Staying Healthy With Age

5 things that will help you live to 100 years old!
In the early 1970s, National Geographic asked physician and research scientist Alexander Leaf to study and then report back about some of the world’s healthiest and longest living people. One of the groups Dr. Leaf chose was the people of Abkhasia; an autonomous region within Soviet Georgia.

The 1970 census had established it as “the longevity capital of the world” due to it having an extraordinary number of people who lived beyond the age of 100 years.
According to Shoto Gogoghian, a world renowned MD, who is one of the leading authorities on Abkhasian longevity, a whopping 80 percent of all Abkhasians live to be over the age of 90. Only 10 percent have poor hearing and fewer than 4 percent have poor eyesight.
The following are 5 key factors that were found to explain why Abkhasians live such a long life:
1) They get plenty of exercise: A high level of physical fitness is required to navigate to the steep terrain where they live and to and from other villages. An Abkhasian’s day is full of motion.
2) They never become sedentary: The Abkhasians never retire. The elderly still work regularly planting and pruning trees, tending to their garden and some even chop wood and haul water.
3) Their eating: Their diet consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain cereals and Matzoni; which is a fermented beverage made from the milk of goats, cows, or sheep.
4) They have almost no stress and surround themselves with only positive influences: Unlike the present day hustle and bustle culture where stress is a regular occurrence throughout the day, the Abkhasian’s are not on schedule. They have no deadlines or places they need to be at “such and such” a time. Note: Don’t confuse this with thinking that the Abkasians are lazy. As mentioned above, they are remarkably active and physically fit. They also make the best of each day by surrounding themselves with only uplifting and happy people!
5) They have tremendous respect for the elderly: In Abkhasia a person’s status increases with age. As the years go by, a person receives more privileges. This respect does not depend on wealth or occupation. The elderly poor are given more social standing than someone younger who has wealth. They have no phrase for the term “old people.” They choose instead to say “long-living people.” People are seen as being beautiful in their old age. Wrinkles are viewed as a sign of wisdom and maturity.
Elders are looked upon as indispensable – society’s most treasured resources. For Abkhasians, it would be considered an insult to tell people they are looking young. In fact, being told that you’re looking old today is actually a compliment. It means that the person is looking wise and beautiful in their maturity.
Contrast to the Western world where old age is often associated with ugliness, and a loss of worth and beauty. Vast amounts of money are spent on facelifts and other surgical procedures in order to make people appear younger. Growing old is looked upon as a curse. Ad campaigns relentlessly drive home the importance of looking young and defying one’s age.
The moral to the story?
To live a long, healthy, and satisfying life, exercise throughout all stages of your life, eat right, avoid stressful situations and, perhaps the most important one of all, have a positive attitude about getting old. Look forward to it. Embrace it with open arms, a happy heart, and a big smile!