How to Live to 100: Seven Secrets to a Long, Healthy Life
I’m a strategic planner, by nature. That causes me to think about both the short term and the long run, and to orient my life around both timeframes.
For example, I recently attended a retirement party for a few colleagues. One of the sentiments shared is how great it is that each of them are young enough – and healthy enough – to enjoy the next season of their lives.
I think it’s important to have thoughts, plans, and even dreams around retirement. I also believe it’s important to live life today, and not wait for a time in the future to do all the things we want to do, and travel to all the places we want to go.
So, I do both. I live for today, and I also plan to live well beyond 100.
When I tell people how long I plan to live, I’m often met with skepticism. I’m fascinated by the study of longevity, though, and the reality is people are living longer than ever before. That trend will continue as the field of medicine continues to advance, and as we learn more about longevity.
At the beginning of the 20th century, average life expectancy in the U.S. was just under 50 years. Today, the average baby born today will live almost 80 years.
According to David Sinclair, co-director of a lab on aging at Harvard Medical School, the first person to live to 150 has already been born. Innovations in medicine have dramatically increased lifespan, and will continue to do so.
While it’s hard to predict the long-term effects of medical innovation, one thing is clear: You have the power to dramatically influence the quality of your life, and how long you live.
Below are seven steps you can take to live the longest, healthiest life possible:
1. Eat a healthy diet. There are two parts to a healthy diet – eating more of the foods that support you (whole grains, lean protein, vegetables and fruit), and avoiding or eating less food that doesn’t support you (anything containing saturated fats and trans fats). Rather than trying to totally transform your diet, consider adding or eliminating one food. By doing this periodically (over a five year period, I added one new superfood per year), the effect on your diet is dramatic over time. And it’s more sustainable, because you’ve done it gradually.
2. Engage in regular physical activity. Physical activity helps improve your overall health, fitness, and quality of life. It also helps reduce the risk of chronic disease. A solid fitness regimen includes both aerobic exercise and strength training. If you aren’t currently exercising, then start slow. Find an activity you enjoy, and incorporate it into your life. Engaging in regular physical activity can make all the difference.
3. Don’t smoke. I can’t believe I’m still writing about smoking in 2022. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, at least 69 of which are known to cause cancer. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, and is a main cause of lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It also causes coronary heart disease, stroke, and a whole host of other cancers and diseases. I’ll never understand why people are still smoking. If you smoke, just stop. The sooner you quit smoking, the greater long-term health benefits you will enjoy.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health, and helps prevent and control many diseases and conditions. Maintaining a healthy weight also helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life. If you’re not where you need or want to be in this area, then begin moving in that direction today.
5. Build a strong social network. Studies have shown that people with strong social networks live healthier and longer lives than those who are socially isolated. Humans are wired for social interaction, and having a strong network reduces stress, and influences our health habits. I’ve written elsewhere about surrounding yourself with success, and part of that for me includes being intentional about creating and nurturing relationships not only with people my own age, but also developing friendships with people both older and younger than me. You can learn from the wisdom and life experience of people older than you, and be energized by the difference in perspective from the younger generations. Both are valuable to your health and well-being.
6. Find your purpose. The Japanese have a concept called “ikigai,” which is something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living. Costa Ricans refer to their “Plan de Vida.” This refers to their soul’s purpose, and is often translated as “why I wake up in the morning.” Having a sense of purpose doesn’t just give you a reason to get up in the morning – it also helps make you more resilient when facing the challenges of life. If you can find small “wins” in your life every day, then you will enjoy a more fulfilling life as a whole.
7. Give back. Studies have shown that generosity may be a “magic pill” for happiness and longevity. Whether you give back through volunteering, charitable donations, or random acts of kindness, the benefits of giving are significant. The recipients of your gestures benefit, of course, which is the primary reason for giving. As an added bonus, though, the physical and psychological benefits of your generosity are well-documented, resulting in overall greater happiness, which contributes to longevity.
If you want to learn more about longevity and living to age 100 and beyond, here are a couple cutting edge books on the subject:
– Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don’t Have To, by David A. Sinclair PhD
Both books will change the way you think about why you age, and what you can do about it.
While these seven steps are no guarantee you’ll live to 100 and beyond, incorporating them into your life can definitely increase your chances. So much of the quality of our lives, and even our longevity, is within our control. Live life intentionally, both for yourself and those around you.
