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Marie attributes her longevity to 3 things:
1. Exercise
or movement. Marie does not go to the gym everyday but keeps moving by
working outside and walking. Dr. Valter Longo, author of The Longevity
Diet, says the best exercise for longevity is the one you enjoy and can
easily incorporate into your daily schedule. I lift weights five days a
week not because I am more disciplined than you, but because I love it.
Whatever you do, exert enough energy that you breathe rapidly and break a
sweat. Muscles grow only when challenged.
A
friend is a looking for a work truck with low miles. Why low miles? In
the past he bought a truck with a great body and high miles and not long
after the purchase many “overworked” components started breaking
down. If we overtrain our joints break down prematurely. On the flip
side, I am leery of buying a vehicle that has low miles because it has
been parked for months or years. Lack of use can cause mechanical
problems as well. Balance and commonsense lead to longevity.
2. Locally
sourced whole foods. We age prematurely by consuming highly processed
foods. They are typically high in sugar, artificial ingredients, refined
carbs, and trans fats. This leads to obesity, an inferior immune
system, and a plethora of other health related issues. Some examples are
frozen meals, baked goods like pastries, processed cheese products,
chips, candy, instant noodles, and sodas. Increase your servings of
processed food and increase your mortality risk significantly. Marie
eats food locally grown such as lean meat, fruits, vegetables, and
legumes.
3. Faith
and friends. Marie knows she was created for a purpose and blessed with
loving relationships. Loneliness and stress rival smoking when it comes
to taking a toll on our health. According to the American Psychological
Association, ongoing stress increases the risk for hypertension, heart
attack, or stroke.
What
about Faith? Dr. Koenig from the Duke University Medical Center
reviewed research articles on spirituality and health and found a
positive association. Faith leads to a greater sense of hope, purpose,
optimism and self- confidence. Although Dr. Koenig’s research is not
focused exclusively on the Christian faith, how many times have you
heard a person facing a battle quote the verse in the Bible that says,
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Mental
health impacts physical health.
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