I need to live to 100.  No, really, I do. I’m approaching my birthday – my Medicare birthday – and I am responsible for a preschool boy.

I’ve never been a health nut like some of my kids and well, I’m the only person I know who flunked PE in high school so I’m not off to a really good start in the physical fitness department.

I came across an article called Secrets to Longevity. It was bookmarked on my computer back in 2009 so I’ve obviously thought about this before.

According to this list there are eight culprits that will most quickly age you and negatively affect your health:

1. Poor diet – well, eating with a preschooler doesn’t lend itself well to salmon and vegetables but we do ok with fruit, stir-fry and a little Chef Boyardee. We should look at nutrition in a later blog.  Start gathering your ideas and suggestions.
2. Lack of exercise — there is plenty of running, chasing, heavy lifting, wrestling and bending to pick things up but you won’t catch me doing palates or Zumba. I do a few leg lifts when the foot rest on my recliner goes up though.

3. Stress and worry – every grandparent who ends up raising little ones knows there is always a little worry going on. After all, we do still love the child who blessed us with this new job and their life couldn’t be all peaches and cream or we wouldn’t have their kids.
4. Exhaustion — Really?  Get serious. I’m nearly 65 and I have a preschooler.   Exhaustion is a way of life.  Guess I don’t get points for this one.
5. Unhappiness   — As long as I stay away from dwelling on what might have been, I’m good in this department. It’s those “if onlys” that zap us into bluesville. Stay focused on how lucky we are to have today and it’s all good.
6. Lack of love — I am truly blessed and never run short of love or people who freely express it. That would be my wish for you as well.  If you are running low in this department, consider a support group. Email me if you can’t find one and I’ll try to help.
7. Toxic overload – I’m sure this entry was talking about non-organic foods but I think we need to also take a look at toxic people and situations in our lives.  Sometimes it is important to rid ourselves of people to are only happy when they are miserable and like to share it.
8. Blockages and congestion of the transportation highways within our bodies. — Ok, I get it. A little Activia and some raisin bran.

I’m going to do a little more research on this subject so you might hear from me again on this one. Because living to 100 really isn’t optional.