Ways to Live Longer
Many of us wish to live long and healthy lives. Until quite recently, it was thought that our lifespan was determined mainly by genetics, but over the past few decades we’ve learned that environmental factors are just as influential – if not more.
Understanding how to live longer is important if we’re to succeed in our quest for a longer life, so if you want to enjoy a good innings then a number of positive lifestyle choices are essential.
Here we take a look at what you need to do in order to live longer. While some of these may be obvious, there’s no harm in reiterating their importance and reminding ourselves what we should be doing in order to keep our body – and our mind – in tip-top condition.
Stay Active
It’ll come as no surprise that getting adequate exercise and staying in shape is essential if you want to increase your lifespan.
Now we’re not saying you need to turn into an Olympic weightlifter or marathon runner – just an hour of physical activity a few times a week will be enough to get your blood pumping, help you stay trim and ensure your cardiovascular system is put through its paces.
When we exercise, our brain also releases feel-good, stress-busting endorphins which help keep us feeling positive and shield us from negative thoughts that can lead to anxiety and depression.
Obviously, many of us enjoy exercise so for some a few gym or cardio sessions a week will be a doddle. But if you’re a bit of a couch potato and you prefer to spend your evenings sitting in front of the TV then some big changes will be needed if you’re serious about adding years to your life.
Don’t Underestimate the Benefits of Sleep
I’m sure most of us are aware that adequate sleep is important to living a healthy life. However, many of us aren’t aware of just HOW important getting regular, good-quality sleep actually is.
Put simply, poor sleep shortens life expectancy. So if you’re not getting sufficient sleep and you fail to rectify the issue then sadly you’re destined to live a shorter life that’s peppered with health complications.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that for those who regularly fail to clock more than 6 hours in bed, the mortality rates increased massively.
The study looked at 1,654 middle-aged adults in the 1990s with researchers following up in 2017 to see how the participants were getting on.
They found that for those who got less than 6 hours sleep, not only were their chances of dying from heart-related illness increased by a whopping 83%, but those with high blood pressure or diabetes saw their risk of death doubled.
Even more alarming, for those with a history of heart or stroke issues the risk of death from cancer was TRIPLED.
So if you’re wondering how to live longer, clearly one of the keys is regularly getting a good night’s rest.
How to Live Longer – Diet
Along with getting enough sleep and exercising regularly, choosing the right foods to put into your body, as well as avoiding overeating, will go a long way to prolonging your time on this planet.
There are a number of geographic areas in the world where people have low rates of chronic diseases and live longer lives. These are known as “Blue Zones” and they include Icaria, Greece; Ogliastra, Sardinia; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica and the Seventh Day Aventists in Loma Linda, California.
When we take a look at what these places have in common we can see there are similarities in the diets they consume. This has led to some people adopting the so-called “Blue Zone” diet in the hope they too can enjoy this prolonged vitality.
So what’s the secret? Although particular foods may vary from place to place, there are some unifying rules which link these geographically-removed locations. Firstly, most of them eat a decent amount of locally-sourced fruit & vegetables which are usually pesticide-free and organically raised. For the most part they also steer clear of processed foods.
Although some eat meat in 4 out of 5 of the Blue Zones (the Seventh Day Aventists are strictly vegetarians), consumption is limited. In fact, those wanting to follow a similar diet should restrict their intake of animal protein (meat, fish, eggs or dairy) to one serving a day, while ensuring their diet is made up predominantly of plants.
The most nutrient-packed products are leafy greens like kale, spinach and broccoli, along with things like sweet potato, beetroot, avocados, apples, berries and so on. All of these are jam-packed full of health-boosting properties and they’re also loaded with antioxidants which help stave off illness and disease.
For optimum health and to increase your chances of living longer, perhaps the “Blue Zone” diet is worth a try.
Quit Smoking
We all know smoking is extremely bad for our health – so much so that the deadly habit still kills almost 80,000 people a year in the UK alone. Smoking is responsible for a dearth of health issues ranging from cardiovascular disease and numerous types of cancers to diabetes and even impotence.
Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death taking an average of 10 years off the lives of those who smoke, but thankfully the number of smokers continues to fall year after year, thanks in part to the nicotine therapy replacement (NRT) products which are helping many people wave goodbye to cigarettes.
With that said, there are still around 7 million people regularly lighting up in the UK, which works out at around 14% of the population. If you count yourself among them and you plan on living a long and healthy life, the time to quit smoking is right now.
Fortunately, these days it’s easier than ever to quit smoking due to the NRTs available – the most effective of which has proven to be vape devices, which have already helped millions of people stub out their cigarettes for good.
Vapes still deliver the nicotine you’re used to – just without any of the health-destroying tar or carbon monoxide that comes with combustible tobacco products. And with literally hundreds of delicious flavours to choose from, there’s something to suit every palate.
What’s more, vaping is far less expensive than smoking with literally thousands saved every year for those who smoke heavily.
So considering vaping is far less harmful – at least 95% safer according to Public Health England – it tastes great and it’s also much more affordable, trying an e-cigarette is a bit of a no-brainer really!
Hopefully, after reading through our post on how to live longer you’re now armed with the knowledge to make some positive steps in your life.
If you’re a smoker and you’re ready to give an e-cigarette a go, for some of the most user-friendly devices that are designed for those just making the switch to vaping, take a look at our selection of excellent starter kits.
Alternatively, you may also be interested in our range of disposable vapes. Cheap, easy to use and available in a range of delicious flavours, these throw-away devices are designed especially with the beginner in mind.