Getting old sucks!  Hear that often.  So why do almost 70% of adults want to live to be 79 to 100 years old and 9% gleefully hope to past 100??  Okay!  Okay!  We get it!  You want to brag about being centenarian. 

Most people won’t get their wish.  After the dip in lifespans due to Covid and the obesity epidemic, studies say we can now expect to live 77.5 years.  Heck.  That isn’t even old!  The number of Americans expected to reach 100 and older in thirty years, 2054, is only 422,000.  Today’s U.S. population is a bit over 340 million people.  Bad odds. 

We’re addicted obit readers.  We’re curious about the deceased’s age and cause of death.  89?  Not bad. 76? Too early.  56. Damn.  Actor Val Kilmer, 65, pneumonia.  Bummer!  Celebrities who made it to 100 or more include Kirk Douglas and George Burns.  Wow, Olivia de Havilland lived to be 104!  Like de Havilland’s obit, the cause of death is often not mentioned.  Obvious.  Old age!

No matter how long we live, we want to stay healthy.  And, boy, advice is everywhere…podcasts, television, streaming, radio, print, TikTok, and TED Talks.  We like the Power 9.  It was developed by a researcher who studied cities around the world with the oldest populations, dubbed the Blue Zones.  Only one was in the United States, Linda Loma, CA.   Hmmm…it is home to the cancer-fighting Proton Therapy Treatment & Research Center.

Power 9 recommendations are based on the lifestyle habits of these healthiest, longest living people.  We’re all in on the first of the nine: move naturally.  No pumping iron.  No gym memberships needed.  Just do house and yard work and plant gardens.  Yes!

Next, have some purpose.  Give your life meaning.  Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy.  Work on that one!   Thirdly, downshifting is suggested.  Yikes.  Didn’t know that stress leads to chronic inflammation associated with every major age-related disease!  Of the suggested ways to mellow out, we’ll take naps and do happy hours.  

All the Blue Zone inhabitants follow the 80% Rule.  It arises from a Confucian mantra that calls for stopping eating when 80% full.  Hmmm.  Maybe we’ll start with dessert?   Next is Plant Slant.  Yes, we all know we should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Wine @ 5!  Love this one!  These oldies drink…every day.  Lots of wine.  But no drinking alone or to excess.  Hang out with friends.  So, booze is the answer? 

Belong.  Blue Zone people seek community.  Think senior centers, card clubs, Mahjong, arts and crafts, book clubs, and dance classes.  You CAN teach old dogs new tricks.  Dance classes are a twofer—they also hit the number one dictum: keep moving.  Lastly, loved ones first.  Friends and groups can be family, too.  But, hey, why no mention in the Power 9 of a good night’s sleep??

Switzerland boasts that it has numbers of retreats where they can teach longevity techniques and feed you anti-aging foods.  Hmmm.  We can eat berries, leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, and avocados anywhere!  You can also travel to Switzerland if you have dementia, hopefully have checked off your bucket list, and want to call it a day.  Canada is the euthanasia capital of the world…and it’s a cheaper plane trip.  Here in the U.S., Death with Dignity is only allowed in some states if you have a terminal illness.

Got a giggle reading that an endangered giant tortoise at the Philadelphia Zoo has just become a first-time mom at around 100 years old.  The zoo thinks dad is about 96.  Geez!  How do they live so long?  They have strong immune responses and suppress cancer cells.  Ahh…good genes!

So, our Wrinkled Wisdom for today?  Put living to be a centenarian on your to-do list if you want to take a shot.  Start saving for those many tooth implants you’ll need.  Insurance doesn’t cover the entire cost and they cost a bunch.  Don’t give up dark chocolate!  It provides important antioxidants, whatever they really are.  And, remember George Burns’ fun line:  “By the time you’re 80 years old you’ve learned everything.  You only have to remember it.”