Aging myths and reality?

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

The below not pdf-available or in Medline paper abstract

suggested to me that centenarian social interactions were

bad if they were healthy. Is this not against the stereotype?

See the RealAge messages from some years ago below the

abstract. Social interactions headed the list of their

recommendations for living longer.

Some name, it was for the department from which the

authors reported.

An appropriate title conclusion, it was, " myths

and reality " , in the below?

Successful aging in centenarians: myths and reality

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, In Press, Corrected Proof,

Available online 11 November 2004,

M. Motta, E. Bennati, L. Ferlito, M. Malaguarnera, L. Motta and

Italian Multicenter Study on Centenarians (IMUSCE)

Research Center The Great Senescence, Cannizzaro Hospital,

University of Catania, Italy.

The term " successful aging " appeared in the first issue of " The

Gerontologist " in 1961. During the successive years, this expression

has changed its meaning. Nowadays, successful aging means " absence of

diseases and disabilities, maintenance of high levels of physical and

cognitive abilities, preservation of the social and productive

activities " . It has become a common opinion that the centenarians may

represent the prototypes of the successful aging. This motivated our

work to study the clinical, psychical, and functional aspects in a

centenarian group, verifying the real autonomy, instrumental

capacities, and working abilities. Our study pool consisted of 602

centenarians, who were also subjects of then epidemiological studies

of the Italian Multicenter Studies on Centenarians (IMUSCE). All

subjects underwent a clinical-anamnestic evaluation, cognitive-

functional tests by means of the mini mental state examination

(MMSE), the independence index in activities of daily living (ADL),

the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scale. The

centenarians were classified in three groups, according to the

criteria elaborated previously by us, based on their psychophysical

status and autonomy, as follows. Group A: centenarians in good health

status; Group B: centenarians in an intermediate health status. Group

C: centenarians in bad health status. Group A represented 20.0% of

the total pool, Group B amounted to 33.4%, and the Group C was 46.6%.

The centenarians of Group A presented normal ADL values, and 47.9% of

them were autosufficient in all functions; 5.7% of them were

independent in all IADL items. These data confirm that the

centenarians of Group A are free of invalidating chronic diseases,

are autonomous, maintain good physical and cognitive capacities,

however, have not maintained any social or productive activities.

Therefore, they cannot be considered as prototypes of successful

aging.

During stressful times, strong friendships can make your RealAge

up to 30 years younger.

Actively patrolling your health and getting the best possible

health information can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger.

Keeping your blood pressure level at 115/76 mm Hg can make your

RealAge as much as 12 years younger.

Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your

RealAge 8 to 16 years younger.

Exercising regularly can make your RealAge as much as 9 years

younger.

A physical activity program that builds stamina, strength, and

flexibility can make your RealAge as much as 8.1 years younger.

Boosting your general activity level and burning 3,500 calories

per week through exercise can make your RealAge as much as 8 years

younger.

Managing your finances poorly or not living within your means can

make your RealAge as much as 8 years older.

Laughing a lot can make your RealAge up to 8 years younger.

Diabetics who adopt an aggressive disease-management program can

make their RealAge as much as 8 years younger.

Long-term, loving relationships can make your RealAge as much as

6.5 years younger.

Flossing and brushing your teeth daily can make your RealAge as

much as 6.4 years younger.

Doing stamina building exercise for at least 60 minutes per week

can make your RealAge as much as 6.4 years younger.

Making easy fat substitutions such as olive oil instead of

margarine can make your RealAge as much as 6.1 years younger.

Reducing your intake of saturated fat and trans fat to less than

20 grams per day can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

Eating a low-fat diet--and eating healthy unsaturated fats when

you do eat fat--can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

Keeping your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can

make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

Getting the right amount of antioxidants in your diet or from

supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

Protecting your immune system can make your RealAge as much as 6

years younger.

RealAge Cost: Taking too many medications or taking them

improperly can make your RealAge as much as 4.5 years older.

Eating five or six nuts before a meal can make women 3.4 years

younger and men 4.4 years younger.

Eating a diverse diet, including 4 servings of fruit per day, can

make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

Eating a diverse diet--including 4 servings of fruit and 5 servings

of vegetables--can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

Eating a diverse diet, including 5 servings of vegetables per day,

can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

Eating a diverse diet, including 6 servings of breads and grains per

day, can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients

can make your RealAge as much

as 4 years younger.

Eating a high-fiber diet can make your RealAge up to 3.5 years

younger.

Having a good social support system of family and friends can make

your RealAge up to 3.5 years younger.

Eating fish three times a week can make your RealAge 3.4 years

younger.

Taking proper precautions when driving can make your RealAge up to

3.4 years younger.

Eating foods rich in flavonoids such as apples, garlic, and chocolate

each day can make your RealAge 3.2 years younger.

Drinking too much alcohol can make your RealAge more than 3 years

older.

Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night can make your RealAge as much

as 3 years younger.

Avoiding air pollution and environmental toxins can make your RealAge

as much as 2.8 years younger.

Eating at least 1 serving of fish per week may cut your risk of heart

attack in half, making the

RealAge of a 55-year-old man more than 2.7 years younger.

RealAge Benefit: During stressful times, strong friendships can

prevent 2 to 3 years of needless aging.

Eating 25 grams of fiber per day makes your RealAge 2.5 years younger

than eating 12 grams of fiber per day.

Becoming a lifelong learner can make your RealAge as much as 2.5

years younger.

Taking one 325-milligram tablet of aspirin per day can make your

RealAge as much as 1.9 years younger.

Moderate consumption of alcohol--one drink per day for women, two

drinks per day for men--can make your RealAge 1.9 years younger. ...

In general, keeping yourself strong and flexible can make your

RealAge as much as 1.7 years younger.

Safely getting enough sun can make your RealAge as much as 1.7 years

younger.

Doing routine self-examinations for skin cancer can make your RealAge

as much as 1.7 years younger.

Lifting weights for 10 minutes just 3 times per week can make your

RealAge as much as 1.7 years younger.

Taking unnecessary vitamins and supplements can make your RealAge as

much as 1.7 years older.

Having sex twice a week--which is twice the national average--can

lower your RealAge by as much as 1.6 years.

Consuming a total of 700 micrograms of folate per day in food and

supplements (400 micrograms from supplements) can make your RealAge

as much as 1.2 years younger.

Getting 700 micrograms of folate and 25 micrograms of vitamin B12 per

day can make your RealAge at least 1.2 years younger.

Eating breakfast can make your RealAge as much as 1.1 years younger.

Consuming 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day can make your

RealAge as much as 1.1 years younger ...

Getting enough calcium and vitamin D can make your RealAge as much as

1.1 years younger.

Getting 3.7 milligrams of vitamin B6 per day from food or supplements

can make your RealAge as much as 1 year younger.

Reducing your total cholesterol to 160 mg/dl or lower can make your

RealAge as much as 1 year younger.

Strength training not only gives your bones a boost, but it also can

make your RealAge 1 year younger.

Wearing a bicycle helmet every time you cycle can make your RealAge

as much as 1 year younger.

Eating a magnesium-rich diet may make your RealAge nearly one year

younger.

Owning ... and walking the dog regularly can make your RealAge as

much as 1 year younger.

A daily intake of up to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C from food and

supplements can make your RealAge as much as 1 year younger.

Eating 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce per week can make your RealAge

1 year younger.

Adhering to medication regimens as prescribed by your doctor can make

your RealAge as much 0.9 years younger.

Men who eat 10 servings of tomato paste per week can make their

RealAges as much as 0.8 years younger.

Getting the RealAge Optimum dose of potassium (3,000 milligrams per

day) can make your RealAge as much as 0.6 years younger.

Increasing potassium intake through diet can make your RealAge as

much as 0.6 years younger.

Cheers, Al Pater.