The three things you must do to reach 100, according to a Harvard longevity expert

Life expectancy in the West continues to grow, and there is a fairly general scientific consensus that in the not-too-distant future, reaching 100 years of age will not be uncommon.

Harvard-trained lifestyle expert Dr. Naheed Ali believes that living to 100 isn't just a matter of luck and genetics, and that there are simple ways to help us reach our centenarians.

"From a medical perspective, we have three distinct stages of aging," he says, according to the Daily Mail . "They are childhood, adolescence, and post-60, and each phase carries its own metabolic demands."

As adults, there's not much we can do to influence the first two stages, but we have the luxury of taking preventative measures to prepare for the last, and Dr. Ali says it's possible to reverse our biological age in just six months.

According to Ali, it is possible to reverse biological aging by focusing on neuronal health, and he says that "it's never too late to start."

"Brain protection begins with blood flow, which is why I emphasize a Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil, legumes, and brightly colored vegetables," he explains.

Ali shares this as one of three key tips to help increase your chances of living a century. "These foods provide polyphenols that keep blood pressure under control and maintain the delicate blood vessels that nourish the cortical tissue (the protective outer layer of our internal organs)," he says.

Polyphenols are a nutrient found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate, and spices that helps reduce inflammation and has been found to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Her second tip is to incorporate movement and exercise throughout the day. It's long been known that those who get up and move more tend to live longer than those who lead a more sedentary lifestyle.

"This is because movement helps the body respond better to insulin , reducing glucose spikes that can damage the body's cells and tissues," says Dr. Ali.

Frequent or prolonged spikes in our blood sugar levels can lead to the formation of harmful molecules that form when excess sugar binds to proteins or fats in the body. These compounds are known to damage the body's cells, especially in sensitive areas like the brain, contributing to aging and increasing the risk of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Dr. Ali adds that people should try to take "a brisk thirty-minute walk five days a week " to prevent the cognitive decline associated with dementia.

"Good sleep completes the trifecta," Ali adds. "Spending seven to nine hours in a cool, dark room with minimal caffeine after midday allows the body to do its nightly housecleaning work. Patients who improve their sleep often notice sharper attention after two weeks," he concludes.