The secret to longevity
By Sarah MacDonald / News Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
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RANDOLPH -- Dr. Thomas Perls remembers meeting a husband and wife who had both lived past 100 years old.
Perls, researching the aging process, asked the couple what the secret to their longevity was.
"The man told me he ate a bowl of dates, raisins, nuts and oatmeal every day. But he said maybe it was the half a cup of olive oil he put on it that did it," said Perls, founder of the New England Centenarian Study and author of "Living to 100."
"If that's the secret, I don't want to have anything to do with it."
Perls, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a geriatrician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, was the keynote speaker at the Norfolk County district attorney's annual Senior Summit yesterday in Randolph.
He discussed his work studying the mental, physical and spiritual traits of more than 1,000 people over 100. The thought of living that long elicited several moans from the crowd.
"I heard your reaction," Perls said. "It comes from the notion that the older you get, the sicker you get, that if you reach 100, you must be on death's doorstep. That's not the case."
There are fewer than 50,000 centenarians in the United States but they represent the fastest growing age group in the country, Perls said.
While life expectancy is partially related to genetics, Perls and fellow researchers have flagged several steps seniors, and younger people, can take to live a long time. Perls uses the acronym AGEING to explain.
"A" is for attitude, which Perls said makes a difference.
"Most centenarians, when they're stressed, can let it go. It's not that they have less stress, but that they can deal with it," he said.
The "G" is for genetics and Perls advised seniors to remember when their parents and grandparents died.
"If a lot of your relatives lived to 90 or 100, maybe you can indulge a little in the ham and eggs breakfast grandpa used to have," he said.
The "E" stands for exercise, most importantly strength training, Perls said.
"There aren't many things in life you can reverse, but muscle mass you absolutely can," he said. "You don't need fancy-schmancy, just some weights."
Exercise for the brain is also important.
"I" is for interests, and seniors should try picking up a new class or taking on a new hobby.
"I'm sure there are things you are good at, but it's time to try something new," he said. "It's about creating new pathways in the brain so that if there is some damage, like with Alzheimer's, there are lots of pathways to choose from."
"N" is for nutrition, and Perls urged seniors to try a low-carbohydrate diet.
"White bread, pasta, white rice. I know it sounds good, but it's not good for you," he said.
The last "G" is to get rid of smoking and get screened for diseases like breast and colon cancer.
"A good gastroenterologist will be in and out in no time and you'll be glad you did it," Perls said.
Perls and his colleagues created a life expectancy calculator which uses a series of yes or no questions to pinpoint how long someone can expect to live. The calculator is online at
www.livingto100.com.
"There are things you can do to age more slowly, to avoid some of the diseases specifically related to age," Perls said.
Close to 300 seniors, including residents of Dedham and Norwood, listened to Perls and stuck around for speakers on health care, elder abuse and legal situations.
"The more people we have sharing ideas, the better off we'll be," said District Attorney William Keating. "We have to work together to be smarter, to be more effective."
Dorothy Vitale, director of senior initiatives in the district attorney's office, said she organized the event to bring together active seniors.
Reporter Sarah MacDonald can be reached at 781-433-8338 or at sarah.macdonald~cnc.com.
"The secret to longevity"
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