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https://theconversation.com/dick-van-dyke-credits-his-longevity-to-his-positive-outlook-and-research-says-optimists-live-longer-271320>
"Dick Van Dyke, the legendary American actor and comedian who starred in
classics such as
Mary Poppins and
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, turns 100 on
December 13. The beloved actor credits his remarkable longevity to his positive
outlook and never getting angry.
While longevity of course comes down to many factors – including genetics and
lifestyle – there is some truth to Van Dyke’s claims. Numerous studies have
shown that keeping stress levels low and maintaining a positive, optimistic
outlook are correlated with longevity.
For instance, in the early 1930s researchers asked a group of 678 novice nuns –
most of whom were around 22 years of age – to write an autobiography when they
joined a convent.
Six decades later, researchers analysed their works. They also compared their
analyses with the women’s long-term health outcomes.
The researchers found that women who expressed more positive emotion early in
life (such as saying they felt grateful, instead of resentful) lived an average
of ten years longer than those whose writing tended to be more negative.
A UK study also found that people who were more optimistic lived between 11%
and 15% longer than their pessimistic counterparts."
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*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics