out over time & life became increasingly unfulfilling. Many possibilities are irrelevant or not available after a certain age which was randomly defined by each society and each individual.

The new paradigm is that life is a process of constant transformation & not decline. It is full of potential for unlimited growth. Automatic decline is not programmed into our bodies. Human life is incredibly resilient.

In the 1930s, Maurice Earnest who studied centenarians across European cultures had noted in his book The Longer Life "that just a few simple habits can take us to 100 to 120 years of active & clear headed life."

He enlisted following habits.

Eat frugally

Exercise and get plenty of fresh air

Develop an easy going personality

Maintain a good personal hygiene

Drink wholesome liquids

Get plenty of rest

Have a bowel movement once a day

Enjoy a reasonable sex life

Live in temperate climate

Get proper medical attention if ill

Of all factors, frugal diet is the factor which was practiced by people who were consciously living a long life.

Ancient Roman & Greek also had notions of frugal diet as the secret of longevity.

A human diet restricted to 60% of normal calories -- roughly 1400 calories per day for an average adult is on the border line offasting. The food should be selected carefully. Make sure that all vitamins and minerals are included. Under nutrition is not same as malnutrition.

Exercise is known to retard aging. How much activity is actually needed to make a significant contribution to longevity? The least active people had the highest death rates. Surprisingly most striking improvement came with fairly modest levels of activity.

Someone who walked 30 minutes a day, six days a week had a mortality rate which was a mortality rate for someone running 30 to 40 miles per week.

Medical research suggests that exercising for fitness was not the same as exercising for health. If you perform regular, minimal activity -- the equivalent of walking half an hour a day -- you will get most of the longevity benefits obtainable from exercises.

Case Study: This is a case study of Abkhasia. It is a remote mountain region of southern Russia. Study noted that people here were found to be living beyond 100 years naturally. Much of the credit for this went to diet besides frequent exercise.

Their total intake of fats & calories is much lower than westerners. They consumed, on an average 1500 to 2000 calories. Their daily fat consumption was about 60 grams.

They mostly ate home grown vegetables and dairy products. Most of them consumed yogurt, milk every day. They would walk every day distances about 20 miles as the region was hilly and there were no concrete roads.

Conclusion of case study -- A life time of light eating & considerable physical activity helps you live longer.

In the words of religious writer Huston Smith: In order to live, man must believe in that for which he lives. People die when their core of belief is gone.

The most meaningful thing you can live for is to reach your full potential.

At any given age the body and mind you experience are but a tiny fraction of the possibilities still open to you -- there are always infinite new skills, insights and depths of realization ahead of you.

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Pradeep Mahajan is a health enthusiast. He researches, studies & writes on health & fitness topics.