The #1 Secret to Living Until 100, Says Science

Living a long life can seem like a hard-to-obtain goal. However, with more and more people living into their late nineties and early one-hundreds, it's not impossible for you to get there as well. You also might think that staying active and maintaining a healthy diet is also important. It is, but scientists have discovered that there are more reasons people are living longer, happier lives.

According to an article published on Insider, the secret to living until 100 is to maintain your daily routine, even the unhealthy ones. This includes something as simple as eating dessert every night or junk food for a snack.

This suggestion comes from Dr. Angel Iscovich, a former emergency medicine physician, who is the author of The Art of Routine: Discover How Routineology Can Transform Your Life. He explains to Insider how the routine itself matters more than the actual habit of eating unhealthy food.

In his book, Dr. Iscovich takes stories from people who've lived to be 100 years old or older. Some of these seasoned pros and their families have sworn that foods like bacon and ice cream are the reason they've lived to be this old. Others say that their daily drinks like beer, whiskey, and Dr. Pepper have gotten them to where they are.

According to the article, Ischovich and his co-author, Michael Ashley, suggest that sticking to a routine and "riding those cycles," is the key to finding purpose, meaning, joy, and even longevity.

However, while Ischovich states that maintaining daily routines play a big role, science is not done researching what else affects longevity.

Another article posted by MarketWatch agrees that unhealthy habits in your daily routine can play a significant role in longevity. In the article, Tom Perls, M.D, the founder and director of the New England Centenarian Study, says he believes good genes can also help play an effective role in longevity, as well as being resilient despite if they have a history of aging-related diseases such as heart disease, or even a history of cancer or diabetes. Other factors, including a positive attitude and stress management, can also be a reason for longer life.

Elderly People Eating Ice Cream — Shutterstock

While both articles mention how to live until 100 years old, more research needs to be done, specifically on understanding what happens inside a person's body.

MarketWatch mentions that researchers are currently engaged in new theories to understand why some people live longer, with one particular theory involving cellular senescence—the process by which a cell ages and permanently stops dividing but does not die. This can stem from previous disease, injury, or stress.

Another theory researchers are working with involves the biomarkers of aging. Researchers are seeking to decipher between a person's biological age from their chronological age by using various tests and measurements.