Centenarians are people who live up to and beyond 100 years. Chinese Medicine is founded on the principals that a human being should live 100 healthy years.

Research into centenarians shows common factors among various groups, which are also promoted as healthy by Chinese Medicine. Three of these are below:

1) Diet – intermittent fasting, not over-eating (or eating to 70% full), a diet based primarily on plant-based substance but not entirely vegetarian, certainly not vegan is common among centenarians. Research shows people in western societies have been healthier and experienced longer lifespans during times of scarcity (E.G in the Great Depression) compared with times of plenty  which usually results in overeating and indulgent type eating.

People who eat this kind of light, mostly-plant diet are rarely overweight.

2) Healthy social involvement – people who have a role to play in their community and close friendships – whether through family members or life-long friends are more likely to live to 100.

3) Regular Exercise – Chinese medicine advocates regular, movement based activity throught the day rather than sitting all day for 7 hours then pumping iron at the gym heavily for an hour. Moving around more, standing more, stretching more and SITTING LESS are ways you can increase your ability to have a healthier longer lasting body.

Other longevity practices promoted by Chinese medicine include:

• Regularity of lifestyle. Keep yourself on a schedule as much as possible, with regular waking, sleeping, rest and exercise times. Keep meals regular (avoid grazing all day), to give the Stomach a chance to digest food and then allow the digestive organs to rest.

Eating Cooked foods. Chinese medicine promotes “eat mostly cooked food most of the time”.

Self Massage / Acupressure. There are lots of books you can get on self-massage for health promotion. One common Qi Gong exercise is called “Knocking at the Gate of Life” – it’s about stimulating the Kidney Qi, the Dan Tian (the place of the Ming Men Fire)…essentially the storage of energy. I give this one to my patients regularly.

Engaging in activities which promote a balance of Yin and Yang is also incredibly healthy. Each of us will have a daily schedule which may put our yin or yang out of balance. Sitting all day is primarily a yin based activity where as a bricklayer is likely spending 80% of his or her working day in yang activities. Engaging in different activities as needed, e.g meditation (yin), strenuous exercise (highly yang) stretching and gentle yin-yoga (more yin, with a little yang) and cycling or brisk walking (yang), can help bring the balance to our lives.