Aloha

A 40-year study of 6,000 Japanese-Americans from Hawaii has yielded some predictable findings. One increases dramatically one's chances of living up to or past age 85 by having a low-calorie diet, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, not smoking or drinking excessively, and by being married.

"The nine mid-life risk factors were: being overweight, meaning a body-mass index of 25 or more; having high blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes; having high triglyceride levels, which contribute to heart disease; having high blood pressure; having low grip strength _ unable to squeeze at least 86 pounds of pressure with a handheld device; smoking; consuming three or more alcoholic drinks daily; not graduating from high school; and being unmarried.

"'These risk factors can be easily measured in a clinical setting and are, for the most part, modifiable,' the researchers said."

You can find the article on the Washington Post site here.

Monkeys!!! (and low-calorie diets)

Researchers have some startling results from their study of rhesus monkeys, and the effects of low-calorie diets versus standard ones.

"This approach, called calorie restriction, involves eating about 30 percent fewer calories than normal while still getting adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Aside from direct genetic manipulation, calorie restriction is the only strategy known to extend life consistently in a variety of animal species."

Read the New York Times article here.