100 and loving it!

 

 

Don’t they say “it’s not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years”? How about the best of both worlds..? While some merrily manage to walk past the three-digit mark of their lives, what stops the rest of us? TSI explores the traits common to centenarians and longevity trends with Daniel Reid, Manohar Aich, Michael Tse, Bette Calman, TK Desikachar et al. Indira Parthasarathy writes about the secrets of the superold to help you find a prime past your prime

Live long and prosper. The Vulcan salute has not just takers amongst the denizens of the Star Trek Universe; humans (i.e. us; snap out of Star Trek!) too have long aspired to adjourn sine die that meeting with the Grim Reaper, or at least get by that last lap to life’s ‘Finish’ line, with verve and vitality intact.

Long before pursuit of the elixir of youth became a part of institutional and national fetishes, there was already considerable effort being spent on beating the menace of old age. The title of an ancient Egyptian manuscript roughly translated into “The Beginning of the Book on How to Make the Old Young”. Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines have, for hundreds of years, endeavoured over herbs and unguents and massages so we could oblige Bob Dylan when he sings 'may you stay forever young...' But try as much we may to fight that natural process of physiological degeneration in organisms we call ageing, is it indeed possible to live long and healthy by controlling our environment, or is it just a case of genes and luck (you need a bit of that to keep from being run over by a BMW when out for your morning jog)?

Genes – the right fit

They matter. If Hugh Hefner, founder of the Playboy empire is rollicking at 83, he might have something to thank his mother for – Grace Hefner died at 101. But genetic potential for longevity is restricted by lifestyle choices and environmental conditions. According to Dr SD Gokhale, eminent social scientist and former president of International Federation on Ageing: “Genes hold the road map of our life; they do have a major role to play. What people do is they spoil the road map by adopting bad habits like smoking and excessive drinking… that way lifestyle and attitude makes an impact on the person’s longevity.”

In Sardinia, Italy – a region with one of the highest number of the superold: 135-240 centenarians to a million individuals – the population has been observed to have evolved in isolation; Sardinians rarely marry outside community. Then, certain studies have revealed the unusual incidence of a certain gene linked to glucose metabolism that may have to do with longevity. And yet, the proportion of impact of other factors, like their diet – home-produced vegetables and cheese, a penchant for wine, sea-food rich meals – and balmy climate and active lifestyles cannot be undermined. And these are traits common to other high life-expectancy regions like Okinawa in Japan, or the Hunza Valley in Pakistan. Long life, my style

Our cover girl Bette Calman, a woman of 83 and evidently pin-up candidate for a “model” life, attributes her enviable form to Yoga (Read “Yoga is a wonderful insurance policy!”). A rule without exception for a confident march into one’s sunset years is physical fitness. Be it Manohar Aich (Read “The Pocket Hercules”) or BKS Iyengar, the 91-year-old Yoga powerhouse, nothing like regular exercise to keep the parts in faultless working condition well into one’s prime and beyond. Dr Gary Small, Director of the UCLA Memory & Aging Research Centre, in his book “The Longevity Bible” points out that “the longevity fitness routine combines cardiovascular conditioning, balance and flexibility, and strength training to maximise health, boost energy levels, and prevent age-related diseases.”

Conspicuous exercise schedules may be replaceable with high levels of physical activity, which is the case with another favourite destination of gerontologists – Okinawa island in Japan – where nonagenarians go about daily routines including gardening, diving for fish, cycling etc, with a vigour hard to find even in the 50-somethings of the cities. In Kerala too, the state with the highest average life expectancy levels in the country, ‘domestic help’ is an alien concept. Women of the household here prefer to get their own hands dirty with every single chore including washing, grinding, cooking, cleaning and what not. Ask 97-year-old Dakshayani Parameshwaran, her memory and eyesight unbelievably good, and she’ll tell you it’s all that work and a moderate diet.

Food habits of the superold indicate a divided house. While many swear by vegetarianism for its sattvic and detox value, items like fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been known to constitute the diets of the longest-lived folks. Says Qigong master Michael Tse: “Eat a balanced diet. Eat all kinds of food; don’t restrict yourself to certain kinds of food.” Bad food habits are aggravated by stress levels. Today, the pressures of modern-day living are such that are capable of offsetting any likely improvement in longevity made possible by scientific advancements in medical infrastructure and aid. Dr. Jane Barratt, Secretary General, International Federation on Ageing (IFA) says: “There is scientific evidence to demonstrate that healthy living is not only physical, it’s also psychological, it’s emotional… There are a lot of lessons to be drawn about the mind-body connection from your country (India). Look at meditation and Yoga and the like that has been taken on by the westerners… There is a pretty unique attraction for them in our times..” (S)externalities

Dr Small’s “The Longevity Bible” suggests that a healthy sex life at every age helps lower blood pressure, reduce stress and depression, boost the immune system, and extend life expectancy. Leading expert of eastern philosophy and medicine and author of “The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity”, Daniel Reid explains: “Sex is a very powerful energy practice and it’s a very powerful stimulant to the immune system and the hormone system… The broad principle to base conjugal life is unconditional love.”

According to studies, socially connected people survive up to 20 per cent longer. Religion also serves to connect, not just with the Divine, but with each other too, based on the realisation of the inherent harmony in all of creation. When harnessed in a manner to bring upon ourselves serenity and strength, religion could have an effect of adding to the years, as with the Seventh Day Adventists in California. The Adventist Church frowns at smoking, alcohol, meat etc, and encourages the Saturday Sabbath, promoting greater interaction within the community. Groups with better social support networks have been invariably known to lead happier and longer lives. For instance, elders and super-seniors in the Okinawan society are cherished and considered good fortune to have around. It is only apparent that most western societies claiming to indulge its elders in old-age homes are only witnessing an increase in incidents of cancer and neuro-degenerative diseases. While it may not have been scientifically proven, the relation there is certainly hard to miss. Miles to go…

While the debate and research continues, one can’t help drifting to a fundamental question: What is behind our desire to live on? Dr Barratt offers an explanation: “We don’t want to miss out on anything! The journey of life is about being connected, being part of community…” But then again, as we battle increasing number of global concerns and jostle with competition over the planet’s resources, are we indeed poised for long and healthy lives? Daniel Reid is optimistic: “A human being is supposed to live for 120 years on an average; it’s in our DNA.” That’s a lot of time to spend around here! And it would be worthwhile only if we were able to nail our own ikigai – the Okinawan phrase for one’s ‘purpose in life’. In case you have cared for little else apart from television soaps and junk food takeaways, it can be a very distressing stayover – for yourself and your kin. And then any suggestion of a long innings would only make you retort Leonard McCoy-like: “Are you out of your Vulcan mind?”