If you want to age well, here’s what you need to do
Dear Reader,
It’s what everyone hopes to be as they grow old — a Superager!
Those folks aren’t just doing okay into their 70s, 80s, and beyond, but they’re very physically fit for their age… and they’re mentally on par with people young enough to be one of their grandkids.
So, what do these people know that you don’t? What are they doing that’s keeping them young (and not just young at heart)?
Some new research has made an unexpected discovery of something that plays a very big role in how well you age.
According to that research, you may want to do more than just send a Christmas card to some of your best buddies this holiday season — because keeping your friends as close as possible can stop Father Time in his tracks!
Staying connected
Researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine set out to discover what makes that rare breed of older folks who stay forever young — known as “Superagers” — and what they found was quite surprising.
They’d previously done an in-depth look at their physical differences, finding that these super seniors actually had a larger cerebral cortex (that’s the wrinkly outer layer that covers the brain) than their peers did.
This time, they set out to see what external factors contribute to becoming a Superager. And they found one interesting common denominator — having and maintaining “positive, warm, and trusting friendships.”
As the head author of the study, professor Emily Rogalski, put it, “You don’t have to be the life of the party.” But, she said, it’s clear that maintaining “strong social networks seems to be linked to slower cognitive decline.”
In fact, Rogalski puts close friendships right on par with the benefits of eating a healthy diet and not smoking!
As an old saying goes, “Friends are God’s way of taking care of us.” Now, science has proven that!
While staying connected with your friends seems to rank high on the list of ways to tip the odds in your favor of aging exceptionally, other studies have been looking at certain locales where residents live long and prosper.
They discovered areas that appear to be the longevity capitals of the world, dubbed “Blue Zones.”
Now, in these places it would seem odd to make a big deal out of turning 100 — since living that long with all of your facilities intact and remaining active isn’t all that unusual.
While these Blue Zones are all over the world, in places such as Costa Rica, Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California, they do have something in common. The residents typically eat a diet consisting of lots of fresh fruits and veggies, fish, and not too much meat and dairy.
It’s very similar to what we know as the Mediterranean diet, which also includes generous amounts of olive oil, healthy spices, and plenty of nuts. And in all of those Blue Zones, residents regularly enjoy moderate amounts of wine!
Other discoveries about aging as well as a bottle of fine wine — in fact, getting better with age — include:
- Getting enough vitamin D from sunshine, food, or supplements. During the summer months, exposing your skin to around 10 minutes a day of sunshine is all it takes. But in the fall and winter, you should start taking a D supplement of at least 2,000 IU a day. Foods such as wild salmon, egg yolks, and mushrooms are also good sources.
- Doing something difficult, be it physical or mental! Scientists have been able to observe certain brain regions that become more active when someone does a tough task. As one expert puts it, do frequent “bouts of strenuous mental effort,” such as learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument.
- Making sure you fit some kind of exercise into your day, and that doesn’t have to be at the gym or fitness center, either. If you can sneak in 20 to 30 minutes of some activity — such as walking — daily, it can do wonders for your all-around health.
And here’s where you can put that current research into action: Making it a habit to walk every day with a good friend will not only help to keep your friendship strong, but will make it much more likely that you’ll keep up with your exercise routine.
“Close friends linked to a sharper memory” Northwestern University, November 1, 2017, Neuroscience News, neurosciencenews.com
