6 Things People Who Live to 100 Do Every Week to Stay Healthy

People often look to centenarians (people aged 100 or older) to discover the secret to healthy aging. While there is no silver bullet for longevity, there is some wisdom to be gleaned from this group — which is why UnitedHealthcare recently surveyed 100 of these seniors. Here are the six things they do every week to stay healthy.

Eating well is not just a suggestion for living better: it is a necessity for healthy aging, according to 67% of centenarians. Although the survey did not mention any specific foods, a growing body of research has uncovered the long-term risks of a diet high in ultra-processed foods, including higher rates of heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline and mortality.

On the other hand, whole foods, like fruits, vegetables and nuts, “support cardiovascular and brain health by reducing inflammation, improving glucose regulation and providing nutrients that protect cells from oxidative stress,” said Jordan Weiss, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Precision Medicine and the Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Health.

Weiss also noted that eating to last isn’t about eating more “superfoods” but about maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

The survey also found that 46% of centenarians exercised to build muscle. “Staying active keeps my heart strong, mind sharp, body moving, morale high and health stable every day,” one centenarian said in the survey.

Muscle mass and strength decrease with age, reducing mobility and increasing the risk of falls. But strength training can help offset these declines and increase longevity. For example, a 2022 study found that people over age 65 who strength trained at least twice a week had a lower risk of death than those who didn’t exercise as much.

Every week, 42% of centenarians surveyed walk or hike, which has proven longevity benefits. A recent research review linked 7,000 daily steps to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and even death. “Walking is how most people in my community stay physically active,” said one survey respondent. “We have long hallways and beautiful outdoor spaces to walk around.”

Weiss said walking outside, especially hiking, adds another benefit: nature. “Exposure to natural environments is associated with decreased stress hormones, better mood and even improved immune function,” he said. “Nature also encourages longer, more enjoyable movements, and varied terrain improves balance and joint health.”

Stress-relieving practices like meditation were a weekly priority for 36% of centenarians surveyed. “Chronic stress accelerates biological aging,” Weiss explained, adding that stress increases cortisol, promotes inflammation, impairs sleep and affects cardiovascular health.

Meditating, or even just breathing slowly for a short time, can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby reducing heart rate and calming stress circuits, Weiss said.

Of those surveyed, 29% said they work in a garden every week. Gardening can promote longevity because it connects movement, nature, routine, purpose and exposure to sunlight. Your body absorbs vitamin D, you can burn as many calories as a gym session, and you’re likely to have social interactions, which may even protect you against dementia, research shows.

Indoor cardiovascular exercise was a weekly habit for 28% of centenarians surveyed. Cardio exercises, such as running, swimming or cycling, are essential for improving blood circulation, oxygen delivery and overall endurance, Weiss said, and they have a link to longevity.

Research has shown that having a higher VO2max, a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, is linked to a lower risk of death from any cause, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. “I think the key to staying healthy is staying active,” one centenarian noted in the survey.

Although genetics play a key role in longevity, your lifestyle still matters, experts say. Healthy habits, like those in the century-old survey, can boost longevity by reducing the forces that age us, such as chronic inflammation, blood vessel damage, mitochondrial decline, muscle loss and stress, Weiss said. A healthy lifestyle also builds resilience in the systems that protect independence: mood, cognition, mobility, balance and social engagement, Weiss added.

Essentially, stable physical health allows centenarians to “wake up every day with goals and activities that they want to pursue, and these, in turn, help them stay healthy,” said Stacy L. Andersen, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine at Boston University and co-director of the New England Centenarian Study. Health.

If you want to adopt some of the healthy practices from the survey, Weiss recommends starting small and developing habits that are workable for you. “When a habit fits your personality, your schedule and your values, it stops feeling like work and starts being part of your identity,” he said. “This is the real driver of long-term change.”