"Many people think life expectancy is largely determined by genetics.
However, it seems that genes play a much smaller role than originally believed.
Instead, environmental factors like diet and lifestyle are thought to be the key determinants.
Here are 13 things you can do to increase the chances of seeing your 100th birthday.
1. Avoid Overeating:
The link between calorie intake and longevity currently generates a lot of interest.
Bottom Line: Limiting your calories may help you live longer and protect against disease. However, more research is needed in humans.
2. Eat Some Nuts:
Nuts are nutritional powerhouses.
Bottom Line: Adding some nuts to your daily food intake may keep you healthy and help you live longer.
3. Use The Spice Turmeric:
When it comes to anti-aging properties, turmeric is undoubtedly the most popular spice. This is because it contains a potent bio-active compound called curcumin.
Bottom Line: Curcumin, the main bio-active compound in turmeric, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Some animal studies suggest that it can increase lifespan.
When it comes to anti-aging properties, turmeric is undoubtedly the most popular spice. This is because it contains a potent bio-active compound called curcumin.
Bottom Line: Curcumin, the main bio-active compound in turmeric, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Some animal studies suggest that it can increase lifespan.
4. Eat Plenty of Healthy Plant Foods:
Consuming a wide variety of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans, may decrease disease risk and promote longevity.
For example, many studies link the Mediterranean diet to a lower risk of premature death. It’s also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, depression and brain deterioration.
Bottom Line: Eating plenty of plant foods is likely to help you live longer and remain free of various common diseases.
Consuming a wide variety of plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans, may decrease disease risk and promote longevity.
For example, many studies link the Mediterranean diet to a lower risk of premature death. It’s also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, depression and brain deterioration.
Bottom Line: Eating plenty of plant foods is likely to help you live longer and remain free of various common diseases.
5. Exercise and Be Physically Active:
It should come as no surprise that staying physically active can keep you healthy and add years to your life. The minimum amount needed to reap the benefits, such as an additional 3 years of life, may be as little as 15 minutes per day.
Bottom Line: Exercising more than 150 minutes per week is best, but even small amounts of physical activity can benefit health and longevity.
6. Don’t Smoke:
Smoking is strongly linked to disease and early death.
Bottom Line: Putting out your cigarette can significantly prolong your life. It’s never too late to reap the benefits of quitting smoking.
7. Keep Your Alcohol Intake Moderate:
Heavy alcohol consumption is linked to liver, heart and pancreatic disease, as well as an overall increased risk of early death.
However, moderate consumption is associated with a reduced likelihood of several diseases, as well as a 17–18% decrease in the risk of premature death.
Wine is thought to be particularly beneficial due to its high content of polyphenol antioxidants.
Bottom Line: If you drink alcohol, maintaining a moderate intake may help prevent disease and prolong your life. Wine may be particularly beneficial.
Heavy alcohol consumption is linked to liver, heart and pancreatic disease, as well as an overall increased risk of early death.
However, moderate consumption is associated with a reduced likelihood of several diseases, as well as a 17–18% decrease in the risk of premature death.
Wine is thought to be particularly beneficial due to its high content of polyphenol antioxidants.
Bottom Line: If you drink alcohol, maintaining a moderate intake may help prevent disease and prolong your life. Wine may be particularly beneficial.
8. Prioritize Your Happiness:
Feeling happy can significantly increase your longevity.
In fact, happier individuals had a 3.7% reduction in early death over a 5-year study period.
In fact, happier individuals had a 3.7% reduction in early death over a 5-year study period.
9. Avoid Chronic Stress and Anxiety:
Anxiety and stress may significantly decrease your lifespan.
Bottom Line: Finding ways to reduce your anxiety and stress levels should be seen as a long-term investment in your lifespan. Also, having an optimistic outlook on life can be beneficial.
10. Nurture Your Social Circle:
Researchers report that maintaining healthy social networks can help you live up to 50% longer.
Bottom Line: Nurturing close relationships may result in decreased stress levels, improved immunity and an extended lifespan.
11. Increase Your Conscientiousness:
Conscientiousness refers to a person’s ability to be self-disciplined, organized, efficient and goal-oriented.
Bottom Line: Being conscientious is associated with a longer lifespan and fewer health problems in old age.
12. Drink Coffee or Tea:
Both coffee and tea are linked to a decreased risk of chronic disease.
Bottom Line: Moderate consumption of tea and coffee may be beneficial for healthy aging and longevity.
Bottom Line: Moderate consumption of tea and coffee may be beneficial for healthy aging and longevity.
13. Develop a Good Sleeping Pattern:
Sleep is crucial for regulating cell function and helping your body heal.
A recent study reports that longevity is likely linked to regular sleeping patterns, such as going to bed and waking up around the same time each day.
Sleep duration also seems to be a factor, with both too little and too much sleep being harmful.
Bottom Line: Developing a sleep routine that includes 7–8 hours of sleep each night may help you live longer.
Take Home Message:
Longevity is partly determined by genetics. However, a large part of how long you live remains within your control.
If you want to reach old age, then make sure to give these tips a try."
Alina's full article with all information / research links is here
We try and bring a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas to this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy.
Please note, not all may be suitable for you.
If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
All the best Jan
9 comments:
This is an interesting one. I'm quite good at most of these except the going to sleep one! I just seem to get worse!!!!!
I'm here reading all your informative posts and I should be heading for bed.
Sleep pattern is the hardest thing. I agree with Kezzie here.
Sue
Number one is on the mark.
Eat less.
Watching people stuff food down now, no one seems to have any idea how much they should be eating.
I'm on the right track. I do most of the things on the list. : )
I haven't figured out the low-stress thing. Yes, I can meditate and all that but still...
Excellent advice, and i think I do reasonably well on all points.
So she is not promoting a low carb diet then.
This is a helpful read and the links on the original article are helpful as well.
For instance it says best to avoid these unhealthy foods and ingredients:
Added sugar: Soda, candies, ice cream, table sugar and many others.
Refined grains: White bread, pasta made with refined wheat, etc.
Trans fats: Found in margarine and various processed foods.
Refined Oils: Soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil and others.
Processed meat: Processed sausages, hot dogs, etc.
Highly processed foods: Everything labelled “low-fat” or “diet” or looks like it was made in a factory.
I have seen this written on your blog here as well.
I am pleased you give us interesting and different articles to read. It makes me research and find out more.
We should all take more account of our health and how we can do our bit to preserve as long and as healthy life as possible.
Thank you for this read.
Tamsin x
Thanks to you all for leaving your thoughts and comments ...
Kezzie, Sue, Anon at 23.55, Karen, Linda, 'CGP', Anon at 11.09 and Tamsin
Perhaps there is always that something more we could all do to help improve our health?
As always the choice is up to each and every one of us how we do this.
As I nearly always say "We try and bring a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas to this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy.
Please note, not all may be suitable for you.
If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter."
All the best Jan
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