By Eric Lindberg
In the lush, verdant hills of India, Bhagavan Kani rises from his bed.
He spends a few serene moments gazing at the early morning sun as it crests the horizon, sipping water infused with a local spice leaf called tulsi. Kani eats a simple breakfast of raw vegetables and fruits. Barefoot, he sweeps the leaves from a dirt path in his garden and climbs steep stone steps to take a stroll through the hilly village. Later that day, he sits outside his coconut-leaf-thatched hut, recites tribal songs, and talks to plants and animals.
It’s a quiet existence that normally wouldn’t garner much attention. But Murali Nair, a clinical professor with the USC School of Social Work, is fascinated for one simple reason–the man is more than 100 years old.
“People are definitely living longer,” Nair said. “I’m not saying that medical advances have nothing to do with it, but there are other reasons. There must be something beyond their genes, maybe something we can document.”
Through interviews and visits with dozens of centenarians around the world, Nair is exploring lifestyle factors that may influence health and promote longevity. He has identified 11 attributes shared by all his study subjects, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Nair is hopeful that his findings will bring legitimacy to practices that are often overlooked and sometimes scorned by the health care establishment, such as spiritual rituals, a positive outlook on life, and various traditional healing practices.