Ben Philipson

September 22nd of this year celebrated National Centenarian’s Day. It is a day to honor all of those who have reached the age of 100 and beyond. The founder of this day is the Williamsport Retirement Village in Williamsport Maryland.

Centenarians are being recognized by various communities as well as nonprofit organizations. In the 19th century, it was incredibly rare for anyone to live past 100 years of age. In a short span of time we are seeing many people living longer and longer. Those alive today should be celebrated and respected for their achievements.

With health care and medical advances, as well as higher quality of life, more people are living to their 100s. Currently, the United States has the largest number of know centenarians which totaled at 53,364 according to the Census of 2010. A whopping 83% are female. At this rate, there could be close to 1 million people aged 100 or older by 2050 living in the US. The amount of centenarians in Japan is currently lower than in the US, however that number has quadrupled in the past 10 years and is likely to surpass the US by 2050.

We can all take a lesson from these centenarians by looking at the what they all have in common. Most are tall and lean, show no signs of cognitive difficulties or dementia prior to age 92. Most have not suffered from old age diseases or symptoms such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Most centenarians never smoked or abused alcohol. They also tend to have an innate ability to deal with stress as well as living in non industrial and less toxic environments. Most are also spiritual and actively involved in their religion. Centenarians are also very active throughout their entire lives even in old age. If you want to live to 100 and beyond, be sure to live a healthy and happy lifestyle. Reduce stress and anxiety, and incorporate exercise into your daily routine, whether it’s Tai Chi, dancing, or an evening walk with a friend.