We happened upon a tv show last weekend, one that caught our attention because it focused on folks living to 90 and beyond. When you get to 62, 90 doesn’t seem so far away. The program addressed factors that determine who will live to 90 and beyond successfully. The keyword there is successfully, isn’t it? Who wants to live to 90 with severe mental and physical limitations?
I was excited to hear that folks who lived into their 90s with strong mental faculties typically drank two glasses of wine a day! But they also exercised up to 45 minutes a day. Genetics also plays a role, though not as much as I thought. What surprised me was no one interviewed paid much attention to what they ate. Or took vitamins.
In our house we’ve been exploring the non-inflammatory diet (arthritis), taking vitamin D and fish oil like we’ve been told, and watching our sugar intake. Oh, and here’s the kicker. In this study, people with higher cholesterol and a little extra weight lived longer than skinnies. Go figure.
I know research can be read in a variety of ways, and any one thing doesn’t guarantee lifelong health. But paying attention to what researchers are learning can’t hurt.
And speaking of learning, keeping our brains active is important. I’m about to get rollers for my new press (maybe today, USPS?). Once I hook them up, I should be able to figure out how to make this thing work. I love a good challenge :)