“If you ask what the single most important key to longevity is, I will have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension.”
– American surgeon, George W. Crile.
FORMER Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad turned 101 two days ago, that is, on July 10.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim extended his birthday greetings to Mahathir and said in a Facebook post, “May Tun continue to be blessed with grace, good health and be under His blessings, Insya-Allah.”
Mahathir, who served as Malaysia’s fourth and seventh prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020, was the country’s longest-serving prime minister.
In his 22 years as the fourth prime minister, Mahathir introduced many initiatives including the Look East Policy, which promoted education and business ties with countries like Japan and South Korea, and Proton, the first made-in-Malaysia car.
Other initiatives included several iconic projects like the PETRONAS Twin Towers, the KL Tower, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Putrajaya as the country’s administrative hub.
By turning 101 recently, Mahathir may hold the record of being the longest living former Malaysian Prime Minister.
He is currently recovering at home after suffering a fractured right hip and head injury from a fall in January. While doctors ruled out surgery due to his advanced age, Mahathir has made encouraging progress through ongoing physiotherapy, regaining the ability to stand and make brief public outings.
Another famous person who turned 100 on May 8 this year is Sir David Attenborough, an English broadcaster, natural historian and writer.
Attenborough’s birthday was celebrated with a special slate of programming on the BBC, including a tribute event at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Attenborough is in good health and remains cognitively sharp. While managing age-related issues like having a pacemaker and a history of knee surgery, he leads an active life focused on a flexitarian diet, daily walks and his ongoing conservation work
He also actively continues his work in natural history broadcasting and conservation.
My friends, would you like to live as long as Mahathir or Attenborough?
For this article, I have done some research and I would like to share my findings with you here.
I discover that Mahathir’s recipe for a long, healthy life centres on strict dietary discipline, continuous physical and mental activity and strict avoidance of harmful habits.
His primary rule of thumb is “eat to live, not live to eat”. He advises people to stop eating when the food still tastes good to avoid overstretching the stomach.
He also minimises his intake of fats, sugar and carbohydrates. Because of his disciplined approach to diet, he has maintained a remarkably stable weight of around 62 kg for decades.
Mahathir believes in keeping both the body and brain engaged to prevent deterioration. He engages in light, regular exercises and exercises his brain by reading newspapers daily, writing, debating and discussing.
Mahathir also abstains from smoking and alcohol and practises emotional control by avoiding sudden anger and extreme stress which can strain the heart and raise blood pressure.
Meanwhile, Attenborough’s exceptional longevity and ongoing mental sharpness stems from a mostly plant-based, flexitarian diet with small meals, focusing on fish and dairy while avoiding red meat.
His eating style mirrors Okinawan principles, focusing on small, plant-forward portions and stopping when 80 per cent full.
Attenborough stays active through daily walking rather than intense workouts. He also regularly practises mindfulness, which includes spending quiet, uninterrupted time connecting with nature.
He credits his continued drive to a strong, lifelong passion and sense of purpose in his work
For those interested, the traditional Okinawan diet is a plant-based, nutrient-dense way of eating from Okinawa, Japan. It centres heavily around orange and purple sweet potatoes, local vegetables and soy while being extremely low in calories, processed sugars and animal products.
In Okinawa, tofu, miso and edamame are the primary source of the plant-based protein while seaweed, bitter melon, bamboo shoots and green papaya are the dietary staples, making up over half of the diet.
Rice is eaten in smaller amounts, and fish and lean pork are consumed but mostly as rare garnishes or on special occasions.
The people on the island also practise the ‘Hara Hachi Bu’ principle; they stop eating when they are 80 per cent full.
My friends, do you know that living to 100 depends on a combination of genetics, preventive healthcare and healthy lifestyle habits?
Although you cannot change your genes, you can increase your life expectancy by prioritising daily natural movement (like walking), eating a predominantly plant-based diet, managing stress, getting regular medical checkups and avoiding tobacco.
Prioritise stress-reduction practices like meditation or deep breathing and ensure you get seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night.
Maintain your social connections, too. Strong community ties and social engagement have been shown to boost mental health, lower stress hormones and promote a longer, more fulfilling life.
Now that you know some of the secrets to a long healthy life, start practising them now. All the best to you.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
