(NewsNation) — The secret to a long life may have less to do with habits like diet and exercise and more to do with your immune system.
A new study published in The Lancet examined the immune systems of centenarians and found those that make it to 100 or older have unique cells in their immune systems that increase their ability to recover from illness.
The secret to a long life has been a mystery people have been trying to solve for ages. Advice to achieve a long life has included reducing stress and exercising and eating a healthy diet.
Individual centenarians, meanwhile, have shared their own tips for a long life, ranging from line-dancing and chocolate to scotch and square dancing.
Other people sink their hopes into supplements, cryotherapy and other experimental technology in hopes of gaining additional years.
Scientists hope this latest study could provide a blueprint to help people recover from disease and with aging. The study didn’t determine if the cells found in the immune systems of those 100 and over were the result of genetics or outside influences, but they hope future research will unlock more clues to help treating an aging population.