I am fascinated with how some people age so well and others don’t. I am, also, fascinated with how some people live to very old ages while not taking very good care of themselves at all. They may not be in the best health, but they’ve made it to a ripe old age.

My goal is to live a very healthy, active life, doing what God calls me to do, until He is ready to take me home. I want to work. I want to enjoy every minute of my work. I want my work to bring honor to God.

So—I study up on health, exercise, and how to eat, all the time. I love YouTube videos, books, articles, and especially the Bible—any resources that will educate me on the subject. I recently found a doctor on YouTube who interviewed his five oldest patients with an average age of 92 to find out their secrets to a long and healthy life. Then he listed five things they were doing that had gotten them to that age, while still being active and thriving.

Here goes:

1. A daily habit of physical activity. They took exercise classes, played golf, walked daily, or did home exercise. They kept moving even when it was hard. They said it was too hard to get back to exercise when they took a break, and they saw friends or relatives who did take a break and couldn’t get back to moving again. That fear kept them motivated to not skip a day.
2. Staying curious. They wanted to meet new people and experience new things. Some were attending a university. One had picked up learning to play bridge. One enjoyed meeting new people. They loved to play. They kept a sense of humor —even laughing at themselves when they messed up.
3. Sleeping well, but not too much. Their average sleeping time was seven hours. Studies show that we need the same amount of sleep throughout life… 7-9 hours. People who sleep longer than nine hours actually see drops in their health over time. More sleep is only better up to a point. They had very consistent sleep and wakeup times. They took short naps when needed.
4. Spending time in nature. They walked, gardened, or set on park benches and enjoyed the outdoors. Outdoors in greenery reduces stress. Walking by water provides the lowest reduction in stress.
5. Staying faithful to your routine. An evening cup of tea. A daily walk. Working in the garden…daily… all helped them find comfort. These routines keep you moving, and get you outside, even when you don’t feel like it. If you make your routine simple, you can stick with it better.

All of these tips are taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UybLnrvj30Y. I encourage you to watch the video. It is only 6:48 minutes long— so not much time out of your day to get great tips for health.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

What secrets have you found to make your life healthier?