People have been trying to figure out how to live a long life for thousands of years. It turns out that there is no secret – we have summarized it with five tips you can use to live longer and feel better.
A generation or two ago, most people did not live past the age of 90. However, advances in modern medicine have helped us to survive common ailments and diseases that were once fatal. Ultimately, it is our lifestyle that makes the difference.
If you think you will have a short life because your grandparents and parents didn't have long lives, you are wrong. The Danish Twin Study found that only 20% of life expectancy is determined by genetics. The other 80% is determined by environment and lifestyle – things you can influence!
The ‘surprising' impact of behaviors on longevity
For the new study, researchers measured the association between those five lifestyle factors and premature death using data from the national and the Nurses' Health Study
Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The data came from 1980 to 2014 and included more than 122,000 people combined. Then, the researchers used data from the to estimate the distribution of those modifiable lifestyle factors among adults in the United States. Those data, from 2013 to 2014, consisted of 2,128 adults, 50 to 80 years old.
The researchers also derived death rates of US adults using the CDC's database.
The factor that was seen as more ‘powerful'
The findings should encourage and motivate people to adopt a healthier lifestyle, said Dr. Douglas Vaughan, chairman of the department of medicine in
Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study. Though the study highlighted how the combination of all five lifestyle factors could help prolong life expectancy, Vaughan pointed out how each individual factor also was tied to a reduced risk of premature death.
“It looks like cigarette smoking has a more powerful effect than the other lifestyle changes or behaviors. Certainly, maintaining a reasonable body-mass index is a great way to protect oneself against the development of diabetes,” Vaughan said. Body-mass index, a calculation derived from a person's weight and height, is used as a screening tool for body fatness. A
normal or healthy body-mass index
is typically said to be between 18.5 and 24.9. “So, in aggregate, we see the effect on longevity, but you can imagine it's largely through effects on cardiovascular risk and metabolic risk,” Vaughan said. “It suggests potentially at a defined point in life, say age 50, if you adhere to a healthy paradigm like this, you can have an impact on your longevity and on your health span.”
The Key to Longer Life is Found in the World’s Oldest Populations
The Japanese people have the longest life expectancy of any other country in the world. For women, the average life expectancy is 87.1 years old, and for men it is 81.1 years old. This has been the case since 1980, but in 1960 their ranking was only 35. By 1970, their ranking had improved to 10. The reason for the longevity of the Japanese people is attributed to their diet, excellent Body Mass Index (BMI), and the small amount of alcohol consumed by women over the age of 50.
Australia is ranked sixth for women’s life expectancy at 84.8 years and men at 81.0 years. Between the ages of 40 and 65, Australian men are the first world ranking while women are sixth or seventh. The main cause of death in Australians is from coronary heart disease.
There are areas in the world known as Blue Zones where residents have a higher rate of reaching 100 years old. Five different regions were looked at closely to find any similarities in lifestyle that could be the key to a longer life. Through these studies it was found that diet, exercise, body weight, social life, and avoiding risky habits like smoking and drinking, are all common lifestyle factors that play a role in a longer life expectancy.
How to Live Longer – Our Tips For Living As Long as Possible
No one wants to simply extend their life without also improving the quality of their lifestyle and health. Research shows that five healthy lifestyle habits can improve both the quantity and quality of life.
#1 Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Your weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) can have a big impact on your overall health. Carrying extra weight puts extra pressure on your organs, which can be harmful.
In the US, 22.9% of adults were obese in 2016. The World Health Organization has stated that a person's BMI should be between 18.5-24.9 kg/m^2 for optimal health. The standard BMI categories are underweight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), and obese (>30). WHO reported that the mean BMI has risen in men and women between 1975 and 2016. In Australia, 29% of adults were obese with a BMI>30 in 2016. In the US, 22.9% of adults were obese in 2016.
A high BMI is linked to developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cholelithiasis and other chronic diseases in both men and women, according to a study. However, being lean and physically active provides protection against these diseases, the study found.
However, BMI isn't always accurate because it doesn't measure body fat percentage. For example, a muscular body builder could have a BMI of 30 but very little body fat. Or someone who has lost muscle mass may be in the normal range, but have a high proportion of body fat. Also, BMI doesn't take into account where fat is distributed on the body. Excess fat in some parts of the body is more dangerous than others.
There are two types of abdominal fat: subcutaneous and visceral. The former is not as harmful because it is located beneath the skin, whereas the latter is dangerous because these fat cells release metabolic products into the bloodstream which are delivered to organs such as the liver, heart, and pancreas. These organs are not designed to store fat, so it leads to dysfunction and problems with regulation of insulin levels, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
You should make sure your hip to weight ratio is in a good range. To calculate it, stand up and measure your abdomen at the navel when you are relaxed. Then, measure your hips at the widest point, and divide your waist size by your hip size. You can also use this online calculator. If your ratio is higher than 0.8, it means you are at an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
#2 Enjoy Regular Physical Exercise Every Day
If you exercise regularly, you are more likely to have a healthier body mass index, which improves your chances of living to 90 years or more.
One of the nine common traits of Blue Zones’ residents is that they are physically active every day. They don't do excessive exercise like running marathons, but they are constantly moving throughout the day. They tend to their garden and work in their houses and yards. It’s thought that this type of incidental exercise is better for you than engaging in strenuous gym sessions or long-distance running.
Working out too much can actually be harmful to your body, causing damage to your knees, hips, and joints. The Blue Zones recommends getting a moderate amount of exercise every week, enough to make you breathe heavily and sweat for five to ten hours. This means swimming, running, walking, or riding for 30 to 40 minutes every other day, and then working out for two hours on the weekends.
Being active on a regular basis is not only good for our physical health, but also our mental health. Studies have shown that exercise can improve our mood and help reduce feelings of depression, anxiety and stress.
Exercising regularly has a lot of benefits for our overall health. It helps keep our muscles and bones strong, reduces muscle loss, and builds bone density. It can also improve insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness, and decrease blood pressure and fat levels.
#3 Eat A Healthy, Balanced Diet
Can eating healthy make you live longer? Definitely!
Eating a balanced diet helps you maintain a healthy weight and body composition, while also providing your body with the nutrients it needs for a long, healthy life.
You should eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats and calcium every day. Try to eat at least two fruit and five vegetables every day. It's important to eat a variety of different coloured fruit and vegetables to make sure you're getting all the vitamins and minerals you need. You should eat less red meat and more chicken, and eat fish twice a week. Don't overcook meat as this can make it harmful.
Choose foods that will help you live a long and healthy life by eating plenty of plant sources of protein such as nuts and beans. These foods will help your body function at its best and give you the nutrition you need to stay healthy. Choose whole grains over refined grains such as white bread, and limit your intake of white potatoes.
The residents of Blue Zones eat a lot of black, fava, soy beans and lentils. Their diet is mainly plant based, so they eat meat only about five times a month. Their meat is mainly lean pork, and they eat only a small amount of it, about the size of a pack of cards.
In Blue Zones, people follow the 80% rule when eating, which means they stop when their stomach feels 80% full. This small change helps them maintain a healthy weight. They also eat the smallest meal of their day in the late afternoon or early evening and don't eat again that day. Their motto may be “eat less live longer.”
#4 Keep Making Good Social Connections
As a result, older people can become more socially isolated. If you want to live a long life, social interaction is key. It can become increasingly difficult to keep up with friends as you age, and meeting new people can be a challenge. When older people stop driving, they may have trouble getting around to see people, which can lead to a smaller social network. Additionally, deaths and other life changes can lead to isolation. Finally, geographically distant children and grandchildren may not have the time to visit often.
Most residents of blue zones have strong social networks. These communities often have a strong connection to their faith and visit church regularly, where they connect with familiar faces and maintain a healthy social life.
A study has found that there are physical benefits to being around other people. Lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system, and possibly reduced inflammation can be the result of being happy around other people.
The ability to choose where one lives in old age can be determined by how important staying connected is. Rather than staying in the family home by oneself, moving to a retirement village or care facility will give elderly people daily contact with carers and other residents.
#5 Drink Less Alcohol
One of the most important tips for living a long and healthy life is to limit your alcohol consumption. In Australia, we have a culture of heavy social drinking, but this is actually detrimental to our health and can shorten our lifespans. One of the nine Blue Zone habits is having wine at 5pm. Most people living in Blue Zones drink no more than 1 or 2 glasses of wine per day with food.
Old Japanese women don't drink much alcohol, which is one of the reasons Japan has the world's longest life expectancy. females over 70 in the Okinawa region of Japan live longer than anywhere else in the world.
Researchers have found that excessive drinking can lead to 60 different diseases, with the two leading health risks being cirrhosis of the liver and car accidents.
The main health problems caused by chronic heavy drinking include:
Anemia is a condition in which the oxygen-carrying red blood cells are destroyed before their natural lifespan. This can be a problem for heavy drinkers.
Cancer is not just one type of cancer. It is believed that heavy drinking contributes to cancers of the larynx, pharynx, mouth, esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal area. Combined with smoking, heavy drinkers are at very high risk levels.
Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, because it causes the platelets in the blood to clump together and form clots. Another common condition resulting from heavy alcohol consumption is cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle is weakened and may eventually fail.
Cirrhosis is a scarring of the liver that can impair its function. Women who drink alcohol are more vulnerable to developing cirrhosis than men.
In Conclusion
If you want to live a long life, you should eat well, exercise regularly, and work on building a strong social life. You may find yourself enjoying your 90th birthday and beyond if you do these things!
