There are people that are living much longer than expected lately. We always want to know the secret to living a longer life. Scientists are researching the way bees think and other scientists are researching microscopic worms in search of how lifespan within itself can be changeable. So, does that mean we can influence how long we are going to live?

As far as the researcher’s can see, most old people in great shape are active. Many have continued their careers into their nineties and longer. Many have a plant based diet. That means no kielbasa, be a vegetarian. Some don’t drink coffee or tea. Others believe that a healthy body has to be in conjunction with a healthy mind. Ok, well then that means I should be dead already. I had a steak yesterday ,drank coffee at breakfast and had an iced tea with lunch today and I don’t have any time to exercise this week.

What is interesting is that the elderly people over 100 years old were living in Loliminda, California and they are all Seventh Day Adventists that is a Protestant denomination that emphasizes physical health which is a vital pathway to spiritual health according to them. In California, the survey of life span conducted between Non-Adventist and Adventists men is that the Non-Adventist’s are living till 73 years old on average and the Adventists are living till 81 on average. So, now I have to join a new religion to live longer?

I know that there are very popular faith based even non denominational churches that are very successful now that preach more about being successful and happy in this life rather than going to heaven or hell or rules to follow or else eternal damnation. Life is hard enough, we all don’t need guilt over the after life as well. I want to live a long and prosperous life here and now. It is all I know and I should be in the mindset to improve it.

The Adventist Health Studies survey found among women that Non-Adventist women lived to about 79 years old but the Adventist women lived on average to 84 years old. Over all, the men were living about seven years longer and the women living about four years longer if you were thinking like an Adventist. Not a bad promotional statistic for the religion.

There are the factors in arriving at the longevity. They are all vegetarians, they maintain a good body weight by not being too thin and not too heavy, they all ate small amounts of nuts everyday, none of them have ever smoked and were sure to exercise about 3 to 4 times a week at any age. But before you rush out to become a vegetarian or a Seventh Day Adventist, there is another critical element that helps determine how long you will live. It is genetics.

Yes, How long did your parents or grandparents live? There is a study going on now at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City where there is an ongoing genes project. As a group there have been overweight, smoking and few have been exercising but through the gene pool if mom and dad lived long so should you. If say there is a history of breast cancer in your family there is a greater chance you might suffer from it as well.

The fact is that because of advancements in pharmaceutical’s and health care, we are already extending lives. In 2010 there were 72 thousand centenarians ( yes, people that are already 100 years old) in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2050 the projected number of citizens who are 100 years and older in age soar to 4.2 Million people. Strides in research could boost that figure and better the odds for all of us.

Studies are now being done and experiments are being performed in the aging field. There is a lot being achieved in basic labs on animals, worms and flies and yeast cells to find the secrets to longevity. There are molecular biologists in the Buck Institute for Research on Aging that are being able now to change the rate of aging in simple animals.

Look there are very wealthy people interested in this type of research because they have it all except being able to enjoy all the spoils they have achieved in just one lifetime. How about give me more time on earth to enjoy my stuff?