Have you found the fountain of youth? Isn’t this the question we ask people who look younger than their age? Our need to discover a way to maintain the youthfulness of our beauty and our disposition in life is a lifelong goal many have tried and failed to achieve. Apparently, as opposed to what we previously believed in, the secret to a healthy and long life is not based on genetic formation. Science-backed evidence is pointing out to our diets, lifestyles, and environment as the secrets to longevity.
Several centenarians who are either in a healthcare franchise facility or an assisted-living village were interviewed to find out what made them live that long. Some of them lived until they were 127 years old, like Leandra Becerra Lumbreras, who attributed her long life to eating chocolate and never marrying. The world’s oldest living man, Masazo Nonaka, who lived until he was 113 years old, believed that the key to old age was by eating cake and soaking in hot springs.
While these tips may sound trivial, it’s worth taking note that these are habits these supercentenarians did their whole lives. Maybe these are worth taking a look at. If anything, eating chocolate and cake will make you happier, and soaking in hot springs will destress you. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Limit Calorie Intake
Although studies are limited, some claims that limiting your calorie intake will help you live longer. Some studies suggest that reducing calorie intake by 10% to 50% will increase your maximum lifespan. It will also decrease the likelihood of diseases, body fat, and obesity. But it is also worth noting that calorie restriction can hurt your sex drive and body temperature.
Be Physically Active
Do you know that just 15 minutes of exercise a day can increase your lifespan by three years? It is no surprise that physical activity has a range of health benefits and that it can even reduce the risk of premature death by as much as 4%. Although exercising 150 minutes a week is the recommendation, even small amounts of exercise will help you achieve a healthier life.
Quit Smoking
It is never too late to stop smoking, which is linked to diseases and early deaths. No matter what age you are at now, you can still significantly add years to your life by merely quitting smoke. Those who quit smoke by their 35th year can add 8.5 years to their lives. Even those who quit by the time they are 60 can add at least 3.5 years to their lives. If you don’t quit smoking, you risk reducing your lifespan by 10 years.
Choose Happiness
Happy people are more likely to live longer. Happiness does not only prolong your life, but it improves your mood, too. It also reduces the effects of stress and anxiety. According to studies, those who are happy when they are 22 years old will be 2.5 times more likely to be alive when they hit the ripe age of 80 years.
At times, it may seem that you don’t have any control over how many years you still have left in this world. But healthy habits will not only benefit your physical, emotional, and mental state, but they will also add to your lifespan. Focusing on a balanced diet, enough exercise, and staying away from cigarettes and too much alcohol will add years to your life.
