01.
What is your gender ?
FACT:
Life expectancy favors the female gender regardless of
culture.
02.
Where is your ancestral home?
FACT:
Life expectancy varies by nation due to genetic and cultural
differences.
03.
Do you have an annual physical exam?
FACT:
Many diseases (cancers, hypertension) in later life are
asymptomatic, go unnoticed and untreated.
04.
Enter the number of parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents
who lived to 85-plus.
FACT:
Research demonstrates that long-lived parents tend to
produce long-living children.
05.
Do you volunteer on a weekly basis?
FACT:
Studies confirm that volunteering focuses attention away
from ourselves and onto others.
06.
Do you live alone?
FACT:
Adults who live alone tend to be less well-nourished,
more isolated, and less nurtured.
07.
Are you able to laugh at and learn from your mistakes?
FACT:
Laughter, humility, and a positive outlooks are linked
to increased life expectancy.
08.Do
you have a confidant who listens to your most intimate
concerns?
FACT:
Confidants offer emotional catharsis and a sense of personal
worth to those in crisis.
09.
Do you engage in daily mental exercises such as puzzles,
games, learning or problem-solving?
FACT:
Individuals that continually challenge their minds suffer
fewer cognitive disorders.
10.
Do you engage in some form of daily aerobic exercise such
as swimming, jogging or biking?
FACT:
Exercising at one’s target heart rate strengthens
the heart and boosts metabolism.
11.
Do you eat a balanced diet, including fresh fruit, vegetables,
and whole grains?
FACT:
Balanced dieters experience lower risk of both genetic
and culturally related diseases.
12.
Do you smoke a pack of cigarettes daily?
FACT:
Smoking causes nearly half a million cancer and lung disease
deaths every year.
13.
Do you live with, work with, or spend time with people
who smoke?
FACT:
Although close association with smokers is thought to
reduce a person’s life expectancy by one year, recent
research suggests this association may reduce life expectancy
by two years.
14.
Does your body weight “yo-yo” as you go on
and off diet fads?
FACT:
Unorthodox dietary regimens stress the heart and immune
system, increasing the risk of disease.
15.
Do you own a pet?
FACT:
Peer-reviewed scientific journals substantially support
longevity benefits of pet companionship. (Note: Avoid
exotic pets, such as parrots, monkeys, reptiles, or rodents.
These animals have been known to carry diseases that can
be transmitted to humans.
16.
When writing, which hand do you use?
FACT:
Life is stressful for lefties living in a made-for right-hand
world. Lefties live in a world where most objects are
designed for right-handed people. Objects such as scissors,
pencil sharpeners, door openers, and can openers are rarely
designed for left-handed people.
17.
How tall are you?
FACT:
Size does matter, but not in any way you may have thought.
Shorter people live longer.
18.
Do you belong to any religious group, and do you practice
your faith?
FACT:
Attending to both physical and spiritual needs lowers
morbidity and mortality.
19.
Do you have two or more daughters?
FACT:
Daughters provide the bulk of eldercare. Even daughters-in-law
provide more care than do sons.
20.
Do you use stress management techniques such as meditation,
quiet time or visiting a spa?
FACT:
Because there is no escape from stress in our modern society,
stress management is the best response.
21.
How do you get to work?
FACT:
Walking offers fitness benefits, as well as a sense of
self-reliance and personal freedom (no gridlock!).
22. How
many cosmetic surgeries did you have?
FACT:
Cosmetic surgery reduces age phobia and age discrimination
and evokes a positive response from a youth-obsessed world.
Too many cosmetic surgeries (that is, more than one every
10 years), however, may actually accelerate the aging
process.
23.
Do you fear the uncertainties of growing old?
FACT:
Fear of aging increases your risk of emotional illnesses
such as self hatred, denial and depression.
24.
Do you routinely use cannabis?
FACT:
Scientific studies claim that frequent cannabis use increases
the risk of physical and mental disorders—such as
lung and heart disease and psychosis—by as much
as 150 percent.
25.
Are you sexually promiscuous?
FACT:
Engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners greatly
increases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
26.
Are you engaged in a long-term relationship of trust and
mutual respect?
FACT:
A relationship of this nature fulfills emotional, social,
and physical needs and lowers morbidity and mortality
risks.
27.
Are all your friends the same age as you?
Do you
have friends of different ages?
FACT:
Having friends from a younger generation counters an age-related
decrease in your social network. Social isolation sets
the stage for a variety of age-accelerating conditions.
Those who live alone, for example, have a shorter life
expectancy due to poor nutrition; the absence of companionship
and someone who can intervene during periods of depression
or physical illness; a decreasing need to get dressed
and groomed; and safety issues (for example, the hearing
impaired often misinterpret abnormal sounds, such as bathroom
water pipes gurgling, as human voices whispering) and
no one is present to tell them otherwise.
28.
Do you keep a written list of specific life goals with
time frames for completion?
FACT:
Studies of performance behavior link specific goals and
achievements to quality of life.
29. How
many blood relatives do you have that have cardiovascular
disease or cancer prior to age 50?
FACT: Family history demonstrates just how many cultural
risks are increased by genetic predisposition. Culture
(lifestyle) and genetics (inherited conditions) moderate
the aging process. For example, some ethnic groups share
a history of longevity, as do the children of long-lived
parents.
30. How
many blood relatives do you have that have history of
obesity, diabetes, or chronic depression?
FACT:
Family history demonstrates just how many cultural risks
are enhanced by genetic predisposition.
31.
Do you take a once-daily dose (physician-approved) of
an anti-inflammatory agent?
FACT:
Scientific studies of anti-inflamatory drugs such as aspirin
and statins show a reduced risk of cardio-vascular diseases
such as heart attack and stroke.
32.
Do you have an annual physical exam that includes a review
of diet, over-the-counter medications, prescriptions,
and dietary supplements?
FACT:
Without oversight, combining prescription and over-the-counter
medications with dietary supplements can be life threatening.
33.
Does your dental care routine include daily brushing and
flossing, plus a six-month checkup and cleaning?
FACT:
A lack of preventive dental care and poor oral health
habits raises the risk of infection elsewhere in the body,
such as the heart.
34.
Do you compute your daily caloric needs, then reduce caloric
intake by 20 percent?
FACT:
Research demonstrates a strong relationship between reduced
caloric intake and longevity. If you answered
“No” to this question, read the chapter, Thoughts
for Food, for more information about computing your daily
caloric needs and the benefits of reducing your caloric
intake by 20 percent.
35.
Do you have one daily serving of red wine (7 oz), purple
grape juice (7 oz), or RDA grape-seed extract?
FACT:
The agent in purple grapes enhances cardiovascular health
by flushing cholesterol from the arteries.
36.
Do you have one daily serving of oatmeal or oatbran (one
-half cup, or one 70- gram granola bar)?
FACT:
The fiber in oatmeal enhances cardiovascular health by
flushing cholestoral from the arteries.
37.
Are you involved in supervised strength training 3 times
per week?
FACT:
Muscular strength, flexibility, and coordination are essential
to daily living and reduce the likelihood of tripping
and falling.
38.
Do you have a daily exercise routine that consists of
at least 20 minutes of supervised cardiovascular training
at your target heart rate, as well as warm-up and cool-down
periods?
FACT:
Cardiovascular and metabolic benefits occur when exercise
is performed at your target heart rate. If you
answered “No” to this question, read chapter
five, Full Body Contact, for more information about calculating
your target heart rate and the benefits of a regular exercise
routine.
39.
Is your home and indoor work space adequately ventilated
by frequently opening windows, or equipped with air filtration
that can filter microscopic particles?
FACT:
Environmental studies have documented increasing evidence
of cardiopulmonary diseases generated from indoor air
and materials. Common items you have and use in and around
your home – such as carpets and furniture, insecticides,
cleansers, and paint and varnish – can release toxins
into the air. In addition, all homes absorb toxins from
the outside environment through normal cracks in foundations
and walls.
40.
Do you eat or drink more than two daily servings of caffeinated
products (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate)?
FACT:
Caffeine helps headache pain, but its toxic affect elsewhere
elevates the risk of cancer and heart disease.
41.
Is your BMI (body mass index) 25 or greater?
FACT:
A Body Mass Index of 25 or above increases the risk of
diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and hypertension. Clinical
obesity has multiple negative and long-term effects on
organs throughout the body. If you do not know
how to calculate your Body Mass Index, read chapter five,
Full Body Contact, for more information.
42.
Is the average time you take to consume your meals more
than 30 minutes?
FACT:
Your brain requires 30 minutes to measure fullness, by
which time you're often on a second or third helping.
43.
Do you eat, drink, or use a cell phone while driving your
vehicle?
FACT:
These distracting behaviors elevate your risk of frightening
close calls and outright accidents.
44.
Humans require 8 hours of sleep each 24 hour day. How
many hours do you sleep everyday?
FACT:
Peer-reviewed research documents that sleep deprivation
and excess sleep nearly double the risk of premature death.
45.
Within a 24-hour day, how many hours do you sleep?
FACT:
On average, most people need between 6 and 8 hours of
sleep. Sleep deprivation is associated with poor concentration,
more frequent accidents, and substandard effort.
46.
Can you list symptoms associated with colon cancer?
FACT:
It is not necessary for this cancer to be so dangerous
to your health. Get a checkup, now.
47.
Can you list symptoms of adult-onset diabetes?
FACT:
Genetics, lifestyle, dietary habits, or a combination
of the three are all risk factors.
48.
Women only: Can you list breast cancer symptoms?
FACT:
Preventive measures such as breast self-examination and
mammography remain under-utilized.
49.
Can you list high blood pressure symptoms?
FACT:
There are no symptoms associated with high blood pressure;
therefore, you should have your blood pressure checked
regularly.
50.
Women only: Have you had a bone density test as a preventive
step against osteoporosis?
FACT:
Osteoporosis is more prevalent in women and increases
the risk of back and hip fractures. Start monitoring early.
As a preventive health measure, women should monitor their
calcium needs as early as age 23 and their bone density
as early as age 30.
51.
Men only: Can you list prostate cancer symptoms?
FACT:
After age 50, your doctor should monitor prostate health
by reliable digital or PSA testing.
52.
Men only: Can you list testicular cancer symptoms?
FACT:
Avoid clothing fabric or styles that elevate testicle
temperature. Monitor on a regular basis by inspecting
the soft tissue of the testicles for lumps and painful
areas; if found, see your doctor for a professional examination.
53.
Women only: Can you list ovarian cancer symptoms?
FACT:
Early risks exist but increase after menopause, and in
association with advancing age.
54.
Can you list heart attack symptoms?
FACT:
Learn the symptoms and immediate interventions. Learn
Cardiopulmonary Resusciation (CPR) for protecting loved
ones.
55.
How would you rate your sex life?
