The 90+ Study

Want to live well into your 90’s? Over 100? Well you better start having fun!

The 90+ study has identified certain behaviours correlated with living healthy well into your later years.

It goes like this: Back in the early 80’s a survey was done in a retirement community that gathered data on people’s diet, activity level, vitamin intake, etc… As it turns out, all this information sat dormant on the shelf for years until mid last decade Dr Claudia Kawas saw an opportunity. This archived data on 14,000 + people was the equivalent of research gold. So they set out to find all the people in this study still alive – many of whom would be over 90.

While the primary aim of the study is to learn about Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia I was most interested in some of the other findings.  For example:

• Smoking cigarettes kills you early (duh).
• Genes matter but they are not everything.
• Moderate alcohol intake (2 drinks/day – of any alcohol) reduces risk of death by 10-15%.
• 1-3 cups of coffee a day is better than more or none.
• Its better to be average or a little over weight when old.
• Watching what you eat is not correlated to longevity.
• Exercising 45 minutes a day is optimal.  Doesn’t even have to be intense or all at once.
• Games, book clubs and activities are correlated with living longer.
• Taking vitamins (E,A,C and Calcium) are NOT correlated with longevity.
• Participants in the study say having lots of sex is one of their secrets to living long.

If I stand back and look at these findings I see a person who enjoyed life and definitely did not take themselves or life too seriously. Perhaps that is the secret to happiness and longevity.

Please give this video a watch. Part 2 of the coverage is where they discuss how the study is breaking ground in Alzheimer’s and Dementia research. Very interesting. This is a reality many of us have dealt with already or will in the future.

In memory of Leonard Nimoy’s passing over the weekend – Live Long and Prosper.

The House of Shepherd

Tuesday’s Workout:

Warm Up: Coach’s Choice

Strength and Technique:

A. Work up to a heavy Thruster

B. Every Minute On the Minute (7 min EMOM)
– 30 Sec Thrusters (50-60% of your heavy one)
– 30 Sec Rest

Workout:

“Swing & Jump”
3 Rounds:
– 40 KB Swings* (Black/Red)
– 70 Double-Unders

*Tuesday’s Standard – a hybrid swing – Kettlebell must break top of shoulder plane with arms straight and wrists neutral.