Health
100-year-old great-grandmother reveals her secret of living a long life
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Longevity is a lifestyle practice, according to 100-year-old Ruth Lemay, who has gone viral for sharing her vibrant energy and fitness routine.
Lemay, who lives in Virginia Beach, was featured in a video while pedaling on a recumbent exercise bike at the gym. The video was posted by the health brand evry.day club (@evrydayclub) on Instagram.
The centenarian was asked what she does to stay so fit and “look so great” for her age, as she was wrapping up three miles on the bike after 30 minutes.
7 STEPS TO ‘SUPER-AGING’ ARE KEY TO LIVING A LONGER, MORE FULFILLING LIFE, EXPERTS SAY
“Then I’ll do 30 more minutes,” she commented. “And I walk — [I’ll] do a mile.”
Lemay shared her “secret to longevity” — the fact that she started walking four miles every day after she retired.
“That’s just what keeps you going,” she said. “A lot of exercise. Plenty of sleep. I go to bed at 9:30 at night and I eat a lot of vegetables — trying to keep healthy.”
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Lemay said that she and her 78-year-old daughter attend the gym three times per week. They typically do individual workouts.
Her sessions include riding the recumbent bike, which is reclined to support the lower back, for two 30-minute stints, reaching about three miles both times.
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That is followed by a 1.4-mile walk, as Lemay is currently working toward reaching a mile and a half.
“When I don’t go to the recreation center, I still try and walk from one end of my house to the other,” she told Women’s Health. “It’s 170 steps, 40 times, which is 6,800 steps (3.22 miles).”
Ruth Lemay, 100, bikes and walks every day to keep healthy. (Instagram/@evrydayclub; iStock)
In an interview with TODAY.com, Lemay said she lives in her own home and enjoys cooking. She drove a car until she was 98.
“I’ve always exercised,” she said. “I feel fine. I might be a little bit tired after riding the bicycle and the walk, but that’s OK. I don’t expect not to feel tired.”
Her late husband of 56 years would encourage her to walk after work, said Lemay.
“He said, ‘You just take the dog and go for a walk, and I’ll fix dinner,’” she recalled. “It was wonderful.”
Lemay’s late husband (not pictured) always encouraged her to walk when she got home from work, she said. (iStock)
Lemay’s daughter, Annette Parker, shared with TODAY that her mother has “always been very conscious of her diet.”
This includes non-fat yogurt, walnuts, oatmeal with banana and milk, or a scrambled egg with toast in the mornings. For protein, Lemay sticks with chicken, turkey or seafood.
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Lemay’s diet also includes red grapes, blueberries and many vegetables.
“I love vegetables. I grew up in the country, and my dad grew all kinds of vegetables, and they were wonderful for you,” she said.
Maintaining social relationships and good mental health have been shown to promote longevity. (iStock)
Lemay, who has never smoked and doesn’t drink alcohol, added, “I’m in pretty good health for my age.”
While genetics may impact longevity, Lemay shared with TODAY that she doesn’t know anyone in her family who has lived as long as her. Her mother died of colon cancer at 65 and her father died from a heart condition at 74.
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Other than one heart valve replacement, the great-grandmother has avoided major health complications.
In addition to paying attention to nutrition and fitness, Lemay and Parker said that maintaining good mental health and keeping a vibrant social life have been key longevity factors.
Fox News Digital reached out to Lemay and her representatives for comment.
Health
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Health
Missing sleep may take a hidden toll on your brain and longevity, research reveals
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Missing out on adequate sleep could be taking years off your life.
New research from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), published in the journal Sleep Advances, found that poor sleep may shorten life expectancy more than other lifestyle factors like diet, exercise and loneliness.
The researchers analyzed nationwide CDC survey data, identifying trends associated with average life expectancy by county, according to a press release.
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The study found that lack of adequate sleep led to higher mortality risk in every U.S. state and was the top behavioral driver compared to other factors, only behind smoking.
Senior study author Andrew McHill, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Sleep, Chronobiology, and Health Laboratory in the OHSU School of Nursing, noted in a statement that he did not expect sleep to be “so strongly correlated” to life expectancy.
Poor sleep is directly correlated with shorter life expectancy, the study reveals. (iStock)
“We’ve always thought sleep is important, but this research really drives that point home: People really should strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep, if at all possible,” he said.
“This research shows that we need to prioritize sleep at least as much as we do [in] what we eat or how we exercise.”
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In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen, psychiatrist and owner of Amen Clinics in California, emphasized how important sleep is for brain function and longevity.
Researchers suggest people should prioritize sleep just as much as diet and exercise. (iStock)
“Sleep is so important,” he said. “When you sleep, your brain cleans and washes itself. And if you don’t sleep seven to nine hours at night, your brain looks older than you are — there’s less blood flow, and it increases inflammation in the brain.”
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“Your brain doesn’t have enough time to get rid of the toxins that build up during the day.”
Lack of adequate sleep can lead to poor decisions and foster toxic cycles, the doctor warned.
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“If your brain has less activity in the front part, not only are you tired, but you’re also hungrier, and you’re more likely to not make the best decisions,” he said.
“Which, of course, will stress you out, and then you won’t sleep well the next night.”
A doctor suggests being “purposeful” about going to bed and waking up each day. (iStock)
One small change to promote longevity and brain health is to try getting to bed 15 minutes earlier, Amen suggested.
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“Really be purposeful about not being distracted by Netflix or your phone,” he said.
“And when you get up in the morning, say to yourself, ‘Today is going to be a great day.’ The more positive you are, the better your brain.”
Health
The Best Time To Take ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ Berberine for Weight Loss and Blood Sugar Control, According to an MD
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