Introduction
Have you ever thought about the secrets on how to live longer? Well, the secret to living longer is simply practicing a healthy lifestyle, and it is easy and straightforward for anyone to follow. Healthy habits do not only protect you from diseases but also save you the bother of hospital bills and overall extend your life expectancy.
In this article, you’ll discover 11 healthy habits to live longer.
A study focusing on how a healthy lifestyle increases life expectancy that is free from significant chronic illnesses reveals that five lifestyle habits like smoking habits, weight management, exercise, consumption of alcohol, and eating habits determine the life expectancy of an adult and the occurrence of chronic diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes.
11 Healthy Habits of Living Longer
Let’s a look at 11 habits to live longer:
1. Avoid Smoking:
Smoking is undoubtedly among one of the leading causes of most deadly diseases. Chronic smoking is even more deadly.
A study shows that smoking is a significant factor for causing premature death, even in older people.
Quitting smoking is the best decision to make to live longer. It’s among one of the best tips to improve memory and healthy living. The good news is that it is never too late to quit smoking. The earlier you quit, the better.
2. Good Quality Of Diet:
The quality of the food we eat plays a major role in our health. Too many people are careless about what they eat. They consume anything and everything they crave. Sometimes, they abstain from natural foods and stick to junk.
Plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds may reduce the risk of developing diseases. Eating immune-boosting foods will enable the body to fight diseases.
Several studies suggest that plant-based diets may reduce the incidence of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, depression and promote life expectancy.
More studies indicate that increased consumption of red or processed meat may increase the rate of death. It’s recommended to keep meat consumption at a minimum.
So, consuming a balanced diet will go a long way in promoting longevity.
3. Weight Management:
Many Americans suffer from overweight or obesity today, and the rate is increasing. Studies reveal that overweight or obesity may cause physical, mental, and social health problems. The study highlights physical health implications like cancers (cancers of breast, ovarian, endometrial, colorectal, esophageal, prostate, pancreatic), Coronary Artery Disease, Type 2 diabetes, asthma, Congestive Heart Failure, hypertension, chronic back pain, stroke, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, and also a high risk of disability.
The study illustrates that the stigma and discrimination associated with obesity and overweight may cause mental health problems like low self-esteem, mood disorder, poor interpersonal communication, motivational disorders, low appetite, and impaired body image.
The process of controlling your weight might seem difficult, but it’s a lot easier with natural weight loss supplements. These supplements give no or minor side effects. However, exercise and diet are also good options to consider. The health benefits of weight management are too great to ignore.
4. Slight Or Moderate Alcohol Consumption:
Drinking has become part of our lives. And sadly, most people drink too much, going a step closer to their death without realizing it.
A study shows that light or moderate drinking reduces the risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and mortality. The study further illustrates that heavy or excess drinking may cause cardiomyopathy, hepatic cirrhosis, pancreatitis, cardiac arrhythmias, and stroke.
The American dietary guideline recommends that women target one to two (or less) units per day, not exceeding seven units per week. They suggest that men should target three units or less not exceeding fourteen units per week.
However, no studies demonstrate that moderate drinking is more beneficial than abstaining from drinking. If you don’t drink, you should remain that way. If you drink, mind your drinking habits.
5. Exercise:
The benefits of exercise are numerous to mention. It is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle and live longer. Indulging in any form of exercise or workout affects your quality of life. A study recommends that moderate-intensity exercise for 15 min a day or 90 mins a week might benefit our health.
More studies demonstrate that a higher dose in elderly adults (more than 90 – 150 mins a week) may significantly reduce the mortality rate by 22%. This same study suggests a lower amount will also be beneficial.
Furthermore, some research indicates that vigorous physical activity highly reduces death risk compared to more minor vigorous-intensity exercises. Regular involvement in exercise will enable you to live longer. Exercising more than 150 mins is best, but below that is also good.
6. Good Quality of Sleep:
Sleep is essential for the smooth functioning of the mental and physical systems of the body. A study shows that regular sleep patterns may improve longevity.
Sleep length is another factor that determines the quality of sleep. Sleeping less than 5-7 hours may be responsible for the high rate of mortality. Inversely, sleeping for more than 8 – 7 hours may increase the rate of mortality. Doctors recommend 7 – 8 hours of sleep to live longer.
7. Good Personal Hygiene:
Keeping your body clean and healthy have positive effects on your social, mental and physical health. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines athletes’ foot, body lice, chronic diarrhea, tooth decay, head lice, scabies, crabs, pinworms, ringworms, and hot tubs rash or swimmer’s ear as some hygiene-related diseases.
It’s been proven that prevention is better than cure. Personal hygiene prevents diseases and promotes healthy living and longevity.
8. Find Your Happiness:
Happy people live longer than sad souls. A study suggests that positive feelings promote longevity. In any situation you find yourself, make sure you find ways to make yourself happy. Don’t trade your happiness for anyone or anything in the world.
9. Healthy Social Networks:
The people with associate with positively or negatively affect our lives. Having a healthy social network is vital to living long.
A study highlighted the importance of healthy social networks to healthy living. The study reveals that a social circle may influence health practices like smoking habits, drinking habits, and physical activity.
So, hang around positive-minded people who hope to live longer as you do.
10. Reduce Your Anxiety and Level of Stress:
Anxiety and stress may reduce your life expectancy if not properly managed. Studies suggest that anxiety and stress may cause cardiovascular disease and death in middle-aged women and men.
Taking the right steps to reduce anxiety and stress is crucial to living longer.
11. Be More Conscientious:
Conscientious is an ability to be self-disciplined, industrious, focused on one’s goal, and organized. A review reveals that more conscientious individuals tend to live longer.
More studies reveal why it is so. The study discovered that more conscientious individuals are less likely to indulge in life-threatening activities or activities that may threaten their health. Further studies report that conscientious individuals have lower blood pressure, joints problems, a lower risk of diabetes, stroke, and fewer mental issues.
Conclusion
Life may be short, but developing these healthy lifestyles will ensure that you live long enough to achieve your goals and live up to your purpose.
If you want to purchase supplements, look out for natural products and reviews about the products. You can search the reviews by including the product name, i.e., Modere Trim. This supplement promises to help you lose weight. However, there are several other brands on the market that garnered favorable responses from customers.
Also, utilizing healthy habits may be difficult, but if taken one day at a time, it’d become part of you with time, and you’ll be amazed!
Life is precious, and you’ve just got one! If I were you, I’d do everything possible to ensure that I live long.