Rock-Stars-of-Aging-by-Marc-Middleton

Rocks Stars of Aging
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STATE OF MIND
7: Centenarians Have a Great Sense of Humor
“Always keep your smile. That's how I explain my long life. I never
wear mascara; I laugh until I cry too often. I think I will die laughing” --
Jeanne Calment, 122, the longest living human (February 21,1875 –
August 4,1997)
Instead of joking about centenarians, someone should compile a
book of jokes by centenarians. They are funny and sometimes
downright hilarious. Every centenarian we have interviewed has a
quick wit and the ability to find humor in life’s struggles. One 105-
year-old in the New England Centenarian Study told researchers,
"The best thing about being over 100 is you no longer have to worry
about peer pressure because you have no peers.” At a celebration for
his 100th birthday, the late entertainer George Burns was asked by a
reporter, "What does your doctor think of your smoking?" Burns
replied, "I don't know. My doctor is dead.” Every time his physical
therapist says 'see you tomorrow,' 113-year-old Fred Hale answers:
"Perhaps! I'm not making long-term plans!" Hale died peacefully in his
sleep two weeks shy of his 114th birthday. By the way, he drove until
he was 109 but gave it up because New York drivers were “too slow.”
We’ve all heard the saying, “laughter is the best medicine.” It turns
out that there is a great deal of truth in that. A Norwegian doctor
tracked 54,000 men and women for seven years and discovered that
those who found life the funniest lived the longest.
Other studies have determined that laughter increases the survival
chances of cancer patients, decreases arterial stiffness, strengthens
the immune system, decreases stress, lowers blood sugar levels,
increases pain tolerance, reduces depression and improves quality of
life.
Rock Stars of Aging
21