In profiling the residents, Buettner states he has discovered both unique and common characteristics of people who not only live much longer than most of us, but are defying the stereotype of what it means to age. They are healthy and active well into their 80s, 90s, and beyond.

What are the secrets to longevity? Buettner shares his observations at Blue Zones.

In Loma Linda, a healthy social circle was important, as well as snacking on nuts. In Okinawa, the lack of urgency about time, being likeable and turmeric stood out. In Sardinia, fava beans and drinking red wine high in polyphenols were common factors in longevity. In addition, overlapping lifestyle and behavior traits included women who felt empowered by the society they lived in, adequate daily exposure to sunshine, gardening, constant moderate physical exercise, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, keeping meat in the diet to a minimum, staying connected and actively involved with family, friends and community and living at a higher altitude. It appears that people who live in higher altitudes have lower blood pressure.

Buettner has partnered with the University of Minnesota, Allianz Life Insurance and the National Geographic Society to create the Blue Zones Compass, a program that can predict how long you might live based on your current lifestyle. To learn more about this and read the latest in Buettner’s quest to continue to discover the secrets to living a long and happy life, visit Blue Zones. To watch an ABC News video interview with Buettner, visit Searching for the Fountain of Youth.

Post from: Aging Fabulous

Not necessarily. With a few changes in routine, we can keep the spring in our step and maintain a pain-free vitality we have come to expect and enjoy. UCLA physical therapist Ziya Altug offers an anti-aging program designed to turn back the hands of time. In The Anti-Aging Fitness Prescription, Altug outlines an exercise and stress reduction program in maintaining flexibility and strength of both body and mind; simple skin and hair tips to regain a youthful look; recipes, meal plans and nutrition diary to make the most of our efforts.

While no one is telling us we will eliminate all the aches and pains of aging, there are proactive steps we can take to greatly minimize the annoying pain that creeps into our muscles and joints when we were not paying attention to the calendar. Foremost, is managing weight gain. Carrying around extra weight is hard on the joints. Basically, losing weight results from portion control in eating less — and in eating the right foods.

The more our body hurts, the less we move — the less we move, the more our body hurts. The less we move the more weight we are likely to gain.

Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, walking, swimming, biking, dancing, low-impact sports and exercising with weights are some of the ways to incorporate the kind of exercise that will make a difference as the candles on the cake continue to increase in number.

Stretching exercises add flexibility, weight-bearing exercise add strength. After that, Altug recommends chondroitin and glucosamine supplements, aspirin and/or ibuprofen to manage and control the aches and pains of aging.

Bottom line though, we should not accept the pain that slows us down as a fact of life as we age.

Post from: Aging Fabulous

Ugliness is in a way superior to beauty because it lasts.
Serge Gainsbourg

The definition of a beautiful woman is one who loves me.
Unknown

Guys are like dogs. They keep coming back. Ladies are like cats. Yell at a cat one time…they’re gone.
Lenny Bruce

Dieting!
Statistics show most Diets start tomorrow
Unknown

What are the three words guaranteed to humiliate men everywhere?
‘Hold my purse.’
Unknown

Post from: Aging Fabulous