Whatever It Takes

According to some, water is life.  True! I absolutely agree to this statement.  In so many ways water is so useful and indispensable.   I’d rather live without electricity than without water.   Infact during baptism water is used to symbolize cleansing of our  soul.   We need water to hydrate our body and be in good health.

If your body is not sufficiently hydrated, the cells will draw water from your bloodstream, which will make your heart work harder.  At the same time, the kidneys cannot purify the blood effectively.   When this happens,  some of the kidney’s workload is passed on to the liver and other organs, which may cause them to be severely stressed.   Additionally, you may develop a number of minor health conditions such as constipation, dry and itchy skin, acne, nosebleeds, urinary tract infection, cough, sneezing, sinus pressure and headache.

So,  how much water is enough for you?   The minimum amount of water you need depends on your body weight.   A more accurate calculation,  is to drink an ounce for every 2 pounds of body weight.

I have encountered an article which discusses about how to live longer.  It was so interesting to know what are the things to be done in order to be a healthy centenarian.    Below are the strategies that were enumerated from the longest-lived people in the world that were interviewed.

1.  MOVE - Longevity all-stars engage in regular, low-intensity physical activity, whether it be hiking, shepherding, gardening, walking, yoga, or something else. The data suggest that moderate, even easy, activity done on a daily basis will extend your life.
2. ” HARA HACHI BU” - This Okinawan saying means “Stop eating when your stomach is 80 percent full.” Clear enough? Cutting calories by a mere 20 percent will extend your life.

3.  GO HEAVY ON THE PLANTS -  While almost all of us  knows that higher-protein diets can be really healthy, that doesn’t rule out a diet that’s also loaded with vegetables.   All of the long-lived peoples investigated  ate a plant-based diet with almost no processed foods.  

4.  DRINK SOME ALCOHOL - In Sardinia, it’s wine. In Okinawa, it’s sake. Whatever you prefer, alcohol in moderation seems to reduce both stress and inflammation.  But remember that women who drink need to be getting plenty of folic acid in their diets. (Even moderate drinking raises the risk of breast cancer – but only for women who are folic acid deficient.)   

5.  SEE THE BIG PICTURE -  Okinawans call it ikigai. Nicoyans call it plan de vida.  In both cultures, the phrase translates to “why I wake up in the morning.”  Develop a strong sense of purpose, connection to others, and community.  It’s the best anti-aging “medicine” you can find.     

These are not hard to follow…..right?   Let us all do it and we will all live longer only if we will also be very careful not to meet accident that will cause to end our lives.