Eighteen
Tips for Extending Your Lifespan!
Everyone
wants to live a long and healthy life, but there isn't just one
simple and easy way to do it. Here are eighteen steps that you can
take in your everyday life to help you increase the odds of seeing
80, 90, or even 100 years or more!
Safeguard
Your DNA to Live Longer
Healthy
DNA help us live longer in a number of different ways. Healthy DNA
reduces the risk of cancer, because genetic mutations are a
significant contributor to cancer risk.
In the
past, many scientists believed that there was a hard limit to the
length of time that human beings could live because of our telomeres.
Telomeres function like aglets on your shoelaces. They keep your
shoelaces from becoming frayed and ripping apart by capping the ends.
Telomeres are the caps to the ends of our DNA and they function in a
similar fashion.
Over time,
the tips of the telomeres slowly break down, which increases the risk
of health and aging conditions related to genetic breakdown. In a
recent study, researchers proved that changing one's lifestyle to
incorporate healthier habits seems to have the ability to increase
the length of the telomeres. Further research shows that exercise and
diet also have the ability to strengthen telomeres.
This means
that taking the advice in this article likely will be able to improve
your health even at a genetic level!
Live
Conscientiously to Live Longer
An eighty
year longitudinal study has shown that one of the strongest and most
reliable factors which contribute to long life is a personality
grounded in conscientiousness. In this lengthy study, researchers
considered a large variety of personality attributes to see which
factors helped people live longer, such as persistence and attention
to detail.
Researchers
found that one of the strongest correlations between personality and
long life was conscientiousness. People that considered how the
things that they did affected themselves and others were more likely
to live longer because they were more likely to make thoughtful life
decisions.
They were
more likely to take steps to maintain and safeguard their health, and
they were also more likely to choose careers and relationships that
fit themselves in a healthy way. They also had more impactful and
healthy relationships, and tended to be more successful in their
careers.
Maintain
Strong Friendships to Live Longer
There is
also strong evidence that sharing your lives with others has the
ability to improve your health and your life. Keeping strong
connections with your friends has the ability to help you live
longer, and this correlation is stronger the older that you happen to
be.
An
Australian study showed that elderly individuals that were active
socially in fostering friendship with others were more likely to live
longer than those that were not as active socially. Elderly men and
women with more friends were more likely to still be alive after ten
years than those with fewer friends.
A full
research review of nearly 150 studies also strongly reinforces this
correlation between positive social activity and longevity.
Pick
Your Friends Intelligently to Live Longer
Although
strong friendships may help you live longer later in life, poor
friendships can also have a negative impact on your longevity
throughout the lifespan. Choosing friends that make positive life and
health choices makes it more likely that you will also make
intelligent and proactive decisions with regard to your health.
In one
series of studies in particular, there was a strong correlation found
between having a friend gain weight and gaining weight yourself. If
one of your friends gains a lot of weight and becomes obese, this
increases your odds of becoming obese by nearly sixty percent.
People
with friends that smoke are also more likely to start smoking
themselves, and if you surround yourself with smokers, it also makes
it much harder to quit. In this case, like many others, making
positive life changes can have a positive effect on those around you.
If you are actually successful in quitting smoking, it makes it more
likely that others around you will quit as well, and the same goes
for losing weight!
This
applies to younger people in more ways. If you surround yourself with
others that are taking significant risks, such as driving fast,
taking drugs, or other risky behaviors, it increases your risk of
early mortality significantly.
Stop
Smoking to Live Longer
These
days, everyone knows that smoking is bad for you, but many people
keep smoking, resigned to the mistaken belief that the damage has
already been done. In fact, there are strong and powerful benefits to
quitting smoking, no matter how young you were when you picked up the
habit or how old you were when you chose to quit.
Many
people also feel that the benefit of quitting at a later age is
overshadowed by the difficulty to quit, but this also appears to be a
hugely mistaken belief. Researchers in Great Britain conducted a
fifty-year longitudinal study which showed the benefits of smoking
cessation at a variety of different ages.
They found
that individuals that stopped smoking by the age of thirty lived on
average ten years longer than those that continued smoking throughout
their life. Those that quit at forty lived nine years longer. Those
that quit at fifty lived six years longer, and those that quit at
sixty lived three years longer on average.
Taking
Naps Can Help Your Live Longer
In
America, many people think that frequent napping is a sign of
laziness, but there is strong evidence that taking naps on a regular
basis does have a protective effect upon the heart. In many areas of
the world, afternoon naps are an ingrained part of the culture, and
scientific evidence shows that naps may be a proper and healthy
aspect of day-to-day activity.
Researchers
conducted a broad study, researching over 24,000 men and women. They
found that, regardless of sex, individuals that napped regularly had
a greater than 35% risk of dying from heart disease at a given age
than those that only nap occasionally.
Scientists
hypothesize that napping may strengthen the heart by reducing levels
of stress hormones such as cortisol. Stress hormones are beneficial
in emergency situations or over short time spans, but chronic stress
wreaks all sorts of havoc on the cardiovascular system, as well as
other systems of the body.
Eat
Like a Mediterranean to Live Longer
The
Mediterranean lifestyle has done wonders to enhance our knowledge of
how diet affects lifespan and life quality. In the Mediterranean,
people tend to have a diet that is high in fish, whole grains,
veggies, fruits, and heart healthy oils, which helps them live
longer.
A review
of fifty studies including more than 500,000 men and women from the
Mediterranean provided powerful evidence that this lifestyle was
highly conducive with a long life. In particular, researchers found
that this form of diet greatly reduces the odds of experiencing
metabolic syndrome, which has a starkly negative impact on lifespan.
Metabolic
Syndrome is the name for a collection of related conditions such as
high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, and atherosclerosis
which all vastly increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes and
heart disease.
Choose
the Okinawan Diet
The
residents of Okinawa, Japan were once recognized for living longer
than anyone else on earth. Scientists have conducted a number of
studies regarding the members of this culture, and found that their
diet had a powerful impact on their unique ability to live longer
than anyone else in the world.
Residents
of Okinawa have classically followed a very traditional diet,
centered around yellow and green vegetables, which contributed to
their longevity. In addition to this, Okinawans naturally subsisted
on restricted diets, which also appears to have extended their life
spans. In Okinawa, it has long been a strong tradition to only eat
eighty percent of the food served in a meal.
Recent
changes in life expectancy in younger Okinawans also supports the
hypothesis that diet allowed these Japanese to live longer and
healthier lives. As younger Okinawans have turned away from these
traditional dietary habits, they no longer live the long lives that
their elders experienced.
Get
Hitched to Live Longer
Being
single may have its benefits, but it is not conducive to a long
lifespan. On average, married couples live longer than their single
cohorts. There are a number of different reasons for this, some
psychological, some social.
There are
many scientists that believe that the economic and interpersonal
support that is necessary in a healthy marriage helps those in the
marriage live longer. Anecdotally, this can be seen in couples that
live long lives together and die at nearly the same time. The
connection to the partner increases the desire and will to live, and
once the partner is gone, this often causes the other to lose the
inner strength which keeps them going.
Even in
the case of those that have been widowed or divorced, a previous
marriage seems to have a positive impact on mortality. Those that
have been married earlier in their life also tend to live longer than
those that have never been married.
Drop
the Pounds to Live Longer
One of the
most powerful things that you can do to help yourself live a longer,
happier, and healthier life is simply to lose weight. Obesity is one
of the strongest risk factors for a wide variety of health
conditions. Obesity increases the risk of both Testosterone
Deficiency and HGH Deficiency. It also vastly increases the
likelihood of diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
The worst
form of fat in regard to your health is known as adipose fat. Adipose
fat cells are located mostly around your midsection, stomach, and
thighs, and they are simultaneously the hardest form of fat to get
rid of and the most dangerous to both your short-term and long-term
health. A five year study of African Americans and Hispanics has
shown that engaging in healthy exercise habits and consuming more
fiber are two particularly strong ways to burn belly-fat.
Simply
dieting can show some improvement, but studies have shown that if one
diets and does not combine it with exercise, then the individual is
more likely to burn muscle before fat, which reduces the benefits of
dieting and can negatively impact health as muscle mass contributes
strongly to positive health.
Exercise
Regularly to Live Longer
Whether you are at a healthy weight or you are overweight, engaging
in regular exercise can have a spectacular impact on your overall
health and outlook. People that engage in healthy exercise habits
clearly live longer lives than those that commit to a more sedentary
lifestyle.
A multitude of studies have outlined the various benefits. Exercising
on a regular basis alleviates depression, reduces cancer risk, and
diminishes the risk of diabetes, stroke, and cancer. Cardiovascular
exercise works out the heart and the circulatory system, and
anaerobic exercise stimulates the muscles and strengthens the
structural capacity of the body, defending against frailty.
There is
even scientific evidence that physical activity positively impacts
cognitive health as well, reducing the risk of general cognitive
impairment as well as the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Ideally, you should engage in moderate
physical activity for at least 150 minutes each week.
Drink
Moderately to Live Longer
In the
not-so-distant past, many people believed that alcohol had a
universally negative impact on health, but in recent decades, it is
becoming more and more clear that mankind has evolved to incorporate
alcohol consumption into health.
People
that drink moderately are less likely to experience heart disease
than others that don't drink anything. Alcohol does seem to have some
anti-oxidant effects on the body when imbibed in moderation, but
long-term, heavy drinking counteracts these benefits with a negative
impact on liver health.
Over-consumption
of alcohol can also lead to other health problems such as obesity,
increased blood pressure, and cognitive decline, so it is important
to be judicious with alcohol consumption. To experience the optimum
benefit of alcohol consumption with the minimum risk of negative
effects, the American Heart Association suggests that men should
drink two alcoholic beverages per day and women should drink one per
day.
This isn't
to say that those that do not drink should take up the habit,
however. There are a number of different ways to safeguard your heart
rather than drinking, and if you aren't interested in drinking, there
is no reason to start simply for your health.
Engage
in Spiritual or Self-Reflective Activity to Live Longer
Research
shows there is at least some link between religious activity and
longevity. People that go to church or attend other forms of
spiritual gathering live longer lives on average than those that have
never attended church at all.
In a
twelve-year research study conducted with a pool of participants
older than 65, men and women that went to religious services weekly
had stronger immune health than others that did not go to church at
all. In addition to this, those that attended services had a much
lower mortality rate than those that did not.
There are
a number of hypotheses why this is true, but the strongest seems to
be that religious activity fosters strong social ties that help
people keep themselves going. Simply the pleasure derived from
interacting and acting collectively with others has powerful
physiological effects.
If you are
not religious, think about participating in group meditation, yoga,
or any activity which allows you to be in the company of other people
that you can share experiences with. It is likely that participating
and fostering a sense of community in any aspect will produce similar
effects to those that are experienced by spiritual individuals in
regard to health and wellness.
Forgive
Others to Live Longer
Anger and
grudges have been scientifically shown to have a devastating affect
upon health, especially if they are held for an extended period of
time. These sorts of strong, negative feelings are linked to a number
of diseases and conditions which are also associated with increased
stress hormone levels.
Strong and
long-term bottling of anger contributes to an increased risk of
stroke and heart disease, as well as reduced lung capacity and a
number of other ailments. Fostering an ability to accept forgiveness
has been shown to increase lung capacity, improve blood pressure, and
alleviate anxiety. The older that you get, the more that these
benefits will impact your overall health.
Wear
Safety Equipment
Among
people of all ages, accidents are the fifth highest cause of death in
the United States, as well as the number one mortality risk for young
people from the age of one to twenty four. The simplest way to
dramatically reduce your risk of mortality caused by accidents is to
wear safety equipment.
Wearing
seat belts, helmets, and other safety gear will provide tremendous
benefits to your overall lifespan from your first steps to your last
breath, especially for younger people that are less experienced with
activities like driving and more likely to engage in activities such
as skateboarding and cycling which can be risky without safety gear.
If you get
in a major automobile accident, simply wearing your seatbelt can
reduce your risk of serious injury or death by half. In regard to
bicycle and motorcycle accidents, most deaths occur as a result of
traumatic head and brain injuries, and a helmet can improve your odds
in an accident tremendously.
Make
Sure You Get Your Sleep to Live Longer
Sleep is
just as important as exercise and diet for a healthy life. Getting a
full night's sleep every night can significantly drop the risk of
experiencing a number of negative health conditions, including heart
disease, diabetes, obesity, and a variety of mood disorders.
Sleep is
when your body recovers from the day's activity and reorders itself
to prepare for a new day. This is also when certain important
hormones are produced at their highest levels, including Testosterone
and Human Growth Hormone. If you don't get enough sleep, your body
doesn't maintain healthy hormone balance, and unhealthy cortisol and
stress levels increase in direct relationship to poor sleeping
habits.
If you
sleep well, your memory and cognitive faculties remain stronger, you
are more resistant to illness, and you just generally maintain a
happier and more positive outlook. 5-7 hours of sleep still provides
some benefits, but 8-9 are maximally optimal. Sleeping fewer than
five hours, on the other hand, can actually be dangerous, and greatly
increase your mortality risk while sleeping so poorly.
Keep
Stress Managed to Live Longer
You may
think of stress as a psychological issue that impacts your mental
health, but stress is actually a physiological process which affects
every aspect of your mind and body, and ideally needs to be dealt
with as quickly as possible in order to improve health.
There is
even research that patients with heart disease may be able to
actually improve the health of their heart by working hard to
alleviate their stress levels. So stress not only contributes to
heart disease, but also may be a primary contributor to the
condition.
Stress
also makes it harder to sleep, harder to lose weight, and harder to
maintain hormone balance. There are a number of effective ways to
manage stress. A few physical activities that you can engage in are
deep breathing, meditation, and yoga. You can also work to balance
the stresses in your life with the things that sustain you in order
to help you live a healthier and longer life.
Live a
Life with Purpose
This ties
in with a number of other suggestions that we have made today, like
having a healthy marriage and engaging in valuable interpersonal
activity. In order to live a long life, it seriously helps to live a
life that you, personally feel is worth living for. What that means
is up to you. What are your values? What makes you feel like a
productive, active, and happy person?
For each
human being this will be different. In one Japanese study, scientists
discovered that males that had a defined sense of purpose had a much
lower risk of mortality from a variety of sources, including heart
disease and stroke, over thirteen years, as compared with men that
self-identified with less purpose in their lives.
An
American study has shown a reverse correlation between Alzheimer's
and purpose. Men and women that feel that they are living a life
driven by purpose are much less likely on average to experience
Alzheimer's disease in their life, especially at an early age.
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