Here is a TED Talk on how to live to 100. The speaker is Dan Buettner, who studied the “Blue Zones” around the world, “communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age.” He found common diet and lifestyle habits that helped these people live past age 100.

Good news: Whether someone lives to an old age is 90% lifestyle choice and only 10% genes. That means we have much control over whether we live to an old age based on how we live our lives.

Bad news: Our bodies aren’t really designed to go past age 90 or so. However, most Americans live to about 78, which means there are 12 years that many people aren’t getting. And it’s important to note that those are healthy, active years, not disease-ridden years. So what can be done to get those extra years?

Well, none of those healthy seniors go to the gym or stuff blueberries into their mouths to get the antioxidants. Instead, they eat a balanced, vegetable-heavy diet and live active, religious, and social lifestyles. Here is the breakdown of what the healthy seniors do:

* They eat lots of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, but also a little meat.

* They don’t overeat.

* They regularly drink a small amount of alcohol.

* They have FRIENDS. In fact, Buettner suggests that this is the most important aspect of living a long life.

* Their friends are healthy, positive, and honorable people.

* They take lots of walks, usually in nature.

* They are active, but not at the gym.

* They all have a garden.

* They put their family and relationships first in life.

* They pray and are a part of a religion.

* They do meaningful activities that they love throughout their lives.

* They are generally active, healthy, and use the life they’ve been given.

* They don’t give up on life just because they are old (i.e. they never retire).

That’s the gist, but watch the video because he explains why these things work and how they affect the body. It is the sanest approach I’ve ever seen to the long life stuff.