Science- My centenarian father lived a very healthy life but recently died at 101.
- His practices mirrored Blue Zone principles: eating in moderation, exercising, and reducing stress.
For as long as I knew him, my father, who died a year ago at 101, lived a very healthy, active life. He ran every morning until he was 70, kept his stress level to a minimum, and enjoyed close bonds with family and friends — three of the principles described by Dan Buettner in his book "The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest."
Because I also hope to live to become a centenarian, I'm following his example. I've incorporated many of the practices I saw him live out — and a few others — into my life.
Eat and drink in moderation
"Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper," Daddy used to intone. He always ate his smallest meal in the early evening. At mealtimes, he followed another rule of Blue Zoners: Stop eating when you're 80% full.
While I have a history of overeating, I've learned to eat healthily and moderately most of the time — I eat a 90% plant-based diet with occasional fish, and I indulge in junk food sparingly. I do tend to have my main meal in the evening, but it's typically a simple one-pot dish.
As for alcohol, many centenarians do enjoy a glass of wine, but they don't overdo it. My father, however, was a heavy drinker until the last five years of his life, when, after serious catheter surgery, his doctor ordered him to stop drinking. I have two glasses of wine at night, and I think of it as my guilty pleasure.
Exercise frequently
My father was a hiker, backpacker, and runner, starting in his college years. At 70, he switched from running outdoors to using an exercise bicycle and a treadmill.
I began running during college with my dad and slowly expanded into loving exercise of all kinds; I call myself an "adult-onset fitness lover." Being physically active, especially outdoors, gives me great pleasure, whether I'm walking long-distance routes in different parts of the world (my husband, Barry, and I walked the 540-mile Camino de Santiago), riding my bike, or paddleboarding.
I also find ways to incorporate physical activity into my daily routine, like many centenarians, who often don't exercise in the modern sense but incorporate movement into their daily lives. And unlike my dad, who lived in the suburbs, I live in walkable communities — I split my time between Mexico and California — so I rarely drive, and it's easy to get a lot of walking in each day.
Reduce stress
While my father had a great deal of loss in his life — he outlived not only my mother and two later wives but also two of his five children — he was very resilient. He kept marrying, which was not always easy for me, but now I realize it helped him avoid loneliness, which a surgeon general advisory says is about as deadly as smoking.
As for me, a few years ago I told a friend, "I don't do Christmas stress." Gradually, that attitude has expanded into the rest of my life. It's not always that simple, of course. Naturally, I sometimes experience stressful events, but I've learned to mitigate it through walking or other exercise, talking to a friend, journaling, and meditating.
Have a sense of purpose
Centenarians know why they want to get up in the morning. I never asked my dad what his purpose was, but he was very engaged in life. After 9/11, for example, he joined an interfaith group made up of Christians, Jews, and Muslims, and later went to the Middle East on a peace delegation. When he was 80, he volunteered to build houses in Honduras.
I love connecting with people, learning, and being creative. I write, cook, and paint. During the parts of the year when we're living in Mexico, I also speak Spanish and spend a lot of time volunteering.
Maintain strong connections with family and friends
My dad lived in Pennsylvania. Though none of his children lived in the same state, we visited often and were in frequent contact by phone.
For 30 years, he met with a group of friends every month, and they all shared about their lives and reflected on current issues or a book they'd read.
I don't live near my family members, either, but I'm in regular touch with them. And while I have friends in both communities where we live, I also regularly "prospect" for new ones because I've seen that close connections can unexpectedly end through moves, irreconcilable differences, or death.
Nurture a sense of spirituality
Unlike most centenarians, my dad did not have a strong faith. I'm not a traditional believer, either, but I act as though I am. Call it the placebo effect. I write notes to God and ask for help when I'm struggling, and somehow, it works.
There are no guarantees, of course. Plenty of fit people die young. Still, there's no harm in improving my chances, especially since I enjoy these activities anyway and they add to my quality of life. What have I got to lose?