10 Healthy Aging Tips From Centenarians

Relationships, An Active Mind, Humor Make The List In Centenarian Poll

(WebMD)  Staying close to family and friends, keeping your mind active, and having a sense of humor are keys to healthy aging, centenarians say in a new poll.

The poll, conducted by phone, included 100 U.S. centenarians. Here are their top 10 tips for healthy aging - along with the percentage of how many said the tip is "very important" (they could call more than one tip "very important"):

1. Stay close to your family and friends: 90%

2. Keep your mind active: 89%

3. Laugh and have a sense of humor: 88%

4. Stay in touch with your spirituality: 84%

5. Continue looking forward to each new day: 83%

6. Keep moving and exercising: 82%

7. Maintain a sense of independence: 81%

8. Eat right: 80%

9. Keep up with news and current events: 63%

10. Keep making new friends: 63%

"If I could leave any message, never stop learning. Period," centenarian Maurice Eisman says in the poll report.

"I think the worst thing is stress, and you can avoid a lot of it by the way you manage your life," adds 102-year-old Marianne Crowder of Palo Alto, Calif.

Some of the centenarians - who were actually as young as 99 - have picked up some modern ways: 19% use cell phones, 12% have used the Internet, 3% say they've dated someone they met online, and 45% could identify 2005 American Idol winner Carrie Underwood.

When asked to pick a favorite celebrity to invite to a "fantasy dinner party," Bill Cosby was their top pick, followed by Tiger Woods and Oprah Winfrey. Britney Spears and Howard Stern were their least favorite choices; most knew who Spears and Stern are.

GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media polled the centenarians by phone in April and May for Evercare, a health care coordination program for the elderly and people with long-term or advanced illnesses or disabilities.

Because the poll only included centenarians in good health, the results may not apply to everyone in that age range.

[Netterz]

Anthony Hopkins is the mans name ramos937, and he is one of my favorites as well, with the exception of his time spent dating Martha Stewart..(brain slip on his behalf), I have always found the man facinating, his open interviews are always on my to do list. He is truely a brilliant man, multi-facited, and able to take on just about any role that has he has chosen, and fill it with his unmistakeable personalization. Go Hannibal!

[erb0087]

Re: "Most centenarians knew who Britney Spears was."

That ties back directly to Rule 9: "Keep up with news and current events"

[erb0087]

"When asked to pick a favorite celebrity to invite to a "fantasy dinner party," Bill Cosby was their top pick, followed by Tiger Woods and Oprah Winfrey. Britney Spears and Howard Stern were their least favorite choices; most knew who Spears and Stern are."
-----------------------------------

Britney Spears would be the only guest invited to my fantasy dinner party.

[extremophil]

Here''s tip #11 as given by Henny Youngman: Keep breathing.

[stormsinger1]

I think the best answer I have ever heard was from George Burns. When he was asked for his tip on how to live to be 100, he answered "First, you live to be 99, and then be very, very carelul."

[ramos937]

I am 70 and agree with all of the points they made. But, the one I would like to spend some time with is Dr. Stephen Hawkings (the Brittish scientist). He has overcome so much that it would be good to find out how he did it. Second choice was be Michelle Pheffer (the actress. Why? I fell in love with her many years ago. Can''t do anything about it now but still think she is great. Third, is that actor who played Hannibal in the Silence of The Lambs. Why? He does not let age stand in the way of the roles he chooses.

[sistatee-2009]

When asked to pick a favorite celebrity to invite to a "fantasy dinner party," Bill Cosby was their top pick, followed by Tiger Woods and Oprah Winfrey.

Their original answers, which were not allowed, were Ed Sullivan, Lawrence Welk, and Mary Pickford.