There is no magic pill to keep us living well for a long period of time but there certainly are some well researched strategies which might help. Are these all about nutrition and exercise? No far from it.
One of the common features of those who live well into their later years is that of having ‘found their purpose’. And often living through a time of catastrophe can help us to find this.
History teaches us that in difficult times people often find more meaning and purpose — and even greater levels of happiness. Perhaps because our focus shifts more towards survival than want and desire., our needs become more simple and we feel a sense of comradery.
Research shows that the French haven’t been as happy since the Second World War as they were during the war, and Britons were less happy in the 1980s than in the 1940s.
Both purpose in life and happiness are extremely important for health and longevity but there is also optimism which can add between four and ten years to your life. Let’s keep that glass half full.
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Other drivers to longevity are kindness and volunteering. Volunteers have a 29 percent lower risk of high blood glucose, about 17 percent lower risk of high inflammation levels, and spend 38 percent fewer nights in hospitals than do people who shy away from involvement in charities. So many opportunities to offer acts of kindness during a pandemic.
And then there is friendship. Having a close knit group of friends or work colleagues in whom you trust has been shown to be hugely beneficial to reducing mortality rates. During times of high stress such as this challenging time we are living through, friendships have a tendency to fade into the background, while work and family take center stage. Research shows that this is counterproductive to maintaining your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The mortality risk for people who find themselves socially isolated is equal to that caused by obesity and physical inactivity. Having close relationships enhances your lifespan at a rate equal to that of stopping smoking. So in times when we are forced into self-isolating situations it is important to keep connected any way we can; zoom, social media or a good old-fashioned phone call.
I’m very fond of writing letters or postcards during lockdown as my dear mother said in the early days of lockdown; ‘you can read a card 100 times but with a text its a fleeting moment of happiness’.
Image by Rodnae
We must not forget laughter. A good healthy dose of laughter each day is as important as eating your greens. By activating the neural pathways of emotions like joy and glee, laughter can improve your mood and boost your resilience to stress.
Laughing may help modulate brain levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin our happy hormone. By minimizing your brain’s responses to threats, laughter can offer a reducing effect on the release of stress hormones like cortisol, an overproduction of which has been linked to many health issues including cardiovascular disease . Laughter, as an antidote to stress, needs to be sought out on a daily basis. Making time to talk on the phone with light-hearted friends or listening to humorous podcasts rather than catastrophic news reports are important to our mental health.
Bringing in a combination of these factors on a daily basis alongside eating a healthy plant-based diet and regular moderate exercise may well be the key to Longevity Living.
My 10 day Health Kick starts on 20th January. We will be focusing on many of these areas alongside enjoying an array of plant-based colour, delicious recipes and CONNECTION. For more information see my events page or visit Eventbrite for tickets at the link below;