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There are dozens of live-to-be-100 books lining bookstore shelves these days. And in the midst of these competing claims for the definitive solution is a fun, quirky little gem of a book: Dr. Maoshing Ni's Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100.
Discovering this book on the shelf at my local Border's, I couldn't help but smile. The title at once excuses itself from the current raging competition for the ultimate longevity solution and, at the same time, quietly asserts what is patently obvious. There are hundreds of strategies we can adopt to keep ourselves healthier, longer. Are some of those strategies secrets? I'm not so sure.

Most of Dr. Ni's strategies are supported by scientific and medical studies, and many of them are certainly little-known. Yet the most fun comes in the "secrets" originating from ancient Chinese sayings and teachings that you're not likely to find anywhere else.

Below are some of my favorite long-life tips from Dr. Ni's book. For the rest, you'll have to go out and buy your own copy. It's a fun read. Each nugget of long-life wisdom is distilled into a single paragraph. This is not a book designed to read through in a single sitting. It's a book to live with, one to pick up again and again until you've slowly worked your way through it - a great bedside book, or for the more disciplined among us , a good book for daily meditation.

My favorite bits of Dr. Ni's ancient Chinese wisdom:

1. "In ancient times," reports Dr. Ni, "Taoists living in the mountains of China observed that during snowy winters, the only plants exhibiting vitality were evergreens such as pines. Through experimentation they found therapeutic uses for every part of the pine tree.... [and] the pine has become a symbol of longevity in Chinese culture." Dr. Ni goes on to explain that recent scientific literature has verified the potent longevity-promoting antioxidant found in pines. Called pycnogenol or proanthocyanidin, this compound is contained in pine nuts and available in supplements made from an extract from the bark of the maritime pine tree that grows only along the coast of southwest France in Les Landes de Gascogne.

Pycnogenol is related to the antioxidants found in grape seeds and green tea. According to some reports, it is 50 times more potent than Vitamin E or Vitamin C. Recent studies suggest that these compounds may be effective in treating Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in adults and children. Jean Carper, author of The Miracle Brain, reports that "evidence from the Berkeley laboratory of Dr. Lester Packer shows that pycnogenol possesses strong powers against certain free radicals, including nitric oxide that can be toxic to brain cells, especially in brains vulnerable to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Pack predicts that as new research reveals the brain-protective powers of pycnogenol, it, like ginkgo, will become widely popular as a brain-boosting supplement."

2. Dr. Ni reports that every centenarian he has interviewed over the last 20 years is in the habit of walking 20 minutes or more each day. The importance of exercise for health has been recognized by Chinese culture since very early times. Today, there is scientific evidence that walking lowers the risk of stroke and heart disease and raises good cholesterol levels. Daily exercise also reduces the levels of sugar in the bloodstream, and helps ward off diabetes. While Dr. Ni doesn't say as much, keeping blood sugar low is increasingly important as we age. Why? The older we get, the more prone we become to diabetes.

3. Chinese literature is filled with stories about people discovering a 1,000 year-old mushroom and becoming immortal. Pretty smart, those ancient Chinese story-spinners. As it turns out, among the more than 100,000 varieties of mushrooms out there, there are mushrooms that can boost immune function, lower cholesterol, and protect us from problems ranging from viruses to cancer.

Dr. Ni doesn't mention, however, that the common white button mushroom we find most often on our supermarket shelves may carry some health risks. This mushroom contains a volatile hydrazine, a known carcinogen, and should always be eaten cooked to minimize the risk. (Many other common foods, including celery and peanuts, also contain known carcinogens. Scientists do not yet know exactly how much of a cancer risk these foods actually pose.)

On the other hand, several of the more exotic varieties of mushrooms are thought to have significant anti-cancer and anti-viral properties. One of the best mushrooms that's also fairly easy to find in the U.S. is the maitake mushroom, also called the "hen of the woods" mushroom. In Eight Weeks to Optimal Health, Dr. Andrew Weil reports that since he started taking an extract of maitake mushroom every day, he hasn't had a single cold. Dr. Weil recommends fresh or dried maitake, if you can get it. He recommends it to his patients with cancer, AIDS, and other immunity deficiency states, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic hepatitis, and environmental toxicity-related conditions.

4. "One unique characteristic of centenarians," according to Dr. Ni, "is that they are quick to forgive and forget." He goes on to say that "the benefit of this letting-go is that you no longer carry your unpleasant experiences with you on your life's journey." This piece advice is something Dr. Ni says he learned from his father, and never forgot. What a great insight! Who wants to spend 100 years carrying around such unpleasant, unnecessary baggage? And yet how many of us do carry years-old grudges without ever really thinking about it?

5. Dr. Ni also noted the qualities of both self-reliance and frugality in the centenarians he has studied. Even past 100, "they were still carrying out their own daily chores,...[and] obtaining the most from the least amount of natural resources." Ni quotes a Chinese sage as saying, "Modesty brings contentment, and all things grow well in the absence of clutter and complexity."