Friday, May 20, 2016

"Go Long!"

Longevity

Enjoy the little things in life, because one day you will look back, and realize they were the big things.”
Kurt Vonnegut

I woke up this morning with the word “longevity” blinking on the marquee of my mind. Who know what causes minds to come up with certain words uninvited but, as I'm sure you know, they do. I try to honor these leads, so first I looked for quotes about longevity—all I found was film actors and rock stars talking about how to attain longevity in their careers. Finally, I landed on an article in the Huffington Post Healthy Living section by Dr. Carmen Herra titled: “The 5 Keys to Health and Longevity,” published Aug. 1, 2013. Here is what she found to be most important:

  1. Live a purposeful life. For as long as you live, have some reason to continue, some goal yet to accomplish. Devote yourself to something that's more important, or greater, than yourself.
  2. Know your genetic code. If there's a particular strain of disease—cancer, heart disease, diabetes—in your family stretching back generations, take it seriously enough to ask your doctor for extra screenings.
  3. Perform sacred rituals. Have something in your life that you hold sacred, and honor it daily. Acknowledge that there is a higher power in the world that is holy and deserving of your recognition.
  4. Bask in the company of others. Get out and interact with other human beings. They stimulate our minds and keep our “happy” chemistry alive and well. Have dear and close friends, and people around you who are positive and uplifting.
  5. Everything in moderation. Be conscious of what you do, what you eat and drink, and don't over-indulge. Moderate exercise, moderate diet, moderate life-style. A little indulgence maybe twice a week, but otherwise consciously practice moderation.

I love this list! It's doable! It's not don't ever eat red meat, and do exercise until you drop. And, best of all, it puts acknowledgment of the sacred, the importance of friends, and living a purpose-driven life on equal footing with diet, exercise and family history. Who wants to live a long time if they don't have holiness in their lives! Live with purpose, my friend, and you will likely live long.

                                                    In the Spirit,

                                                       Jane

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