Eating right and exercising are the keys to a healthy lifestyle. Most of us try to stick to these premises in hopes of not just staying in shape in the short term but to keep our bodies functioning well for the long haul. We want to have a long life and one of quality. No one wants to think about spending the last years of their life suffering, in pain, and dealing with the inability to care for themselves.
A new study looks at specific lifestyle choices and characteristics of men who are in their 80s who were still able to live independently.
Quality of care in nursing homes remains an issue, and many people wish to live independently as long as they can. The researchers set out to see if there were any specific trends in lifestyle choices people could make to live independently.
Three Commonalities Among Men That Lived Independently In Their Late 80s
The researchers found three commonalities:
- They mostly ate foods associated with a Mediterranean diet
- They had never smoked
- They had a waistline under 40 inches
What Is A Mediterranean Diet?
A Mediterranean diet focuses on:
- Lean meats such as chicken and turkey
- Fish
- Whole grains
- Olive oil vs. butter and margarine
- Fruits and vegetables
While many studies have emphasized exercise, researchers believe this is the first to show a link to adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet and the ability to live independently in a person’s late 80s. The information is based on a 16-year study of Swedish men as they aged.