Here are some simple and
often surprising tricks that
research shows can extend
your life..
1 Switch your latte
for a cuppa
Tea is packed with
antioxidants called
polyphenols that can help
your body fight heart disease,
cancer and premature
ageing.
One Israeli study found that
moderate tea drinkers lived
substantially longer than
those who don’t have a
regular cuppa.
But remember to give it a
good stir before removing
the tea bag, as research
shows this releases 15%
more of the age-resisting
ingredients.
2 Balance on one
leg every morning
It may sound strange, but
standing on alternative legs
while you dress in the ­
morning forces your body to
balance, strengthening your
‘core’ (back, pelvic and
stomach) muscles which
support your spine.
According to physiotherapist
Tom Salzman: “This simple
daily act will offer significant
long-term benefits when it
comes to staying active for
longer and protecting against
falls and broken bones as you
get older.”
3 Have regular sex
at least twice a
week
A large Welsh study on
longevity found that those
who had sex less than once a
month had double the risk of
dying prematurely than those
who had sex twice a week.
Aside from the health
benefits, couples with a
healthy sex life can also look
up to seven years younger,
according to a study by the
Royal Edinburgh Hospital –
possibly because sex reduces
stress, leading to greater ­
contentment and better sleep.
4 Eat three walnuts
a day
Walnuts are the healthiest nut
of all because they contain
the most disease-fighting and
anti-ageing antioxidants,
according to recent search
from the University of
Scranton, US.
Eating just three walnuts a
day is enough to reap the full
benefits.
5 Use less sunscreen
but don’t burn
Figures show that 50% of
people in the UK are deficient
in vitamin D, the nutrient
made by the action of
sunlight on our skin, ­
increasing our risk of a host
of potentially fatal conditions
including heart disease,
osteoporosis and cancer.
To boost your vitamin D levels
without raising your risk of
skin cancer, Cancer Research
UK now recommends getting
a few minutes (in practice
around 15 to 20) of sun
around the middle of the day
without sunscreen.
But make sure you don’t
burn, or you’ll wipe out any
health benefits.
6 Make six good
mates you can
always rely on
Developing close friendships
and family ties is the secret of
living to 100, according to a
recent Australian study of
centenarians.
Friends provide emotional
support, which helps us deal
with stress, and feeling loved
boosts production of feel-
good chemicals dopamine
and oxytocin, which promote
brain growth, combating
ageing.
Other research has
pinpointed six as the
optimum number of friends
we each need.
7 Stop eating when
you’re 80% full
The Okinawans, who inhabit
remote Japanese islands,
have one of the world’s
lowest rates of obesity, as
well as the highest
percentage of people living
beyond 100.
Their secret? At every meal,
they stop eating when they
feel about 80% satisfied,
happily leaving any excess
food on their plate.
American researchers have
also found animals can live up
to twice as long when their
food intake is reduced by up
to a third.
As well as helping them to
maintain a healthier weight,
it’s thought eating less means
the metabolism has less work
to do, putting less long-term
stress on the body.
8 Go to bed one
hour earlier if you
can
Lack of sleep can put you at
greater risk of health
conditions such as
depression and heart disease,
according to a raft of recent
research.
And yet a small change makes
a big difference – a study
from Harvard Business School
in the US found that for
people who normally slept for
seven hours or less a night,
going to bed just one hour
earlier led to a significant
drop in blood pressure –
therefore lowering their risk
of heart attacks and strokes.
9 Make sure you
floss every night
“Gum disease is the most
widespread condition on the
planet,” says dentist Dr James
Russell.
“So I say sarcastically – floss
the teeth you want to keep!”
And it’s not just your teeth
that will thank you – in the
past 10 years, studies have
linked gum disease to an
increased risk of other ­
conditions, including heart
disease, diabetes and certain
cancers.
10 Be a details
person
Research by US psychologist
Dr Howard Friedman has
found that the best predictor
of longevity is how
conscientious a person is.
That’s right – people who are
careful with money,
thoughtful, detail-focused
and like to put everything
back in its rightful place tend
to live longer!
It’s thought that ­
conscientious people may ­
produce more of the feel-
good brain chemical
serotonin, which stops them
comfort-eating and improves
their sleep.
They also appear to be drawn
towards healthier choices
and can live less risky
lifestyles.