Longevity may seem like a difficult goal to achieve but living long and well could be surprisingly simple. The lifestyle of a 102-year-old woman suggests that it could be as easy as a non-restrictive diet and a positive outlook. Here’s what the centenarian owes to a decade-long lifespan.
“I didn’t expect to live this long, that’s for sure,” Helen Mongelia, 102, who lives in the U.S, told the Harvard Medical School.
“But I’ve tried not to let anything bother me too much. I have two great daughters, two sons-in-law, and two grandchildren — what else can you ask for? There’s my happiness right there.”
Helen Mongelia’s lifestyle habits reflect the small ingredients that could form a recipe for a longer life.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to longevity, the centenarian shares the habits that brought her a long and colourful life.
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While Ms Mongelia never restricted her diet and enjoyed eating meat, she had access to an abundant supply of fresh fruit and veg.
Her early fare was packed with the colourful variety grown in her family’s garden. Canning the goodies also ensured they could be enjoyed all year long.
Although she didn’t follow a strict and rigid diet, the 102-year-old skipped most alcoholic drinks.
From various cancers to strokes, alcohol doesn’t exactly hide its harmful effects on the body, increasing the risk of many serious health problems.
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While Ms Mongelia didn’t restrict her eating, you might still want to think twice about what you eat.
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Various studies, including research in the journal PLOS Medicine, suggest that swapping a typical Western diet rich in processed food for foods like whole grains, legumes, and nuts could increase your lifespan by more than a decade.
Although the greatest benefits were observed in people who started following this regime at 20, the researchers noted that everyone can reap the benefits.
Another healthy habit followed by Ms Mongelia and her family is walking. They walked “everywhere” – think church, school, grocery store.
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Last but not least, the centenarian also keeps a positive outlook and maintains an upbeat attitude that matches her mental sharpness.
“Just keep going and going and going, and don’t give up,” she said.
Research, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, also highlights the importance of staying optimistic.
Looking at nearly 160,000 American women between the ages of 50 and 79, the researchers found that higher levels of optimism were linked to higher odds of living beyond 90.
However, Ms Mongelia also seems to have good genes as her family is full of people with longer-than-average life spans.
Although her father died of lung disease at the age of 78, her mother lived till 93 and her siblings also reached their 10th decade, with two brothers still alive.
It seems that fresh food, movement, a positive outlook and good genes are what she owes to reaching her 102nd birthday, according to Harvard Medical School.
While your genes are non-negotiable, other lifestyle practices like diet and exercise can be easily implemented into your routine.
Source: Daily Express
