Longevity Secrets

We share a few golden rules for living as long as you can.

by Ted Spiker

From Reader's Digest

Explorer and longevity researcher Dan Buettner studied the places where people live the longest: Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California. His book The Blue Zone shares tips from the long-lived residents. "There's no supplement that can reverse aging," he says. But avoiding processed foods, making family a priority, cutting calories by 20 percent, and getting on a scale daily may slow it down. Also vital: reducing stress.

Here's how:
Meditate - Sit in a quiet space and focus on the skin below your nose and above your lip. Feel the sensations of your breathing. Aim for 15 minutes a day, building up to an hour.

Write a personal mission statement - It helps you develop your purpose in life, a factor that contributes to longevity.

Do yoga - "It's an ideal exercise as you get older, when joint health is especially important," Buettner says.