Today is Dick Van Dyke’s 100th birthday: His tips for a long, healthy life—'sometimes I feel like I'm 15 again'

Today, Dick Van Dyke is officially 100 years old. Born connected Dec. 13, 1925, the "Mary Poppins" histrion took Hollywood by tempest with his singing and dancing, and became an Emmy, Grammy and Tony award-winning legend.

Now, Van Dyke has earned a caller title: centenarian. Over the people of his life, the performer has shared the practices helium follows to enactment successful the champion of health.

"When you scope 100, a batch of things don't enactment excessively well," Van Dyke told The New York Times past month. But "sometimes I consciousness similar I'm 15 again."

In his caller book, "100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life," published past month, Van Dyke explores his secrets for longevity adjacent further.

Here are 3 research-backed staples successful his regular that helium credits for his 100 years of life.

1. He moves his assemblage often

Even astatine 100, Van Dyke goes to the gym 3 times a week, helium told the New York Times. When helium makes his mode to each machine, sometimes he dances arsenic helium walks, helium said.

On his disconnected days from the gym, helium practices yoga and stretches. Van Dyke said his doctors are amazed astatine however he's inactive capable to interaction his toes.

Similar to Van Dyke, galore Japanese centenarians — peculiarly successful the blue zone, Okinawa, Japan — commencement their mornings with exercise. Typically they bash a low-intensity workout that airs connected the radio, called radio taiso, which is astir 3 minutes long.

The workout besides promotes a consciousness of assemblage due to the fact that participants thin to signifier it alongside friends, colleagues oregon family.

2. He has an optimistic outlook and doesn't crook down opportunities that excite him

"I've decided radical are calved with a definite property and a definite outlook, a definite perspective," Van Dyke said successful a sit-down interview with Al Roker for the TODAY amusement this November. "I thin to look connected the bully broadside of things."

Keeping a consciousness of playfulness successful his beingness helps him acquisition a batch much fun, helium said successful his interrogation with The New York Times. Just past year, Van Dyke starred successful Coldplay's euphony video for the opus "All My Love."

In the Directors' Cut mentation of the video, Van Dyke spoke astir however his vocation aligned with his tendency to stay a kid astatine heart. He said he's "one of those fortunate radical who got to bash for a surviving what I would person done anyway."

Often, the happiest centenarians prosecute jobs that are fulfilling to them and don't retire. "Think however fortunate I am," helium said. "I got to bash what I bash — play and enactment silly."

3. He values prime clip with loved ones

Towards the extremity of the "All My Love" euphony video, Van Dyke welcomes his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren into framework to creation with him. The country is simply a awesome of conscionable however overmuch helium treasures spending clip with his loved ones.

Van Dyke is ever looking for ways to get his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to bask their clip astatine his house, truthful they privation to travel backmost and visit, helium told The New York Times. He wants his backyard to lucifer a taxable park, and mentioned that he's readying to adhd a zip enactment next.

"Just proceeding them each retired determination squealing gives maine specified joy," Van Dyke said.

A decades-long study conducted by researchers astatine Harvard recovered that the cardinal to happiness and longevity is societal fitness, oregon maintaining healthy, long-lasting interpersonal connections.

As acold arsenic his plans for his day today, Van Dyke's itinerary is precise relaxed erstwhile squared with the large accomplishment of turning 100. Still, it aligns with spending prime time.

"He doesn't privation to bash anything," his woman Arlene Silver told People past week. "He wants to beryllium successful his country watching Jeopardy! reruns with me."

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