Latest news with #longlife
The Sun
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
The 5 ‘pillars of ageing' doctors use to determine if you will live a long and healthy life – so how do you fare?
MANY of us want to live a long and healthy life - but how often do we think about the things we're doing now to help us get there? A five-part quiz created by experts may reveal how well you're ageing. 3 Developed as part of the Take Five to Age Well project by The Open University and Age UK, the quiz asks a series of questions that may prompt you to take action. Many factors influence healthy ageing, some of which aren't in our control, while others are within our reach. Genetic factors cannot be controlled, but many affecting our physical, mental and social well-being can. Jitka Vseteckova, Senior Lecturer Health and Social Care at The Open University, and Lis Boulton, Visiting Research Fellow at the university, identified five key areas - known as the Five Pillars for Ageing Well - they say form a "strong foundation for staying well and thriving in later life". And it's these five pillars that form part of the quiz. 1. Are you eating well? Eating healthily means consuming a balanced diet with a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, while limiting processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats. Writing for The Conversation, Vseteckova and Boulton say: "Diets like the Mediterranean plan are linked with a lower risk of dementia and other chronic conditions. "Malnutrition is a serious concern in older age, especially when it comes to maintaining strong muscles and bones." 2. Are you staying hydrated? Drinking enough water is vital for maintaining bodily functions, promoting overall health, and preventing various health issues. Not drinking enough can cause dehydration and affect cognitive function, mood and energy. What healthy looks like Vseteckova and Boulton advise: "Cutting down on sugary drinks can help you to maintain a healthy weight and staying within recommended alcohol limits can also help lower your risk of conditions like dementia. Hydration really matters." But they add for people with life-limiting illnesses or conditions like advanced dementia, appetite and oral intake may be severely reduced. And sugary drinks may be one of the few sources of calories they can tolerate, so hydration should take priority over strict nutritional guidelines. 3. Are you being physically active? 3 Being physically active is crucial for both physical and mental well-being, offering numerous benefits such as reduced risk of chronic diseases, improved mood, and increased energy levels. Just walking more can boost health, say Vseteckova and Boulton, and when paired with good nutrition, can help prevent degenerative disease osteoporosis. 4. Are you connecting socially? Social connection is a fundamental human need, crucial for both mental and physical well-being. Strong social bonds provide emotional support, reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, and contribute to a sense of belonging and self-worth. Furthermore, social interaction has been linked to improved cognitive function, a stronger immune system, and even a longer life. Vseteckova and Boulton explain: "Loneliness increases the risk of depression and cognitive decline. "Building strong social ties earlier in life can help protect well-being over the long term." 5. Are you challenging your brain? 3 Challenging your brain is crucial for maintaining cognitive function, enhancing mental abilities, and potentially delaying cognitive decline. This could involve learning, reading, playing an instrument, or trying something new. Studies show activities like crossword puzzles or new physical activities can potentially delay dementia. "There's no magic fix, but even small actions can have lasting benefits," quip Vseteckova and Boulton. The Take Five to Age Well quiz is part of a free, expert-led, month-long challenge which supports participants' current habits and needs. Vseteckova and Boulton say: "We developed the Take Five to Age Well quiz to help people reflect on how they're doing across these five areas – and where there might be room to grow. "The follow-up resources are based on real-life experiences of ageing from diverse communities and offer small, achievable steps you can start today." Tips for living longer Live happier and healthier for longer with the NHS's top 10 tips: Watch what you eat and drink Eating a healthy, balanced diet is crucial for good health, energy and preventing illness. Look after your teeth Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily to prevent gum disease. Gum disease can be linked to diabetes, stroke, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Stay active Regular exercise can help lower your risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. Make the most of your GP It's a good idea to get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels tested by your doctor. High readings can increase your risk of stroke and heart disease. Get a vitamin boost Lots of people have vitamin D deficiency but don't know it. The condition has been linked to cognitive impairment, bone problems, and cardiovascular disease. Make sure to get outdoors during the spring and summer months, and during autumn and winter you might want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Take care of your feet Look after your feet by applying moisturiser, cutting your toenails straight across, and making sure you wear footwear that fits properly and supports your feet. Contact your GP if your feet become painful. Sort out your sleep Getting enough sleep is important for staying healthy. Avoid insomnia by cutting down on daytime naps, establishing a bedtime routine and going to bed at the same time each night. Take the tests As we age our hearing and eyesight can be affected, so it's important to get them checked regularly. Stay in touch Spending time with other people can prevent you from feeling lonely or anxious. Give up smoking Smoking is linked to a range of different health problems, including heart disease and lung cancer. If you stop, regardless of your age, your circulation, lung capacity, and energy levels will improve.
RNZ News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Dalai Lama hopes to live beyond 130 years, much longer than predicted
By Krishna N. Das , Reuters Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a long-life prayer offering ceremony at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala on 5 July, 2025. Photo: AFP / Sanjay Baid The Dalai Lama has said he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death. The Nobel Peace Prize winner on Saturday (local time) was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday, and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110. "I have been able to serve the Buddhadharma (the teachings of Buddhism) and the beings of Tibet so far quite well," he said between prayers, clearing his throat now and then. "And still, I hope to live over 130 years," he said, sparking applause and cheers among his followers. The 14th Dalai Lama, already longest-lived head of Tibetan Buddhism, spent about 90 minutes at the prayers in his temple. The ceremony was attended by thousands of followers from around the world who gathered in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala, where he has lived since fleeing Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule. "We have lost our country and we live in exile in India, but I have been able to benefit beings quite a lot. So, living here in Dharamshala, I intend to serve beings and the dharma as much as I can," he said in Tibetan, which was translated simultaneously in English and other languages. China, keen to consolidate its control over Tibet, views the Dalai Lama as a separatist. Beijing insists its leaders would have to approve his successor, in a legacy from imperial times. The Dalai Lama has previously said that he would reincarnate in the "free world" outside China and this week told his followers that the sole authority to recognise his reincarnation rests with his non-profit institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust. The Dalai Lama is a charismatic figure whose following extends well beyond the millions of Tibetan Buddhists living around the world. He won the 1989 peace prize for what the Nobel committee said was keeping alive the Tibetan cause and seeking genuine autonomy to protect and preserve the region's unique culture, religion and national identity without pressing for independence. At the prayers on Saturday, he sat on a throne before a large statue of the Buddha, with dozens of monks seated in front of him. Marigold garlands hung from pillars as his followers and journalists crowded around the main temple area. Oracles and other figures, shaking in trance, arrived to pay their obeisance to their guru. Monks struck cymbals and played ornate long trumpets in honour of the Dalai Lama and others. The Dalai Lama said he prays daily to benefit all sentient beings and feels he has the blessings of Tibet's patron deity, Avalokitesvara. "Looking at the many prophecies, I feel I have the blessings of Avalokitesvara," he said. "I have done my best so far. At the least, I hope to still live for 30 or 40 years more." His birthday celebrations on Sunday will be attended by senior Indian ministers as well as diplomats from the United States, along with thousands of his devotees. - Reuters
Al Arabiya
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Dalai Lama says he hopes to live for another 40 years
The elderly Dalai Lama on Saturday said that he hopes to live for another 40 years, until he is about 130 years old, days after he sought to allay speculation over his succession by saying he would reincarnate upon his death. The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader was speaking during a ceremony organized by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday. The Dalai Lama previously told Reuters in December he might live to 110.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Potatoes and a smile are the secret to a long life, woman says before 114th birthday
What's older than a blender, penicillin, and the U.S. moon landing? A Michigan woman celebrating her 114th birthday on July 4. Bonita Gibson, a resident at Waltonwood Carriage Park just outside of Detroit, is believed to be the oldest living person in Michigan, according to a Waltonwood representative. Gibson is part of a small population of supercentenarians in the United States, or someone who is at least 110 years old. Other supercentenarians across the country include 114-year-old Naomi Whitehead of Pennsylvania, 114-year-old Mary Harris of Tennessee, and 113-year-old Winnie Felps of Texas, according to the Gerontology Research Group. Gibson became the oldest known living person in Michigan after the death of 114-year-old Irene Dunham on May 1, 2022. The Gerontology Research Group validated her age the following year on May 4, 2023, two months shy of her 112th birthday. Gibson drove until she was 99 years old, and took her first plane ride at the age of 100, flying to San Diego, a lifelong dream of hers, Waltonwood said. Gibson told USA TODAY some of the keys to her living such a long life include: Eating potatoes (seemingly a nod to her late husband and the business he worked in) Healthy eating Staying positive and always smiling No smoking or drinking Gibson was born on July 4, 1911 in a northwestern Kansas city called Hoxie, according to the Gerontology Research Group. She grew up in rural Missouri, and lived through the Spanish Flu Pandemic. As a child, she survived the mumps, measles, and whooping cough, said a representative for Waltonwood Carriage Park. Most recently, she survived COVID-19 in 2020, making her one of the oldest known survivors of the disease, according to the research group. Gibson married Kenneth Gibson, her high school sweetheart, in April 1930 in Oregon, Missouri; the pair married during the Great Depression. The couple lived on a farm at the time. "We had chickens and a huge garden and all kinds of fruit trees,' Gibson told CBS Detroit in July 2023. 'We had plenty to eat. We just didn't have any money to spend.' They eventually moved to Idaho, where her husband's relative had a farm. The move is what introduced them to the potato industry. "He said Kenny can help me in the field and you can be the cook,' Gibson told CBS Detroit. 'I hadn't cooked a thing in my life." After seven years of marriage, the pair had a son, Kenneth Richard, in January 1937. After that, the couple moved to Newdale, Idaho and later, Idaho Falls as her husband worked as a potato farmer. He later worked as a potato broker until he retired in 1977. He died in 2003. At the age of 102, she began living in a nursing home in Canton, Michigan, where her grandson lives. As her grandson was moving her to Michigan, Gibson had a request for him, Waltonwood Executive Director Angie Hanson told McKnight's Senior Living. 'She wanted to ride on the back of his Harley, but he wouldn't let her,' Hanson said. Gibson still speaks to her son, 88-year-old Kenneth Richard, every night. She also has three grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. Today, she loves reading and cards, watching 'Price is Right' each day, and catching up with her friends at Waltonwood. This year, she plans to celebrate her birthday by participating in the downtown Plymouth Fourth of July Parade. There will be a banner announcing her birthday, Waltonwood said. As Gibson reflected on her life back in 2023, she recalled being married for over 70 years. She and Kenneth made it a point to enjoy themselves, having the most fun in the 1950s and 1960s, she told CBS Detroit. "We would go dancing every Saturday with a group of friends," she told the outlet. When asked what helped to hold their marriage together, she tried to answer from the perspective of her high school sweetheart. 'I would've taken her back home several times, but we didn't have any money, so we had to stay together," she said. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bonita Gibson, 113, says potatoes and smiling are keys to long life
