Loose Women: Dr Hilary discusses how to live longer
You might think that in order to live a long life you need to move to the Mediterranean and follow the traditional diet, pouring olive oil over fresh colourful produce.
However, data suggests that you don’t need to buy a flight ticket to reach a ripe age. According to the Office for National Statistics, the UK ranks as the seventh country worldwide for the highest number of centenarians.
Therefore, a train ticket to Wales or even to the capital could put you in a place native to people who live the longest.
Fabulous Bingo ranked available data of 234 supercentenarians that live in the UK, revealing the five top counties for longevity.
Dotted with picturesque beaches, West Glamorgan in South West Wales leads the way with the oldest centenarians of an average age of 113. South Yorkshire holds the second spot, boasting four super agers.
READ MORE Four easy lifestyle tweaks that could help you live until 100, experts advise
Filled with picture-postcard quirky spa towns, Derbyshire is third on the list, with a whopping seven people over the age of 100.
The next two places in the top five are Isle of Wight, sporting two centenarians of an average age of 111.5, and Dorset with four people of 111.3.
However, the county with the highest number of people who have reached the age of 100 is surprisingly not famed for sublime nature or even good air quality. According to the data, Greater London is the home to 17 supercentenarians.
Tony Pemberton, epigeneticist and longevity expert, told Express.co.uk that the busy lifestyles full of movement could be the reason behind this surprising statistic in the capital.
He explained that Londoners tend to walk more than the rest of the UK and physical movement is a part of the puzzle leading to longevity.
However, levels of social deprivation in the rest of the country are likely to be “the largest factor” behind London’s high number of super agers.
He added: “London has the highest concentration of both millionaires and billionaires in the UK, with access to cutting-edge healthcare. Being in the super-rich category could explain some of the centenarians.”
Fortunately, your bank account doesn’t need to be bursting with funds if you want to boost your longevity.
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Lifestyle tweaks to help you reach the age of 100
While achieving the milestone of 100 years is dictated by a combination of genetics and environmental factors, your lifestyle choices also play a big role.
Nick Mitchell, CEO and founder of global personal training company Ultimate Performance, shared that a healthy diet packed with fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and olive oil could do the trick.
Mitchell said: “A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
“Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, help combat free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. This can lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.”
Furthermore, you should pair a balanced diet with other healthy lifestyle choices, such as regular physical activity, stress management, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, the expert added.
When it comes to exercise, Mitchell recommended resistance training – “one of the most overlooked and under-reported ways to slow down the ageing process”.
He added: “There is a medical condition called sarcopenia, which basically means muscle wasting. As we age, our muscles atrophy, they shrink, they get weaker.
“So, if you really want to rage against the dying of the light, one of the ways you can do that is by resistance training.”
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