10 Ways to Live a Longer Life

Yes, there are at least ten things you could begin doing right now that could potentially extend your lifespan…call them life hacks if you like. Of course, these things are not guaranteed to add years to your life (isn’t there a saying about no guarantees in life?), but they certainly increase the likelihood. And, the potential to add years to your life increases with the number of these “life hacks” you follow. And no, you don’t need to enter a monastery or convent in order to achieve a longer life. You simply need to make a few changes in your daily routine. Easy, peasy lemon squeezy (where the hell did that saying originate, anyway?)…

1. Don’t smoke…ever. Whatever it takes, how ever long it takes, just quit. Cold turkey, gradually, the patch, gum…whatever you need to use, use it. From the CDC webpage: “Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body.” (emphasis mine). “smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.” Quit already.
2. Eat better by eating more things that grow from the ground and less things that had parents. And if you do eat things that had parents, eat mostly white meat such as turkey, chicken and pork, all either broiled or baked. We’re not talking a massive overhaul of your diet, just eat a few more fruits and veggies every day and less meat.
3. Move your body most days of the week in the form of exercise. Most exercise experts say that 2.5 hours of exercise per week has the potential to add years to your life. That’s just a half hour of exercise (like walking, biking, or swimming) five days per week. You can manage that, right?
4. Reduce chronic stress as much as possible. Stress cannot be eliminated entirely, unless you’ve achieved total enlightenment, but some can, and should, be avoided. Chronic stress, defined as repeated exposure to situations that lead to the release of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol, can increase your risk of depression, anxiety, heart disease, digestive problems, headaches and weight gain.
5. Get enough sleep. Put down that phone, stop watching cat videos and searching for the latest outrage on social media and get some sleep. Getting a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep every night helps your body maintain its immune system, improves heart health, keeps your blood sugar levels steady and helps you control your weight.
6. Exercise your brain by making it work on a daily basis. Our bodies are wonderfully adaptive organisms. Consistently exercise a specific part and it becomes more efficient at doing whatever it is you’re asking it to do and your brain’s no different. Write your autobiography, do crosswords, sudoku, or puzzles. Play a game of chess, Scrabble, or concentration. Research suggests that an active brain prevents just about every form of cognitive decline to include dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
7. Keep your enemies close, but your friends (and family) closer. Simply stated, those who maintain close friendships and familial relationships tend to live longer. These relationships give us a reason to keep living, something to look forward to each and every day, while the opposite is true for those suffering with social isolation. So, don’t hold grudges, get in touch with a long-lost friend, and visit with family members whenever you can.
8. Control your weight at all costs. Next to smoking, being overweight or obese carries the most risks for a premature death. Simply Google “health risks of being overweight” and you’ll get a long laundry list of serious health risks like heart disease and various forms of cancer.
9. Stay (or become) an optimist. Research consistently reveals the link between the power of positive thinking and longevity. For the most part, optimists tend to live longer than pessimists, all things being equal. Here’s the results of a study that proves this theory.
10. Moderate your alcohol intake. In other words, avoid excessive alcohol consumption on a daily basis. Just watch Leaving Las Vegas and you’ll get scared straight. The CDC defines “moderate (or acceptable) drinking” as two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women. The long-term health risks from alcohol abuse include high blood pressure, heart and liver disease, various forms of cancer, weakening of the immune system and dementia…all things that can lead to a premature death.

Look, one does not need to go ten-for-ten with these, even adhering to one will help. However, there is a cumulative effect that comes with adopting as many as these life adjustments as you’re comfortable with. Many of you are probably doing at least one of the above already, but that doesn’t mean the others should be ignored. Good luck and we’ll talk again on your 95^th birthday.