After a long probe into the habits of the world’s oldest people, longevity researchers have found that humans can hit 100 years and above by keeping positive.
Findings by the researchers indicated that the world’s oldest people have certain habits in common which included eating well and having a good work-life balance.
However, the researchers identified keeping positive as a major surprising tip for healthy aging after engaging 1,000 centenarians and super centenarians aged 110 or older.
Super centenarians “universally tend to be really positive”, says Ben Meyers, the Chief Executive Officer of LongeviQuest, an organization that verifies the ages of the world’s oldest people and garner their stories.
Its Latin America research president, Fabrizio Villatoro, shares the stunning find, but adds that there are many ways to live 100 years or more due to cultural differences.
While the Mediterranean diet is generally regarded as one of the healthiest ways to eat, lifestyle encouraged by certain religions may also play a role in longevity, Villatoro noted, citing the Seventh-Day Adventists in Loma Linda, the United State’s only Blue Zone, who largely follow a plant-based diet and regular exercise.
He however observed that Japanese super centenarians aren’t as religious as their Latin American counterparts, but Japan has a much higher percentage of centenarians than other countries.
Research by the longevity experts suggests that being positive helps humans live longer, with a 2019 study finding people with higher levels of optimism more likely to live to 85 years or more.
It also found that the world’s oldest people have lots in common, including healthy diets and a sense of community.
