10 Ways to live longer: the secret to longevity
By Martin Ebner
According to Dr. Aubrey De Grey, a leading scientist and biomedical gerontologist, the first person to live to 150 years old has already been born and that the first person to live to 1,000 will be born in the next two decades. He claims that with regular “maintenance”, gene and stem cell therapies, immune stimulation and a range of other advanced medical techniques along with the very small matter of curing all known diseases, we’re heading into a new era of lives that span into the hundreds and possibly even thousands of years.
We all want to live long, happy and perhaps most importantly, healthy lives. Genes have an important role in some premature deaths but in most cases, the most definitive factor in longevity is lifestyle. Our bodies are capable of incredible things, and one of the most impressive is the ability to self-heal. This means that regardless of how you’ve lived your life up until this point, it’s never too late to make the necessary changes to better your chances of living a long and healthy life.
Here are 10 things you can do right now to improve your lifespan:
1. Drink water
Our bodies are made up of 60% water and the functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and body temperature maintenance. Water is a vital nutrient and we simply could not live without it!
By drinking 2-3 liters of water per day you can increase energy and fight lethargy, promote weight loss, flush out harmful toxins, improve skin complexion, prevent cramps, and even fight headaches.
2. Sleep… zzz….
I have never understood or been able to relate to those that use the expression, “I'll sleep when I'm dead”. Sleep is one of the most important things we can do to stay healthy. Skip it and you could well be land yourself in an early grave. Sleep promotes muscle growth, reduces stress, improves memory and focus, and can even help you lose weight.
Related article: How Sleep Affects Athletic Performance
3. Ommm your way to old age with yoga
Yoga is absolutely everywhere these days and for very good reason. Yoga can prevent cartilage and joint breakdown, increase bone density and health, and increase blood flow. It cleanses the immune system, lowers your blood sugar, improves lung function and digestion, and let’s not forget massively reduces stress and anxiety - one for the main contributors of heart disease.
“Yoga is the only system which has lived for over 15,000 years without any papacy or enforcement”
4. Exercise
Exercise doesn’t have to come in the form of 5 Gruelling blister producing half marathon runs per week or Arnold Swarchenegger’s Mr. Olympia weightlifting plan. Any exercise, intense or light can be greatly beneficial to overall health and a giant leap towards a long and healthy life. If you’re new to exercise, start small, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to work or take the family bowling.
5. Eat healthy fats
Fat. You’ve got to love it. Salmon, olive oil, nuts, and avocado are all loaded with healthy fats. Those that consume a diet rich in healthy fats have a lower cancer risk, better cholesterol, reduced heart disease risk – the number 1 killer in the world today, and better skin and eye health than those that eat a diet low in fat.
6. Avoid processed foods
There’s no denying the ease of pre-packaged, microwaveable “foods”. Throw it in a box, electrocute it and Shazam, there’s your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Unfortunately, processed foods contain almost no nutritional content whatsoever, are loaded with salt, sugar, and a deadly concoction of chemicals to help maintain their shelf-life. They also contain close to no fiber and more often than not are jam-packed full of nasty fats trans and saturated fats.
7. Lift weights
There’s a big misconception (still), among women that lifting weights is good for nothing more than robbing them of their femininity by bulking up their bodies. I’m here to tell you that unless you’re Jean Claud van dam’s distant relative, eat 150g+ of protein per day and work out as much as Lou Ferrigno aka the incredible hulk (Trust me, you don’t) you’re not going to get bulky. Lifting weights improves body composition (ratio of fat to muscle), helps fight Osteoporosis, reduces your risk of diabetes, and promotes a healthier heart.
Related article: 10 reasons women should lift weights
8. Wear a helmet
As good as it feels to have unprotected sex, it’s not worth the risk. By wearing a condom you can massively reduce your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms can also reduce the risks of HPV in women - the virus that causes Cervical Cancer from entering their bodies.
9. Avoid Sugar
Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. It can cause diabetes, cancer, and is the number 1 cause of obesity in the world today. It raises cholesterol levels and can overload your liver. Sugar is also highly addictive so the more you have, the more you need, the more you eat. Next time you’re offered a dessert, politely say no!
Check out: Sugar, is it bad for you?
10. Drink tea and yes, Coffee
Tea and coffee contain properties that can help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. Not only that but Coffee and tea (Especially Green) contain antioxidants that protect against cancer and Alzheimer's.
