Why do some people beat the odds, and live up to 100 or beyond? According to the Boston University School of Medicine, genes account for less than one-third of your chances of living beyond 85. So, the answer has to include genetics, but also diet, metabolism, lifestyle, a stress-free life, and — something experts call — social integration, which is being an active part of a happy community. It is for these reasons possibly, that some parts of the world, like specific regions in Japan, and areas in the Mediterranean region, are known for the disproportionate number of centenarians they produce.

Vast global resources now back research on how to retard ageing by rejuvenating cells that naturally weaken or die as you grow older. An entire eco-system of supplements, creams, esoteric practices and drugs has come into existence. Most of these have not been scientifically tested and may do more harm than good. But such is the desire of most people to be forever youthful, that this new area of pseudo-science has grown exponentially.

To my mind, what is really important is how to age better. Instead of necessarily a longer life span, what is far more important is a long health span. Science has reached a point where it can significantly prolong life even for the terminally ill, but this is hardly a life worth living. American surgeon and best-selling author, Atul Gawande, makes precisely this point in his best-selling book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Many people now write a living will, which forbids relatives to keep them on life support systems.

A very dear friend of mine in his mid-80s, was suddenly diagnosed with mouth cancer. Fortunately, since his other health parameters were excellent, he could be operated upon and has now fully recovered. The interesting thing is that he had never smoked, chewed tobacco, consumed gutka, or even been fond of paan and supari. What his oncologist told him was an eye-opener: As high as 35% of mouth cancer patients were like him. Is life then a bit like a roulette wheel?

Whether it is or not, for me the best formula is to enjoy life fully while you can, taking a median line between abstinence and excess. There is a Russian joke about a man who ate early, exercised regularly, and never smoked, drank, ate meat or partied. His friend’s wry response was: “My dear man, you’ll die healthy.” Conversely, if you smoke two packs a day and drink half a bottle each night, the chances are that your health will suffer.

Basically, a balanced life, as recommended by the Hindu shastras, where dharma,artha and kama combine in the right proportion, seems to be the best answer for a happy and fulfilling life. Iqbal wrote: “Eternity lies in the breadth of life; I do not seek its length.” A little bit of restrained abandon, where you admit to the frailty of being human, is not a bad thing. As Zauq rightly said: Behtar tau hai yahi ki na duniya se dil lage; par kya karein jo kaam na bedillagi chale (Tis best, of course, if you transcend the world’s attractions; but what can you do if you cannot resist its distractions).

While deeply grateful to medical science, we must never lose our zest for life, and live it fully, rather than being obsessed only with living longer. This requires avoiding excess, taking care of your health, and also a change of attitude. As Fahmi Badayuni says: Dil se saabit karo ke tum zinda ho; saans lena koi saboot nahin (Let your heart show that you are alive; merely breathing is no proof that you are).

Pavan K Varma is author, diplomat, and former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). The views expressed are personal