Taken together, all of these lifestyle changes--some are small, others are big--will help you live as much as 30 years longer! That's quite a pay-off. These tips for adding years to your life were compiled from three sources:
- Dr. Sanjay Gupta's book "Chasing Life"
- Dr. Thomas Perls' livingto100.com longevity calculator
- Health.com
9 ways to add 30 years to your life:
5 years: Don't smoke
It's not cool to smoke. You smell, your teeth turn yellow, your skin looks like leather and your voice gets low and raspy. It also gives you lung cancer. Ick.
5 years: Eat power foods
It's all about the antioxidants. Every day you should eat a handful of dark chocolate and almonds, as well as fruits, vegetables, garlic and even a glass of wine.
4 years: Skip the fast food
Drive past the McDonald's and Wendy's without stopping and you'll live a lot longer since you're not ingesting all that fat and cholesterol.
3 years: Get moving
Run for 30 minutes, five days a week and you can live up to four years longer. If you walk, you'll add three years.
3 years: Get married
Numerous studies have shown that married people are happier and healthier. Why? They take care of each other. Face it, most men see a doctor because their wives made the appointment and told them to go.
3 years: Eat salmon twice a week
Eating fatty fish that contains omega 3 fatty acids, such as wild salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines, not only appears to lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, but also helps control triglyceride levels and inflammation.
3 years: Lose the fat
You'll not only look and feel better, but you'll be healthier if you lose weight. Being overweight increases your risk of death by 20 to 40 percent. Now that's motivation!
3 years: Have sex
Having sex two to three times a week helps you live longer by cutting in half your risk for heart disease and stroke. How? Sexual intercourse burns about 200 calories, which is the same as running for 30 minutes.
1 year: Floss daily
The greatest benefit of regular flossing is healthy gums. Research has shown that gum inflammation is linked to heart disease. Keep your gums healthy and your heart may follow.
--From the Editors at Netscape
