by Christine Zibas

Created on: May 14, 2007

Want to live forever? Although it's not yet scientifically possible to do that, we can see from recent strides in the development of medicine, that it is possible to live longer than the generations that preceded ours. What are the factors that influence longevity? First and foremost are your genes; the traits and genetic characteristics that your family passed along to you most influence your likelihood of living a long time. Have a lot of relatives that outlived the normal population? There's a good chance that you will too. However, the flip side of that factor is that there's not much we can do to influence that factor in our lives.

Another factor in longevity is how we take care of ourselves. Eating well and exercising as least 30 minutes daily (preferably 60 minutes) has been shown by many scientific studies to increase longevity. Pro-active health care is another factor. Spotting illness and health conditions needing attention early can prevent a harder toll on our health. Getting medical care early for a health problem can increase longevity.

They say laughter is the best medicine. It's also a factor in longevity. Being able to relieve stress and anxiety from our lives helps us live longer, as does living in a happy, healthy environment. Being surrounded by a loving group of people, whether it's family or friends is important. Isn't it strange how often when one of a couple dies, the other follows shortly? A sense of community and belonging are important to longevity, and an over-reliance on one person is not. The most wonderful thing about this factor is that you can make new friends at any age in your life. Communities of seniors exist everywhere, and with the aging baby boomers just around the corner from retirement, social services are sure to improve in the years to come.

Learn more about this author, Christine Zibas.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.