Apparently a study on identical twins, conducted by researchers at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, found that the use of antidepressants can contribute to faster aging.

Of course, the reasons that people are on the antidepressants in the first place are also probably contributing to the faster aging as well.

But because antidepressants function as muscle relaxants, their continued use might well lead to decreased facial muscle tone, resulting in a face that sags.

Read the full study here…

(image from sxc.hu)

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For example, 105 year old Clare says ‘No Sex is secret to longevity’. That might have worked for her, but most people would be thinking ‘what’s the fun in that’. Long life, no sex – no thanks.

Meanwhile, a 113 Japanese man suggests that the ‘the key to long life is abstaining from alcohol’.

But for those of us who aren’t so keen on these ways of ensuring a long, long life, meet Li Ching-Yun. Not only did he believe in sex (he had 23 wives) but also lived on rice and wine. All this, and he lived, according to various reports, to the ripe old age of 256! Now that’s what I call longevity.

Li Ching-Yun’s secret to longevity…

“Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon and sleep like a dog.”

In other words, maintaining inward calm and peace of mind. Sounds like great advice.

Of course, he lived in an entirely different time (18-20th century) when life was slower and less complicated – a wireless society where finding peace and quiet was much easier.

Still, maintaining inward calm and peace of mind wouldn’t be such a bad thing to aim for this holiday season.

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I did some maths and five months working on ‘the Bolt’ equates to around 250 posts between us. That’s a whole lot of words.

My choice for Top 5 Posts…

Doing a Hasselhoff…new medical slang and it’s companion piece Pumpkin Positive – more medical slang would be my all time favorite post to write. I simply laughed my way through it.

On the other hand, it was tears and laughter when writing Randy Pausch’s ‘The Last Lecture’ Revisited. Randy is a true inspiration.

Liberty probably ruined a lot of people’s day when she posted Dangit! Now Diet Soda is Bad for You Too?!?. Healthbolt had already highlighted What Happens To Your Body If You Drink [Regular] Coke Right Now? and now it turns out diet sodas not much better…guess that just leaves water!!!

Longevity is a theme Healthbolt has been running with lately, asking questions like Can Our Earth Support Us As We Age?, and then daring you to take the Vitality Compass quiz to see how well you will age.

And who could forget this post – A Fella’s Willy – Handle With Care – that reminded us that some parts of the human body are more fragile that others. Everything, it seems, has a breaking point.

So what’s your favorite posts?

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But then we asked ’why should we have all the fun’. So we issued a Healthbolt Vitality Compass Challenge.

Here’s the brave souls who took up the challenge and not only completed the Vitality Compass quiz but also shared their results with us…

Lisa from Best Health Magazine found that she is 6 years younger that her real age.

A’Lyn is 4.4 years younger.

Alicia from Mental Health Notes is 4 years older…but she explains, with good reason.

ME, with a life expectancy of 97, will outlive all of us.

Steph declared she was in the blue but thinks she could definitely do better. (BTW: love the blog title – waiting for my real life to begin)

Gabrielle from Fertility Notes, like many of us, took the quiz not once but twice and discovered large variations in the results.

Gabrielle also threw in a link to an online longevity game posted by an insurance company.

And last, but not least, Leisureguy weighs in but then decides that maybe it’s not that accurate and wonders if he might do better next year.

I don’t know about anyone else but I found the Vitality Compass quiz ‘food for thought’. It might not be all that accurate but it does make you consider your life choices in regards to health, fitness, diet, and exercise.

Now I’m throwing out the Healthbolt Challenge gauntlet to…

Crabby and Merry over at Cranky Fitness
Mark and Worker Bee at Mark’s Daily Apple
Trisha from Ideas for Women
The gang over at That’s Fit

and anyone else who wants to give it a go…

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Well, turns out Liz is on track to last a bit longer than I’m predicted to, but I’ll still live a long life it seems. Naturally, by kicking up my fruit and veggie consumption and actually removing my rear form this chair to sneak in some exercise, I can add more years to my life. Hmm. I can do that. I need to do that.

So here are my numbers, and I encourage you to share yours as well. If you’re up for taking our challenge, we’ll give your blog a shout-out at the end of the week, if you have one.

Okay, here we go:

Biological Age: 27.5 (real age, almost 32)

Life Expectancy: 92.4

Healthy Life Expectancy: 84.7

Blue Zone Years: 10.4

Overall, I’m pretty pleased. But I know I have plenty of work to do. With just a little commitment on my part, I can nudge that number up and up. I’m game. Are you?

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I wanted to know…was I in the Blue Zone? What was my life expectancy? And were my current life habits going to lead the way to a grand old age of 100 plus?

So I headed on over and took the Vitality Compass quiz.

Thirty five questions later, I got my answer.

I exist in the Blue Zone.

I’m 6.5 years younger biologically than my real age. Of course I’d rather it was 10 or 15 years younger but still any number less that the real one works for me.

My life expectancy is 95.8.

But my healthy life expectancy is only 84.

Looks like I’m not on track to reach 100 but maybe that’s just as well given the last decade or two might not be that healthy.

So what’s it all mean? Can something like the Vitality Compass really predict your life expectancy and how long you’ll remain healthy?

Probably not. After all, nothing can predict the unknown. The Vitality Compass, based on a complex 106 page algorithm developed by Dr. Robert Kane, a physician and a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, simply calculates the current possibilities based on how you are living now.

But it offers more than just numbers. After tabulating the results, your final report will offer hints and suggestions on how to improve and change, if needed, your life habits.

So are you ready to take the Healthbolt Challenge ???

Take the Vitality Compass quiz, post it on your blog and leave a link in the comments. We want to know how long we can expect all our readers to be around to read the Healthbolt. After all, it looks like I’m going to be around for some time yet. Sure hope you all will be too…

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The lovely Edna Parker of Indiana can. This Sunday, Edna will celebrate her 115th birthday.

One of only 75 living people (64 women and 11 men) who is 110 or older, scientists are hoping that Edna’s DNA can unlock the “Holy Grail” of longevity. Is having a long life a genetic thing? It’s definitely possible. In fact, nearly all centenarians have a sister, mother, or other relative who lived a long life. The same is true for Edna, whose two sisters lived to be 99 and 88.

While more research is being conducted on these long-living folks, the current thinking is that there are several genetic mutations in centenarians that may contribute to either slowing the aging process or boosting resistance to age-related diseases. The secret to longevity, then, appears to be a mix of genetics and health habits. Another surprising finding? Most centenarians appear anxiety-free and tend not to dwell on stressful events.

Just one more reason to relax a little harder this weekend, huh?

Whatever her secret, we wish Edna a very Happy Birthday and send our best for continued health and happiness.

Further reading on the New England Centenarian Study, which Edna is a part of.

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