By Sibel Dikmen, MD

According to the US Census Bureau, from 2010 to 2020, the 65-plus population experienced its largest-ever 10-year increase – from 13% to 16.8% of the total population – as well as its fastest growth rate from 40.3 million to 55.8 million people. Many people aim to live a long and healthy life, and for that reason, attend doctors’ appointments when necessary and complete recommended annual screenings. But more than taking care of your health inside a doctor’s office, focusing on a few key aspects of your daily living can help you work towards your goal of longevity and aging well.

In Blue Zones, areas of the world where many residents live to be 100 and functioning well, there are common features of those communities that when examined individually in other parts of the world, have been shown to lead to thriving in later age. A large portion of the Blue Zone commonalities focus not on where you live but with whom you live.

In addition to multi-generational living being more common in Blue Zones, those who are aging well also prioritize family and social proximity and gatherings first. They live in communities amongst their relatives and chosen family and experience a feeling of belonging. As we age, it can be common to downsize or even move, if this is an option for you – moving closer to family and friends has been shown to increase your life span!

Inside these close-knit communities, residents consistently report feeling a sense of purpose. The sense of purpose can be from possible sources, but people often cited taking care of young children in the family, providing a good or service to their community or giving back to others in the form of volunteering. St. Paul and the greater Minnesota area are full of opportunities to volunteer, which can be found with a quick internet search and can help you develop your “why”. Not only does developing a clear sense of why you wake up each morning help you live longer, but it is also proven to help you live better.

Purposeful living and community placement are both things that lead to increased social networks, which have been associated with a decreased risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia. Another common feature of many successfully living centenarians, someone who has lived to be 100 years old, is an emphasis on natural movement. This can include walking to the store or a neighbor’s house each day instead of driving or taking the stairs rather than the elevator. Each of these small moments of movement throughout the day not only contributes to your decreased risk of dementia by increasing your total daily movement but also increases the likelihood that you will maintain the ability to move independently as you age.

While many of the previous recommendations can be more challenging to fully enact, depending on where you live, one easy-to-change feature of your life that can lead to more successful aging is your diet. There is a multitude of evidence that shows eating a plant-based, legume-forward diet leads to better health and aging. In the simplest of terms, eat more beans and less meat. For more specific details, you can reference a previous Healthline article, “What’s up doc, is a plant-based diet right for me?” featured in the May 2024 issue.

While not everyone aims to live to be 100, most aim to be as independent and as healthy as they can be for as long as they can. Working on a few elements of successful aging can set you up to achieve those goals.

Dr. Dikmen is a family physician at Allina Health United Family Physicians, 233 Grand Ave, St. Paul, MN 55102, 651-241-5200