Good Health

Here’s To Years In Your Life And Life In Your Years!

By Cammy Dennis

Living a full life could very well mean that you are also going to live a long life. By enriching your life through physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual pursuits, you are also fostering behaviors that support longevity. The science on longevity is clear—although there are genetic influences, the majority of the factors that affect how long and how well you will live are dictated by your lifestyle.

FAMILY TREE: Although we know that genetics plays a role in longevity, there is a lot more to the story than lucky genes. Health-related behaviors almost always trump genetics when it comes to living a long, healthy life. Everyday choices, especially regular exercise and a diet high in nutrients, play a big part.

Other wellness dimensions that nurture emotional, intellectual, and spiritual wellbeing are also especially important. Dr. Thomas Perls, a professor of medicine and geriatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, was the founding director of the New England Centenarian Study. This study observed that older adults with healthy lifestyles were able to compress their disability and improve quality of life. Dr. Perls notes that perceptions of aging typically portray sentiments such as, “The older you get, the sicker you get. But really it is the older you get the healthier you’ve been!”

RESILIENCE: Stress and anxiety to a certain extent are normal. Our bodies and brains are designed to manage these challenges. However, too much stress or chronic stress can be a serious detriment to health. A positive attitude bolsters resilience and helps to manage stress, and possessing positive emotions is associated with living longer. People with a “half-full” perspective typically live seven years longer than the “half-empty” folks. This is due to optimistic, upbeat attitudes helping to increase the feel-good brain chemicals that combat stressors. Additionally, a positive outlook typically translates into healthy behaviors, better nutritional choices, and higher levels of participation in physical activity. The state of your mind will affect the state of your health.

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT: Countless studies demonstrate that strong social connections can add years to your life. Since we have established that our mental state affects the physical processes in our bodies, it makes sense that the enjoyment derived from socialization boosts the positive effect in our brains. The unfortunate flipside to this is that isolation and loneliness can damage our health. Social detachment has been shown to increase levels of cortisol and inflammation in the body, causing the same harm as stress.

“The stress of isolation can weaken people’s immune systems,” Lisa Berkman, director of the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies says. “However, people with strong social connections tend to have better health behaviors, like eating healthy foods and being physically active.”

MINDFULNESS: It is both extremely difficult and important to be able to shut off the world around us. Time, the great measurement that drives our daily lives, is hard to push aside. I encourage you to look for opportunities to surrender your smartwatch and allow your mind to empty. Once upon a time, we lived by the sunrise, sunset, and seasons. Now every minute ticks away and can underscore the stressors we are fighting to tame.

We can train ourselves to become more mindful. Take a moment to ponder what you are grateful for, take notice of what the sunshine feels like on your skin, process what you feel when you hear birds welcoming the day, and savor special memories with loved ones. These are life’s precious moments that with attention can turn ordinary into awe-inspiring. Being mindful is one of the most important drivers of living well.

By making a deliberate effort to “put life in your years,” you are probably also “adding years to your life.”

Cammy Dennis is the fitness director for On Top of the World communities and The Ranch Fitness Center & Spa. She lives the lifestyle she promotes and has trained for triathlons throughout the state, aerobics while living in Tokyo, and various weightlifting events.