Salmansohn Gloria - Life is long!: 50+ ways to help you live a little bit closer to forever

Want to live to one hundredand feel thirty? Me too!

Im a late-in-life mom, and I want to be around to dance at my sons wedding. With this in mind, I recently promised my son, Ari, that Id do everything I can to live to one hundred.

Ari wanted me to live to two hundred, but I bargained him down to one hundred.

Ari accepted my counteroffer.

As a happiness and wellness expert, Ive always been interested in living a healthy lifestyle. But after my vow to be a centenarian, I became particularly passionate about learning and practicing as many healthy habits as I could memorize and muster.

Its because Im fascinated with health and wellness that I studied to become a yoga and meditation teacher at the amazing ISHTA Yoga studio. In fact, I was never interested in teaching classes. I simply wanted to learn the science and logic behind why yoga and meditation are such health game changersand how best to use these tools to win at the longevity game!

I also began reading stacks of books and interviewing and immersing myself in the wisdom of a range of health experts, from Fred DeVito, cofounder and EVP of Exhale, to Dr. Mark Hyman, internationally recognized health leader, to Howard Friedman, the force of nature behind the Longevity Projectand then some.

I also spoke with my favorite concierge doctor, Bruce Yaffe, MD, whos been my go-to personal physician for about twenty years. Im not the only fan of Dr. Yaffe; for more than ten years New York magazine has named him a Best Doctor in NYC and a Best Doctor in the USA. Dr. Yaffe is very involved with groundbreaking research on longevity. Hes active in the New York Stem Cell Foundation and passionate about research on whole genome sequencing, genetic predisposition, microbiomes, Nrf2sall the cutting-edge longevity exploration currently going on around the globe.

Dr. Yaffes focus as my physician is on preventive maintenance and keeping his patients healthy in five key categories: (1) mobility, (2) brain function, (3) heart/lung/cardiovascular health, (4) sensory function (hearing, vision, taste, smell), and (5) economic/monetary healthiness! Every time I see Dr. Yaffe he reminds me to think preventively about my healthnot only about how I eat but also how I shower, drive, and sleep. Thanks to Dr. Yaffe, I have a sturdy nonslip bath mat in my tub, nonslip rugs in my living room, a night-light on at bedtime, seat belts on in every car rideand I always look out for cyclists when I exit cars. Dr. Yaffe warns, Ive seen far too many patients who take good care of their health by eating right and regularly exercisingthen one day they arent careful, they have an accident, and suddenly their quality of life is taken away from them!

I also read up on the secrets of peppy people in the Blue Zonegeographic regions around the globe where folks are regularly known to live to ninety or even one hundred years old.

What you hold in your hands is the handy, fast-paced, curated result of all the hours I put into researching the secrets of living both longer and younger. I wanted to snag two out of two. After all, Im not simply interested in increasing my quantity of years on this planet; I also want to improve the quality of those years.

Ive grouped the tips in this book into two buckets: body and mind. As it turns out, longevity is linked to not only physical health but also mental well-being! The first half of the book contains the body-focused tips (colored blue in the table of contents). The second half features the mind-focused tips (in a pretty teal color!).

Regardless of whatever your present age might be, I know the tools in this book will help youbecause theyve already helped me! I definitely feel younger and more energetic. Friends, family, and coworkers also keep telling me that I dont look (or act) my age.

I even fooled my blood lab into believing Im younger.

I had my blood tested recently. Dr. Yaffe joked with me: Karen, you have the Harvard of blood tests for someone your age!

Meaning? My blood doesnt look, feel, or act its age either.