Dick Van Dyke, 99, claims cutting out these two things is the reason why he's 'still here'
Dick Van Dyke has opened up about the two things that he thinks are the secret to his longevity as he approaches his 100th birthday.
The 99-year-old star is perhaps best known for his role in the original Mary Poppins movie, but has had a Hollywood career spanning decades.
As with anyone who manages to live for so long, there are the inevitable curiosities about just how someone has managed to enjoy such a long life.
There's certainly plenty of advice out there - such as keeping active both physically and mentally, or through finding things to enjoy in life.
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Let's be honest as well, there's also a decent amount of luck involved, both in terms of not developing a fatal health condition, or having some horrible accident happen.
But now Van Dyke has revealed the factor which he thinks has helped him to be here now, as he looks ahead to his 100th birthday on 13 December.
Sorry folks, but it's not any great health hack or miracle - it's staying off the cigarettes, and staying off the booze.
Because sometimes, I'm afraid, it's the boring advice which is actually the most obvious when it comes to improving your health, like exercising regularly and eating your vegetables.
Van Dyke revealed that he had smoked and drunk more when he was younger, and realized that he should stop if he wanted to improve his health.
He said: “I smoked a lot, actually! I think I was probably in my 50s before it dawned on me that I had an addictive personality.
"If I liked something, I was going to overdo it."
The right thing for him to do was clear.
"So I got rid of booze and cigarettes and all that stuff, which is probably why I'm still here," said the legendary actor.
Back in 1972, Van Dyke checked into hospital for alcoholism, but soon managed to get sober.
On the way, he also managed to quit smoking, though he claimed that quitting smoking was much harder for him than quitting alcohol.
Speaking to the Real No Really podcast, he said: “It was much worse than the alcohol."
He added: "Sometimes I have more energy than others — but I never wake up in a bad mood."
But while he puts his longevity down to getting sober and quitting smoking, Van Dyke does have one other thing that he thinks has been important.
He said: "People say, ‘What did you do right?’ I don’t know. I’m rather lazy.
"I’ve always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person’s insides - and hate. And I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate.
"I think that is one of the chief things that kept me going.”
Kit Roberts