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- Studies have listed 6 doable things that could help give you a longer life.
- Among these include being optimistic, which studies suggest will decrease your chances of dying by 14 percent.
- Another way of living longer is taking time to care for a sick loved one, which research says will lower the likelihood of dying by 36 percent within 7 years.
As of date, two studies have shown surprising but heartening secrets to a longer life. To score more years, here are 6 things you can do which are also backed by science.
1. Think positively
In a Women’s Health Initiative study of 100,000 women, those who were graded optimistic through special questionnaires had 14 percent lower odds of dying during the first 8 years of the study, compared to pessimists.
2. Take care of a loved one
People who spend most of their time caring for a spouse or family member decreased their chances of dying by 36 percent over a period of seven years, according to a study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
3. Set goals
Generally, setting clear and well-defined goals give people direction and motivation. Having goals also give individuals a survival edge over those with no or fewer plans and goals, according to an interview of 1,200 seniors in a study conducted at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Elders with sure intentions and set goals were about half as likely as goalless seniors to die over a five-year follow-up.
4. Give yourself loads of the sunshine vitamin
New research suggests that adults have 26 percent higher chances of dying early because of a lack of exposure to the sun. This may be due to the fact that “vitamin D’s impact on health is so widespread,” that the 12-year-old study of 13,000 men and women didn’t pinpoint any one cause of death, says Dr.Michal Melamed of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. Vitamin D deficiency has been known to cause osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
In addition to drinking fortified milk, she suggests taking anti-aging supplements and getting 10 to 15 minutes of midday sunshine several days a week. Apply sunscreen after doing so.
5. Pay attention to your DNA
A healthy lifestyle can naturally reset your genes and give you a longer life, according to researchers Dr. Dean Ornish and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn. In their study, participants ate vegetarian whole foods with 10 percent calories of fat, took 30-minute walks six days a week, used techniques that minimized stress, and joined a weekly support group.
Aside from reduced LDL cholesterol and stress levels, results also indicated a 29 percent rise in telomerase, an enzyme responsible for repairing and lengthening telomeres which are proteins on the ends of chromosomes essential for immunity and longer life. Shorter telomeres have been linked to an increased incidence of diseases, like heart disease and cancer, and poor survival.
6. Take care of your heart
Walking and having a stronger social network are two of the most important things you can do to stay young and healthy, says Dr. Oz.
First, when you’re unable to walk a quarter mile within five minutes, your odds of dying within three years notably increases. Still, a 15-minute walk will be able to provide you with health benefits.
Second, to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, you need to get out and meet people to battle loneliness and social isolation. Maintaining existing relationships and forging new ones not only prevent diseases but are also reasons enough to keep your heart beating
Source: The Healthy