Are You Ready to Live to 100?
If you lived to 100 would you be ready? Do this, and you will be. Most people expect to live a long life. After all, this is the age of medical technology, and life expectancy has never been longer. The centenarians are the fastest-growing age demographic in the U.S. (and maybe the world). Chances are pretty good that you will end up joining those ranks whether you want to or not. I often ask the attendees at my seminars and lectures which they would prefer: 1) to live to 85 with a guarantee that they will be mostly healthy and able-bodied or 2) to live to 100 but with no guarantee on what kind of quality of life they will have. Almost without exception, everyone chooses option 1. It seems that people don’t want longevity if it means the possibility of poor health, nursing homes, medications, and being dependent on others. People want quality of life over quantity of life. But there is a third option. What if you could live to 100 (or more) in good health and be physically capable of doing all of the stuff that you currently enjoy doing? Would you choose both quantity and quality? Well, here’s the thing. As I said, you might live to 100 whether you want to or not, so you might as well be prepared. Although you can’t do anything about your genetics or past health choices or the development of certain diseases, you still have a lot of control over your destiny. Do these things to give yourself the best possible chance of living long AND living well. 1. STOP: The best thing you can do is to stop sabotaging your health. That means giving up vices, especially smoking. If you smoke (even a little) or live with a smoker then you really, really don’t want to live to 100 because, if you do, your quality of life won’t be very good. If heart disease hasn’t already killed you then every day, every moment will be a struggle to breathe because of pulmonary disease, or you will be unable to talk because of throat or lung cancer. That’s no way to live. Trust me, I’ve seen it. 2. Functional fitness: A functional fitness routine is the way to go. It improves upper-body strength, lower-body strength, core endurance, muscle power, balance, agility, coordination, and so much more. You will be able to keep doing all of the things you love to do, and you will feel better doing them. 3. HIIT: For aerobic exercise, nothing beats high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT uses intervals of high-intensity exercise interspersed with intervals of lower-intensity exercise. Basically, you will get out of breath and sweaty during the hard intervals and will mostly recover during the easier intervals. This is far superior for improving fitness than the traditional steady- state aerobic exercise.
4. Nutrition: You’ve heard it all before but probably only follow a fraction of what you know. Eat more lean protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, and fiber. Eat less or no saturated fats, sodium, and sugar. Pack your diet with a wide variety of fresh (preferably organic and from your own garden) vegetables and fruit. Eat whole grains (brown rice, couscous, oatmeal) as a staple. Consume fish, chicken breast, and pork loin (lean protein sources) at every meal. 5. Get vertical: Spirituality is a key aspect of good health. Get back in touch with God. Pray, read scripture, and meditate on a daily basis. It is great to handle the stresses of life and keep you centered. 6. Relate: Keep those relationships healthy and strong. Tell your husband or wife how much you love them. Mend those broken ties with family and friends. Find good folks to spend time with and get close to. Life is too short and love is too important. There is no guarantee of longevity just as there is no guarantee of a high quality of life. But IF you do live to 100, don’t you want to be ready?
Vegan Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
INGREDIENTS:
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1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
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1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
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2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes 4 teaspoons lime juice ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chili powder 4 teaspoons ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile (optional)
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¼ teaspoon salt 2 ½ cups water
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat oil in large pot. Add sweet potato and onion and cook until onion begins to soften. Add spices and salt and stir for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10-12 minutes, or until sweet potato is tender. 2. Add beans, tomato, and lime juice. Increase heat and return to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes. 3. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro, and serve. Recipe inspired by eatingwell.com.
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