With 64,000 American centenarians, researchers studying complex aging processes find it’s easier than ever to locate subjects. Five million of us are over 85, and by 2030 one in five will be “seniors.” With these statistics, no wonder there’s so much interest in aging.

To age well, take advantage of all that medical science has learned. We know that tobacco and drug use, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle hasten aging. Screening for cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases means conditions that once ushered in the end of life can now be prevented or managed. Our goal is not simply to live long but to live well.

Diet Matters
Eat well to help make your golden years healthy. Integrative physician Andrew Weil, MD, urges us to consume more plant foods to defend against oxidative stress. “The appearance of age-related diseases represents the inability of antioxidant defenses to cope with oxidative stress over time,” he explains. The Mediterranean diet and the traditional Japanese diet—both linked to longevity—emphasize fish, vegetables, and fruits, with only small amounts of meat. Consumption of refined and processed foods is rare.

Quantity matters, too. Excess weight is the most important factor in how quickly we age and whether we suffer from health problems. “Obesity is aging us at an unprecedented rate . . . a staggering 90 percent of aging conditions stem from being overweight,” says Marcia Zimmerman, CN. “If you’re over 40 and moderately active, you need about half the calories you consumed as a 20-year-old,” she adds.

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