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The Washington Post set out to find centenarians from around the world to take advantage of the knowledge that 100 years of life can give you. We started by asking: What advice would you give your younger self?
The responses were enlightening. Choose the right life partner. Do what you love. Don’t neglect your education. Stay true to your principles. Learn tolerance. Cherish your friendships. Think positive. Learn from your elders. Believe in your own potential. Keep asking questions. Be kind. Never stop reading. Keep moving. Stay determined.
One of the centenarians we spoke to was Treasure Zimmerman, 103, of Coronado, California. Zimmerman has lived an adventurous life. After World War II, when her husband began flying airplanes as a hobby, Zimmerman also learned to fly. She ended up flying with a friend in a women’s cross-country derby from Bakersfield, California, to Atlantic City. They finished 11th out of 60 planes in the Powder Puff Derby.
For her 95th birthday, she drove alone in her red Jaguar convertible from California to Kansas City. Staying mobile has helped her live a long life, she said. Zimmerman, a former physical education teacher, still walks every day with her dog Gigi, a 12-year-old girl from Havana. Her advice: “Even when you don’t feel good, keep walking, keep moving.”
To learn about all the centenarians we interviewed, enjoy the full article. And if you are a centenarian or know someone who is, please Complete this form. We would love to hear from you.
How to conquer mindless eating
If you struggle with overeating or making unhealthy food choices, this is my favorite tip for mindful eating. When looking for a food, whether to eat it or put it in your shopping cart, ask yourself: How will eating this make me feel?
That advice came from Judson Brewer, a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of research and innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University. This tip and more is outlined in his new book “The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We’re Not Hungry and How to Stop It.”
Brewer’s advice was very helpful to me personally. While I generally have healthy eating habits, I certainly have moments of weakness and cravings, particularly with foods like ice cream. By taking a moment of mindfulness (when shopping and when foraging), I have been able to avoid foods that leave me feeling bored and actually enjoy the foods I eat.
In this week’s Eating Lab column, we talk to Brewer about his new book and ask him about the role that willpower plays in changing our eating habits.
“From a neuroscience standpoint, willpower isn’t even part of the equation when it comes to behavior change,” Brewer said. “The dominant paradigm is that people feel they simply need more willpower. And so, every six months, there’s a new topic, whether it’s a new diet or a new plan or something new that requires willpower. “People feel ashamed of themselves because they feel like something is wrong with them.”
Simply knowing what we “should” do is also often not enough to make us change behavior, he said. Brewer notes that we’ve all been inundated with messages that fresh, whole, minimally processed foods and regular exercise are the foundation of health, but many of us continue to struggle. “Knowledge is not enough because that is not where behavior change occurs,” Brewer said. “Feeling is where behavior change happens, so we have to reacquaint ourselves with – I would say, reconnect with – our bodies and then start listening to them.”
To learn more about Brewer’s 21-day meal plan, read the full report.
How to keep your hemorrhoids happy
Q: I have hemorrhoids. What exactly are they? How can I avoid having them again?
TO: Everyone has hemorrhoids. They are a normal part of our body: Hemorrhoids are simply cushions of veins along the top and bottom of the anal canal, a short tunnel that connects the rectum to the anus.
They never get any credit, but hemorrhoids are kind of the MVP of that area: the cushions help reinforce the anal canal against accidental leaks. Have you ever wondered how your body knows the difference between gas, solid or liquid? Scientists believe it’s those sensitive hemorrhoids that can detect when it’s safe to give the go-ahead to flatus.
But those veins can become engorged, and the tissue that holds them in place can weaken. When this happens, we notice our hemorrhoids and that is when we call them a problem. Symptoms may include itching, bleeding, a feeling of fullness, an uncomfortable lump, accidental soiling, and pain.
To read the rest of the response from Trisha Pasricha, our Ask a Doctor columnist, click the link.
Here are some things that brought us joy this week.
- Do you need good news? Learn more about pasta and health.
- Sleepy polar bear? Baby lion? Happy turtle? Choose your favorite wildlife photo.
- Do you love puzzles? Discover competitive puzzles.
- This cheerful snack is a real snack. Attempt these sauce recipes at your Super Bowl party.
- Rachmaninoff’s last living piano student lives in Pennsylvania. She is 99 years old.
Do you want to know more about “joy” snacks? Our Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima explains. ANDyou also can Read this story like a comic..
Please let us know how we are doing. Send me an email to well-being@washpost.com. You also can Find us on TikTok.