TOP 20 WAYS TO LIVE LONGER

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY:


Living longer is one of the greatest benefits of leading a healthy active lifestyle and life expectancy for both men and women has continued to rise with improvements in diet, awareness and medical care. And to ensure that you are one of those helping boost future life expectancy figures we have prepared a list of 20 great tips to help with putting off the inevitability of death for as long as possible …

1.  Laugh more

Research states that laughter may be beneficial to health. Laughing appears to boost the blood flow (by more than 20 per cent) and researchers say it may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Laughing has previously been found to help fight infections, relieve hay fever, ease pain and help control diabetes. The positive effect of laughing is thought to last around 30 to 45 minutes.

2.  Adjust sleeping time

Life expectancy may be reduced by sleeping more than eight hours a night. A study found that people who get only six to seven hours sleep a night live longer than those who sleep eight hours or more, or less than four hours.

3.  Eat more garlic

Garlic has been referred to as ‘nature’s antibiotic’. It is a powerful cleanser of the body and regular ingestion promotes a healthy heart and circulation by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. It also helps fight infection and can boost immunity. There is strong evidence to suggest that garlic helps with the prevention of cancers of the digestive system, including the oesophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Those who don’t like the taste of garlic should try the odourless supplements that are available.

4.  Boost your sex life

Having sex between three to four times a week is thought to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke in half. During sex, the average person maintains their heart rate above 70 per cent of the maximum, making sex a wonderful CV workout! Sex reduces stress, leads to greater contentment and better sleep.

5.  Drink tea

Many research studies support the view that tea is good for your health. Scientists tend to agree that tea, both black and green, may contribute positively to the promotion of health and the prevention of chronic disease. Recent research studies reveal the antioxidants in tea may inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health. According to a study published in Circulation: The Journal of the American Heart Association, heart attack patients who were tea drinkers decreased their risk of death by up to 44 per cent, as compared to non-tea drinkers.

6.  Drink red wine

Any excuse to drink more has got to be good! Recent studies show that drinking around one glass of red wine a day may have certain health benefits by protecting against certain cancers and heart disease, and can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Excessive or binge drinking, however, unfortunately doesn’t produce the same benefits.

7.  Regular self examination

For women this means regularly examining their breasts, and while breast cancer is not unknown among men, males should regularly check their testicles for lumps. It is important to get to know how your body parts normally feel and look, and report any changes, such as a lump, to your doctor. More often than not, lumps prove to be benign, and these types of cancer are usually curable if they're caught early enough.