The Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke is less than a month away from celebrating his 100th birthday. In a new interview, Van Dyke is reflecting on his life and revealing his secret to how he’s made it this far.
Van Dyke’s Secret To Longevity
Van Dyke, 99, told People Magazine last week that he believes he’s made it to nearly 100 because of his positive attitude. Indeed, he has always been an eternal optimist.
“People say ‘What did you do right?’” Van Dyke said. “I don’t know. I’m rather lazy. I’ve always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person’s insides — and hate. And I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate. I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going.”
“There were things I didn’t like, people I don’t like and disapprove of,” he continued. “But I never really was able to do a white heat kind of hate. My father (Loren Van Dyke) was constantly upset by the state of things in his life and it did take him at 73 years old.”
Van Dyke’s father died in 1972 after a battle with emphysema.
Science has backed up Van Dyke’s claim that a positive attitude leads to longevity. According to Fox News, “modern research appears to back up this idea that emotional states play a meaningful role in long-term health.”
“Studies on aging adults show that anger can heighten inflammation in the body, raising levels of markers like IL-6 and increasing risk of illness,” the publication continues. “These effects can accelerate the wear-and-tear process associated with aging.”
Van Dyke’s Passion For Exercise
Van Dyke also has other secrets to living to such an advanced age. One of the main ones is exercise. Indeed, despite being nearly 100, Van Dyke still tries to go to the gym multiple times a week.
“I’ve often tried to think ‘What did I do to live this long?’ and I can’t figure [it] out,” Van Dyke told Entertainment Tonight last year. “The only thing is I’ve always exercised. We still go to the gym three days a week and work out. And I believe that’s the secret. Most people at 98 years old don’t really feel like working out and they seize up, you know?”
In his new book 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life, which came out last month, Van Dyke wrote that he typically does a circuit training routine, starting with the sit-up machine.
“Then I do all the leg machines religiously because my legs are two of my most cherished possessions,” he added.
On top of that, Van Dyke is always dancing. Even when he’s at the gym, he dances from machine to machine.
“You can tap into play to make practically anything more fun—a strained family visit, a boring car ride, a dreaded chore, an anxious wait at the doctor’s office,” he concluded. “As all these little experiences accumulate, your whole approach to living can change. I don’t think about the way I am supposed to act at my age—or at any age.”
Van Dyke is a true living legend, and there will never be another one like him. We’d like to wish Van Dyke a happy early birthday, and many more to come.
God bless you, Dick Van Dyke!