Nancy Lieberman was 50 when she retired from the WNBA; Satchel Paige was just six days shy of 51 when he left the ballpark; and George Blanda was 48 when he put down the football.

Longevity like that is rare in professional sports, but a long lifespan is becoming ever-more common off the field.

The oldest living person (as of this writing) is 118-year-old Kane Tanaka of Japan. And a new study published in the journal Demographic Research says that many people alive today will live to older than 100 (there are now 500,000 centenarians worldwide), with possible lifespans of 125 or 130 by 2099.

The researchers predict that by the beginning of the next century, there will be 99% probability of a person living to 124, a 68% chance of a person hitting 127, and a 13% probability of someone living to age 130. 

If you're going to be alive for 100 years (or more), you want to have your health last that long too. That's why it has never been more important to start today adopting health-extending habits that increase your chances of enjoying outdoor fun at 101.

You know the three keys: plant-based diet with minimally processed foods; lots of activity and interaction — physical and mental; and stress control.

For detailed suggestions, read Dr. Mike's "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code to Live Younger for Longer," out in January 2022. It's about how to have a body that's 20, 30, or 40 even when you're 70 — or older.