posted
"We don't know why she's lived so long," said Don Parker, her 59-year-old grandson. "But she's never been a worrier and she's always been a thin person, so maybe that has something to do with it."
Parker's long-lived sisters are typical of other centenarians, according to Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research in New York. Nearly all of them have a sister, mother or other relative who lived a long life, he said.
"Longevity is in the family history," Barzilai said.
He and other scientists have found several genetic mutations in centenarians that may play a role in either slowing the aging process or boosting resistance to age-related diseases.
Perls said the secret to a long life is now believed to be a mix of genetics and environmental factors such as health habits. He said his research on about 1,500 centenarians hints at another factor that may protect people from illnesses such as heart attacks and stroke -- they appear not to dwell on stressful events.
"They seem to manage their stress better than the rest of us," he said.
Posts: 1549 | From: California, USA | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think that living to be a 150 would be the ultimate accomplishment. I had a great-granddad that lived to be almost 98. He would have been 98 on September 15, 2007. He died two months shy of his 98th birthday.
Posts: 384 | Registered: Jan 2008
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I had a great-granddad that lived to be almost 98. He would have been 98 on September 15, 2007. He died two months shy of his 98th birthday.
Printer-friendly view of this topic