The coronavirus has ravaged the world and increased the death toll in all countries. Despite this, the number of people nearing or crossing a hundred years has increased worldwide. People can live longer everywhere, but certain reversible, controllable conditions like poverty, lack of education, disempowerment of women, poor public health, infectious diseases, pollution and road accidents reduce lifespans.

Good genes have long been considered the reason for a long life. Some are born with good genes and chromosomes that do not shorten, fracture, stop working or work in an uncontrolled fashion leading to slowdown in cell repair — these cause wasting of muscles, brittle bones and a decrease in nerve cells, leading to fragility and dementia.

Studies have now shown that though genes do play a role in longevity, long life is associated with certain common threads or traits.

To begin with, calories consumed are to be decreased. This means eating only 1,500-1,800 calories a day systematically. Do not eat till you are full, but until the feeling of hunger disappears. Vegetables and fruits, some in the raw form, should constitute the major portion of the diet — around 20 nuts should be eaten every day. Spices, especially curcumin, are potent antioxidants. Coffee and tea (but not more than four cups a day) is associated with longevity. This is because of the high concentration of antioxidants, which protect against cell damage, and flavonoids.

The body needs 8-9 hours of restful sleep to repair itself. Caffeine from colas, tea and coffee can interfere with this. Since it takes six hours for caffeine to wear off, such beverages should be stopped six hours before bedtime.

Smoking shortens life of the smoker and members of the household by 8-10 years. Moderate drinking, on the other hand, has a protective effect. This is defined as one unit of alcohol or less per day for women and two units for men. Wine is preferred over other beverages. Red wine, especially, contains many ingredients that provide protection against heart disease. However, this does not mean you start drinking if you are a teetotaller. The recommendation only means if you do drink, do so in moderation.

Try to be happy. Unhappy folks develop chronic stress and eventually shorten their lifespan by 8-10 years. They are more likely to have heart disease and suffer a stroke too. Worrying and obsessing over events that cannot be changed or controlled does not do anyone any good. If there are chronic problems, it is better to practise meditation to calm the mind and overcome them. Close relationships and friendships also decrease stress. Friends and relatives are likely to listen to the problems and extend a helping hand. Venting problems reduces stress.

Centenarians have been found to have certain habits in common. They are disciplined, organised and goal-oriented. Their structured living and regular habits reduce stress. They are also less likely to have high blood pressure or heart disease, or suffer a stroke. Such traits should be consciously inculcated in children.

Physical activity, too, keeps you healthy and flexible. A good combination is 30 minutes walking, 10 minutes stretching or yoga and 10 minutes meditation. Do not exercise or stretch to a point where it hurts. If you have been for some time, start slowly — with 10 minutes a day, working it up to 150 minutes a week.

There are many reasons to postpone exercising, but only one to start and that’s a long, healthy and fruitful life.

The writer is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore and the author of Staying Healthy in Modern India. If you have any questions on health issues, please write to yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in