Attitude and “sparks”: the secret to living well in the 90’s

This story was originally published RNZ.co.nz It will be reissued with permission.

Dr. Claudia Kawas, a neurologist and professor at the University of California, Irvine, is looking for tips for a longer and healthier life.

Kawas and her team have been conducting major research on older people in California for over 20 years.She discussed her research and shared some secrets that could lead to a longer and more active life. Sunday morning.

She says estimates of the importance of genes in a person’s longevity range from 30 percent to 70 percent, but the environment is at least just as important.

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Much of her work is being done at the Florida complex in Laguna Woods, USA. The complex is home to approximately 18,000 senior citizens and can participate in 400 clubs.

She investigated their lifestyle (diet, exercise, activity, medication). Previous findings show that vitamin supplements make no difference, and while moderate coffee and alcohol intake can help with longevity, her “one of my favorites” is also positive for gaining a small amount of weight. Is that.

“It’s not good to lose weight. It’s not good to lose weight when you’re in the 80’s and 90’s.”

According to Kawas, gaining about 2.5 kilograms every 10 years after age 65 is associated with the best results in terms of mortality. Some reserves of fat and vitamins that stay there may be beneficial, especially if a person becomes ill. It remains a mystery, but she is convinced that a little “extra padding” will help.

More than 2000 people registered in her study “Ninety Plus” in the 90’s. We receive physical and mental interviews every six months, undergo blood tests, MRI, CAT scans, and other tests. After death, we donate our brains to help other people age.

Some people can’t remember things and don’t care much about themselves, while others are “superb” on the other side.

You can live longer with 15 minutes of exercise a day, but the biggest benefit is from 45 minutes a day.

The longest-lived people are not spartan in their approach to life and are proud to say so.

“Attitude is important. Attitude is also related to longevity. Most people who have reached that era have something to do with it and actually show some sparks that rob themselves or are too harsh. I think. Of these parameters, it’s not a feature commonly found in these people. “

“It’s not healthy not to engage”

She says it’s very important to interact with and participate in the activities we enjoy.

“It uses many parts of your brain; it works it. I think it makes all kinds of connections and changes all kinds of hormones and I think it’s very important in the brain on average Part and physical health.

“It’s not healthy not to interact with people.”

She says the people participating in the “Ninety Plus” study do not represent the general US population. People are predominantly Caucasian, well educated and have a high socioeconomic status.

Another study, Lifeafter Ninety, in Northern California, targets the same age group and includes more blacks, Asians, and Latino Americans. However, some aspects of her research, such as the value of exercise, also apply to other ethnic groups.

The surprise of Alzheimer’s disease

Participant brain studies reveal that 40% of people who die without dementia have enough Alzheimer’s disease in their heads that doctors would have thought they should have dementia. did. She says this is a surprising result, as they were functioning normally in daily life.

Conversely, some people diagnosed with dementia had no visible signs in the brain when viewed under a microscope. This means that the doctor is missing something.

“More is happening … why these conditions are more toxic to some people, or why some people appear to be resilient to them and can continue. I think we need to understand what other people can’t do. “

After age 65, her chances of getting dementia and Alzheimer’s disease double every five years, but she met 108-year-olds who maintain “good cognition.”

According to Kawas, many people enjoy participating in the study and want to contribute to the welfare of future generations without their own children. When she asked a man if he would donate his brain when he died, he replied, “Of course, I don’t need it then.”

This story was originally published RNZ.co.nz It will be reissued with permission.