Making it to 100 years old is meaningless if it means hunkering down and playing it safe—living less to live longer. That’s not what a century on Earth should be about.
The kind of lifestyle, dietOpens a New Window., and fitness philosophiesOpens a New Window. we’re offering will naturally age-proof you, and will allow you to explore, achieve, and enjoy more of everything—whether you’re 20, 40, or 60.
This list looks at the current science on the habits of people who not only live longest, but who also live best. So don’t only read and follow the advice as ways to extend your days with the goal of turning 100—use it to make each one count for more.
What People From the World’s Longest-living ‘Blue Zone’ Regions Eat to Stay Practically Immortal Opens a New Window.
Hinterhaus Productions / Getty Images1 / 23Eat More Vegetables
1. Go NutsRegularly eating nuts—and pretty much any kind—may help you live longer, according to several large studies. Most recently, a meta-analysis from Vanderbilt University linked nut consumption (especially peanuts) to a lower mortality risk. And according to a 2013 Harvard study that followed 119,000 doctors and nurses for 30 years, those who ate a handful of nuts every day were 29 percent less likely to succumb to heart disease and 20 percent less apt to die of any cause. More research has linked similar longevity benefits to specific kinds of nuts, such as cashews, pistachios, almonds, or walnuts. Although each varies slightly in exact nutrient makeup, experts say they’re all good bets, so mix it up, and shoot for a handful of nuts a day. (And that’s the size of your palm, not a gigantic fistful. The one caveat to nuts is that it’s easy to down four or five servings, and that high-calorie count may offset the benefits you get from their nutrients.)
2. Dabble in a Semi-Vegetarian DietA wealth of research shows that vegetarians outlive meat-eaters. This added longevity makes perfect sense, given that veggies tend to be low-calorie, low-fat, fiber-rich, and stocked with vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients. But that doesn’t mean you need to give up the occasional steak or barbecued chicken—you just have to cut back on meat. A study of 450,000 people found that semi-vegetarians (those who got 70 percent of their food from plant sources) had a 20 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, compared to those who got less than 45 percent of their calories from plants. Work more veggies into the dishes you already love, such as omelets, homemade pizza, and stir-fry. Aim to keep your meat meals to two or three times a week, and make sure the meat you eat is lean, well-sourced, unprocessed, and not a jumbo portion.
3. Add MushroomsMushrooms are nutritional powerhouses, packed with potassium, riboflavin, niacin, selenium, vitamin D, and fiber. They also contain beta-glucans, a specific type of fiber that tames inflammation and boosts immunity. Because of their nutrient-dense makeup, mushrooms have been shown to help lower cholesterol and ward of infections, illnesses, and even cancer. (Shiitake and a few other mushroom varieties are even being studied as a possible cancer treatment.) As with nuts, different types of mushrooms do vary slightly in nutrient content, but experts say any kind—even those basic white mushrooms—provide health benefits. Eat them on salads, put them in pasta sauces, or use a portabella as a burger substitute.
4. Eat Cruciferous VeggiesYou’re looking for broccoli, cauliflower, kale, arugula, Brussels sprouts, turnips, and radishes—all proven to have several anticancer effects. Along with being solid sources of folate, fiber, and vitamins C, E, and K, cruciferous vegetables also contain glucosinolates. The compounds give these veggies their bitter flavor, and protect cells from free-radical damage and even deactivate other carcinogens. That likely explains why studies have shown that men who eat lots of cruciferous veggies have less risk of prostate and lung cancers.
istetiana / Getty Images2 / 23And Fruit, Too
5. Pile on Blueberries These little antioxidant bombs have a host of health benefits, including protection against heart disease, cancer, memory decline, and post-exercise oxidative stress. Pound for pound, blueberries have more fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants than most fruits, and they also contain a compound called pterostilbene, which boosts immunity. Plus, their sweet-tart taste can pair with a savory meal (like a spicy-chicken salad) or the traditional sweeter foods, like yogurt.
6. Keep Eating Apples
We’ll spare you the tired apple-a-day cliché—but it is true. Apples are pretty much the perfect nutritional package, offering ample fiber, vitamin C, and less sugar than many fruits. But they also have a secret weapon that makes them particularly life-lengthening: quercetin. This flavonoid is a potent antioxidant that’s extra abundant in apples (onions have a lot, too). One study of 10,000 adults linked high quercetin intake to reduced risk of lung cancer, type 2 diabetes and asthma, and another found that the flavonoid can help lower blood pressure.
Javier Snchez Mingorance / EyeEm / Getty Images3 / 23Keep Your Brain Sharp
7. Log 40 Minutes of Hard Cardio A WeekAs we exercise, neurons from key brain areas, the hippocampus and cortex, secrete a memory-making hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that helps increase the number of neurons we have and makes their synapses run more efficiently. It’s an evolutionary gift—or curse—from the days when humans ran to hunt or to avoid being eaten themselves, says Howard Fillet, M.D., chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, adding, “If a lion starts chasing you from behind a tree and you escape, you’ll want to remember that event for the rest of your life.”
The harder and longer you work, the more BDNF flows into your bloodstream. A recent study points to a guaranteed BDNF bump from 40 vigorous minutes of cardio versus a more modest rise for 20 minutes at a moderate rate, says Matthew Schmolesky, Ph.D., who put humans through their paces at Weber State University in Utah to test BDNF levels.
8. Eat More Fat, Certain Veggies, and (Sometimes) Less FoodDark, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines are high in Docosahexaenoic omega-3 polyunsaturated acid, or DHA, a neural building block. (In the landmark Framingham Heart Study, those who had the highest DHA blood levels almost halved their risk of developing dementia.) Aim to get two or three servings per week.
Fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C and E, such as tomatoes, butternut squash, bell peppers, and Brussels sprouts, may also protect brain health. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin E for men is 15 grams per day, which you can achieve with two ounces of almonds. You’ll want at least 90 milligrams a day of vitamin C, about what’s in a large orange or sweet pepper.
Also good for brain health: Don’t eat at all. Similar to exercise, fasting increases proteins called neurotrophics—including BDNF—that help new brain synapses to form. Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging, says, “Fasting is a challenge to your brain, and nerve cells adapt in ways that enhance their function,” he says. Human trials are just getting underway, but Mattson already follows a version of what’s called 5:2 fasting. Its rules are simple: For two days a week, eat one meal of about 500 calories; eat well the other five days.
9. Break From Your Routine
Our brains demand challenge to thrive. Working on new tasks and exploring new hobbies, places, and relationships helps build what’s called a “cognitive reserve” of neural pathways. As you use neurons, or nerve cells, in different parts of your brain to accomplish something, you create or strengthen synapses linking them. If one brain road slows due to age or disease, alternate connectors can power actions. This strong neural safety web is likely why people with higher levels of educational or career attainment tend to have healthier brains over time, as do those who spend down time doing something mentally stimulating—writing, coaching, playing in a band—versus mind-numbing activities, like watching TV. The basic idea: Do new things, but also ones that make you feel good.
10. Test A New LanguageThat doesn’t mean you have to master French. Even learning basic words and phrases is proven to yield huge mental dividends. “You don’t have to be young, you don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to be a genius,” says Thomas Dak, a specialist in language and cognition at the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. He studied people first tested for intelligence in 1947. Those who had learned another language after age 18 were still ahead of peers at age 73 in reading and verbal fluency.
11. Consider Six Hours of Sleep Your BrinkSkimp on sleep regularly, and working memory and especially attention take a hit. How much sleep do you need for peak performance? Individual needs vary, but there is a baseline. A recent University of Oregon study of more than 30,000 people in mid-life from six different countries showed that those who slept fewer than six hours per night did worse recalling lists of words and numbers.
Michelle Arnold / EyeEm / Getty Images4 / 23...And Your Inflammation Down
12. First, Get Your Numbers TestedA handful of signs indicate that you may have chronic inflammation—inexplicable weight gain, constant digestion problems, a plateau in your fitness level (despite working out longer and harder), a lack of sleep, and waking up already feeling stressed. To get a hard number on your inflammation level, ask your doctor for a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein test (hs-CRP) to measure inflammatory cells in your blood. It’s in the $17 to $71 range.
13. Don’t Have Go-To MealsSo you have a daily spinach omelet for breakfast and a kale salad at lunchtime? That’s good but not great, according to new research. People who eat more than 25 species of plants a week have a greater diversity of bacteria in their guts than those who eat fewer than 10, finds a study by the American Gut ProjectOpens a New Window.. A wide variety of produce and legumes tamps down inflammation by feeding and increasing the “good” bacteria that maintain the health of our gut lining.
14. Make It SpicySpices offer huge anti-inflammatory benefits, especially turmeric, which is in a class by itself for its inflammation-fighting polyphenolic compounds. Try adding it to stews, sauces, and sprinkling it on oatmeal.
15. Go MediterraneanData is irrefutable that the Mediterranean diet is the best overall to decrease inflammation, due particularly to its focus on polyphenol-rich extra-virgin olive oil. But not all EVOOs are created equal, cautions Boulder functional-medicine physician Robert RountreeOpens a New Window.. “If you don’t get a pungent, slightly bitter taste, the health-conferring compounds have been processed out of it.”
16. Skip the IbuprofenIt may sound crazy, but anti-inflammatories can cause inflammation because they eat away at the lining of the stomach and colon. The result: “We see some 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths a year in this country from NSAID-induced gastrointestinal bleeds,” says Dr. Kerry Kuehl, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Oregon Health and Science University. Sore muscles? Drink tart cherry juice. The polyphenolic-loaded natural elixir tests as well as ibuprofen for reducing pain, and it’s side-effect-free.
17. Spend 20 Extra Seconds on Your TeethYou could do everything else right, but if you don’t floss, you’re still subject to chronic inflammation. The mouth, just like the gut, serves as a portal for bad bacteria to enter the bloodstream and trigger an immune-system response. When food-borne bacteria gets lodged in the gums, you can develop gum inflammation, which leads to gum disease and is linked to Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
Thiemi Higashi / EyeEm / Getty Images5 / 23Get a Life
18. Ditch NetflixWatching too much television can actually contribute to an earlier death. A large-scale meta-analysis from Harvard published in JAMAOpens a New Window. linked prolonged television viewing (defined in the study as two hours) with an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. The researchers looked at nearly 1,700 studies spanning thousands of people and found that the absolute risk difference between those who watch less than two hours of TV per day and those who watch more is about 100 individuals out of 100,000. The researchers guess that the pattern emerges because watching television is one of the most sedentary activities a person can do—and it usually comes along with unhealthy snacks. Another interesting finding from the study: Once you watch over three hours, the risk of all-cause mortality seems to increase with how many extra hours you log. The advice here is simple: Cut back to just one episode a day—or watch on the treadmill.
19. Adopt a DogA recent Circulation report from the American Heart Association Opens a New Window.looked over the large body of research behind the health benefits of pet ownership and concluded that pet owners tended to have lower blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol, good cardiovascular health (because they’re less likely to smoke or be obese), and lower mortality rates compared to those who don’t have a dog, cat, or fish at home. And a University of Minnesota studyOpens a New Window. spanning about 20 years and over 4,000 people found a link between a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (like strokes and myocardial infections) and people who owned cats—even after controlling for other factors that might contribute to longevity like age, BMI, whether the individual smoked, had diabetes or high cholesterol, and other conditions. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon could be simple: Besides the fact that dogs encourage physical activity through walks, pets of all kinds also help us de-stress. A studyOpens a New Window. from Australia’s Baker Medical Research Institute reports that out of nearly 6,000 subjects, pet ownership was linked with lower blood pressure and lower triglyceride levels.
20. Drink to Your HealthA meta-analysis of studies on drinking and healthOpens a New Window. spanning over 1 million people and nearly 10,000 deaths found a link between a moderate consumption of alcohol (that’s about 1 to 2 drinks per day) and fewer cases of all-cause mortality. Another review published in the Journal of American College of CardiologyOpens a New Window. found that if you’ve had cardiovascular conditions like hypertension or high blood pressure before, drinking can actually elongate your life. The exact link between drinking and living longer is still a matter of debate, but there’s lots to prove it exists: red wine contains anti-inflammatory ingredients like antioxidants and resveratrol, and drinking also helps you de-stress, partly because you usually do it in a social setting. Of course, all of this is in moderation. The JAMA study also found that drinking to excess (more than 3 drinks per day) was linked to an increase in death cases.
21. Stay SocialStaying social isn’t just fun, it’s good for your health, too. A meta-analysisOpens a New Window. from Brigham Young and the University of North Carolina looked at data from over 300,000 people whose lives and deaths were followed over an extended period of time in various studies. They found a lower mortality rate in people with a strong social life (what they call a 50 percent increased likelihood of survival), and the highest number of deaths in those who lived alone. The findings remained consistent across the individual’s age, sex, initial health status, and cause of death. And according to the researchers, those findings mean social isolation could be as harmful as smoking or obesity.
Thamrongpat Theerathammakorn / EyeEm / Getty Images6 / 23And Tend to Your Bed
22. Have More SexYears ago, an Australian studyOpens a New Window. found that men who had orgasms twice a week or more were 50 percent less likely to die than those who only climaxed once a month. Then a group of researchers analyzed a heap of peer-reviewed literatureOpens a New Window. on sex and health and found that a good amount of intercourse provided undeniable physiological and physical benefits that contribute to a longer life. Today, we have a lot more reasons why this might be: Studies suggest sex can help you de-stress, boost levels of the bacteria-fighting antibody immunoglobulin, decrease your sensitivity to pain (by releasing good-feeling hormones like oxytocin), act as moderate exercise for your heart and muscles, and even reduce your risk of prostate cancer through ejaculation, according to one Australian studyOpens a New Window.. But making sure you’re having safe sex is also important—meta-analyses have also found that having too much sex when you’re suffering from heart problems or the like can result in a higher risk of death. Checking in with your doctor would help determine how often you can have sex.
23. Or Just More OrgasmsWhile sex has many proven benefits that have to do with your partner—bonding, stress release, and more—orgasms themselves (any sort) have been shown to prolong life. Studies show that men who have two or more orgasms a week died at a rate half that of the men who had orgasms less than once a month. The kind of sex doesn’t exactly matter: most orgasm studies blur the line between sex and masturbation, referencing both as “sexual expression.” Michael Roizen, a 62-year-old doctor who chairs the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic told Men’s Journal that masturbation is, at the very least, “a good supplement to monogamous sex,” and prostate cancer rates have been proven to directly correlate to frequency of ejaculation. Scientists say ejaculating at least four times a week can reduce one’s risk by up to 30 percent.
24. Sleep on a ScheduleGetting just the right amount of consistent sleep affects more than just your day-to-day life. A large-scale meta-analysisOpens a New Window. of over 1 million people and about 100,000 instances of death from various studies found that both shorter and longer durations of sleep were pretty good predictors of the higher number of deaths associated with them. And according to recent research, getting ahead of it is all about regulating your sleep pattern: Brazilian researchersOpens a New Window. analyzed the different sleep patterns and biochemical profiles of elderly people (aged 60 to 70) versus those of ‘older’ elderly people (85 to 105) and found that consistent with age, the latter group not only had more regular sleeping patterns — but better health profiles too, with higher amounts good HDL cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels than the group below them. The researchers suggest that maintaining a consistent sleep schedule throughout middle age and older middle age helps maintain longevity.
25. Find a Life PartnerIn 2011, University of Louisville researchersOpens a New Window. looked at the records from nearly 100 studies about the life spans of more than 500 million married versus non-married individuals. Focusing solely on all-cause mortality, they noticed a pattern within the data: Single men tended to die earlier, showing about a 32 percent higher risk of early death than those who were married—meaning they could die about eight to 17 years earlier. While this obviously doesn’t apply to everyone, and the studies looked at patterns from as long as 60 years ago, researchers have some theories about why the findings might still ring true: Single people could have poorer health benefits or less income to spend on good health, and also more emotional and physical support. For example, a spouse might encourage their significant other to visit the doctor or eat healthy more often, and take fewer risks with their bodies. Interestingly, a study Opens a New Window.of about 67,000 Americans made a similar conclusion, finding that bachelors were twice as likely (about 58 percent) to die earlier than widowed, divorced and married men. So having known true love, it seems, could also have a similar effect on your longevity.
Andrzej Siwiec / EyeEm / Getty Images7 / 23Embrace Fat
26. Eat SalmonDoctors are always telling us to eat more fish. But what they really should be saying is eat salmon. Along with being a great source of lean protein, salmon provides five to 20 times more omega-3 fatty acids than tuna, tilapia, grouper, whitefish, and many types of trout. Reams of research proves that omega-3s Opens a New Window.protect your heart, brain, and eyes; tame disease-causing inflammation; and slow down aging at the cellular level. Although wild-caught salmon is usually more sustainable than farmed, any type of salmon will offer ample omega-3s, and just one serving per week is enough to net you the myriad health benefits. Plus, salmon generally carries less toxic mercury than many other fish types.
27. Find More Fatty PlantsYou need a range of fats in your diet, but especially monounsaturated fat, which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and can reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. Avocadoes are an awesome source of monounsaturated fat, as well as fiber, folate, and vitamins B6, C, and K. Plus, they have more potassium than bananas. Eating one avocado a day can significantly lower LDL levels and improve heart health, according to a new study from Penn State UniversityOpens a New Window.. It’s actually pretty easy to work more avocadoes into your diet. Whether you slice up a whole one or mash a few into guacamole, avocadoes are great on sandwiches, in wraps, with eggs, and in pretty much any Mexican dish.
28. Avoid Trans Fat
We’ve been hearing this dietary advice for a while now, and thankfully, consumption of trans fat has declined from the margarine-slathered, McDonald’s-loving 1980s. But men are still eating too much of this synthetic garbage, which raises bad cholesterol, lowers good cholesterol, increases heart disease risk, and even impairs memory in guys under 45. A 2014 studyOpens a New Window. shows that men, on average, still get 11 percent of their daily calories from trans fat—which is way too much. Even though many food companies have phased trans fat out of their products, it’s still widely used in fast food, frozen pizza, pastries, and low-fat versions of many foods. It even lurks in many packaged snacks that may seem somewhat healthy at first glance, so always read labels.
29. Back Away from BaconSaturated fat—and therefore red meat—is back on the okay-to-eat-in-moderation list. But this does not give you carte blanche to eat bacon, sausage, salami, or any other kind of processed meat. These sodium-packed products have far too much saturated fat for one meal—sometimes even too much for a whole day—and they almost always contain nitrates and nitrites, preservatives that can raise your risk of gastrointestinal cancer. It doesn’t take much processed meat to ransack your health. One 2014 studyOpens a New Window. found that just three strips of bacon or one bratwurst can double your risk of dying from cardiovascular issues. Stick to small, lean cuts of unprocessed beef, pork, or lamb, and don’t indulge more than a few times per week.
Claudia Totir / Getty Images8 / 23Know the Right Nutrients
30. Don’t Overlook MagnesiumRoughly half of all Americans are lacking in magnesiumOpens a New Window., but it’s tremendously important for men to load up on this mineral. Magnesium is critical for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body that dictate blood glucose control, blood pressure regulation, and muscle and nerve function. Studies show that getting too little of this mineral can jack up risk of hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and sudden cardiac death. Good sources of magnesium include almonds, cashews, peanuts, spinach, soymilk, salmon, and black beans. And if you don’t think you can get the recommended 420 milligrams a day from food, consider taking a supplement.
31. Double Down on DResearch overwhelmingly shows that you need vitamin D to live long and healthy. A meta-analysisOpens a New Window. of almost one million people found a direct correlation between low vitamin D and increased risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, and other causes. Another studyOpens a New Window., published in 2013, suggests that vitamin D deficiency can lead to cognitive decline during middle age. Trouble is, it’s tough to get the recommended 600 to 1,200 IU a day from food alone, and some experts say most Americans live too far north to get enough D from the sun most of the year. Therefore, some doctors now recommend spending about 10 to 15 minutes outside without sunscreen in order to get your body making D. As for foods, fortified milk and eggs, mushrooms, salmon, and trout are decent sources, but you still may want to take a supplement.
32. Focus on FiberFiber helps you live longer. A landmark 2011 studyOpens a New Window. of half a million adults found that dietary fiber intake lowered the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases by 24 to 56 percent in men. Fiber also slashed these guys’ odds of cancer death. Other research shows that getting enough fiber in your diet (shoot for 30 to 38 grams per day) decreases your risk of obesity and heart disease. Luckily, getting fiber-rich food is relatively easy, and includes lentils, nuts, beans, berries, pears, apples, oatmeal, artichokes, broccoli, and peas.
33. Load up on LuteinThe carotenoid lutein, found in kale, collards, broccoli, green beans, spinach, eggs, and oranges, has been shown to protect your eyes Opens a New Window.from age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. It also helps prevent cognitive decline. Yes, technically you can live for many years with poor or lost vision and a flagging memory. But dealing with any of these woes will greatly diminish your quality of life and potentially lead to more serious health issues. So it’s wise to load up on lutein now.
10'000 Hours / Getty Images9 / 23Up Your Intensity
34. Try Sprints on a Stationary BikeAccording to the influential Harvard Alumni Health Study, which followed more than 13,000 men from 1977 to 1992, vigorous exercise increases longevity more so than light or moderate activity. Intervals are the best way to get that intensity without burning out, recent research shows. Short bursts are all you need to improve insulin sensitivity, burn fat, boost your immune system and promote healing—all critical health factors as you age. To do them, get on a bike. This low-impact option goes easy on your joints so you can focus on going hard during work intervals: After a 10-minute warm-up, increase your resistance and pedal at max effort for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and repeat, for eight rounds.
35. Do 30/30 Sprints on A TreadmillThe beauty of choosing the treadmill is that you can dial in speed and incline exactly so that you’re challenged for an entire interval, but not overwhelmed. This protocol calls for an equal amount of work-to-rest ratio, and is ideal if you’re already used to doing intervals. After a short warm-up, set the treadmill incline to 3.0 and the mph speed as high as you can go and last for a full 30 seconds. Sprint for 30, then jump to the treadmill rails and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
36. Take the StairsSimply taking the stairs twice a day, five days a week (hitting a total of 10 minutes of effort daily) can increase your VO2 max up to 17 percent, research shows. A high VO2 max—or the maximum volume of oxygen your body can use while you exercise—is a strong predictor of longevity.
37. Make Exercises More ExplosivePlyometrics—any move that requires a powerful jump, such as squat jumps and box jumps—not only work fast-twitch muscle fibers and get your heart rate up, but they strengthen your nervous system, making you quicker, more agile, and less prone to injury as you get older. A good way to add these to your exercise regimen is to try a set of 10 to 15 after doing a strength set of, say, squats or deadlifts. This way, you further fatigue your muscles, and in a new way, which will help you build strength and power faster. One caveat: Because this type of training is so exhausting to your body, you’ll only want to do it two or three times a week, and never on consecutive days.
38. Add Kettlebell SwingsExperts hail the kettlebell swing as a near-perfect exercise because it increases your VO2 max, helps correct the negative effects of sitting too much, and safely strengthens your core, back, arms, and legs—all crucial for everyday health, not just workout vanity. Here’s how to nail the form: Hold bell in front of you with knees slightly bent. Hinge forward with a flat back, and send bell backward between legs (you should feel hamstrings engage), then thrust hips forward to propel bell to eye level. Keep weight in heels throughout the movement.
39. When In Doubt, BurpeesThere’s a reason this is the exercise that every athlete loves to hate: burpees are intense. They challenge every muscle in your body, and require a combination of cardiovascular and muscle strength. But the anti-aging benefits far outweigh the effort burpees require. You’ll burn fat, tone your legs, arms and abs, preserve mobility in your joints—and you can do them anywhere.
Ross Helen/Getty Images10 / 23And Your Strength
40. SquatIf you’re not strength training, you could be losing 5 percent of your total muscle mass every decade—hence the need to lift. Preserving and creating muscle isn’t just about looking good with your shirt off (though you will); it’s key to better performance, health, and staying injury-free. There’s no better move to start with than the squat. This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quads—the biggest, fat-burning muscles in your body—and recruits stabilizer muscles in your hips and torso, which tend to atrophy as you age. Squatting also increases range of motion in your hips and knees, which betters your agility, balance, speed and helps prevent injury. Add squats to your regular strength workouts, aiming to do three sets of 10 to 12 reps with a weight that feels challenging, at least twice a week.
41. Or Use the Leg-Press MachineIf your back is sore, or your knees are bothering you, sub in the leg press machine for barbell squats. The fixed position allows you to perform the movement perfectly (versus potentially tweaking a muscle during the more free-wheeling barbell squat), and you’ll still build muscle and bone density throughout your lower body.
42. Get on the BenchConsider the bench press the upper-body companion to the squat. When performed correctly, this exercise works every muscle from your hand and forearm down to your shoulders, chest, and abs. Regularly doing this lift will keep these key functional muscles firing, and make everyday movements—pushing a lawn mower, or even opening a door—feel far easier. There’s a trick to doing it properly, too: Lie down on bench, plant feet, push knees out, and squeeze your shoulder blades together to create an arch in your midback. This gives you more power to push.
43. Push OverheadPreserve your ability to lift, reach, and pull—all movements you want to do with ease into your nineties—by performing shoulder presses on a regular basis. To keep your muscles challenged, trade off using dumbbells, a kettlebell (doing alternating presses), and a barbell.
44. Tap the RowerRowing isn’t just a great way to burn calories, it’s also a multi-joint exercise that strengthens your back muscles, shoulders, biceps and triceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. To make all of that happen, though, you need perfect form. To get it, every stroke, think, “Legs, core, arms.” Push powerfully into heels to begin the motion, engage core as you pull, then finish with handle at chest, leaning slightly back.
45. Do More PlanksThe American Council on Exercise recommends planks to prevent and reduce back pain and strengthen your core, which tends to weaken more and more over time. Compared to crunches, planks recruit more muscles with less movement (and less chance of injury). Add in a minute or more of planks daily, and remember these cues: Glutes and abs engaged, back flat, wrists directly under shoulders, gaze set six inches in front of you.
Innocenti / Getty Images11 / 23Don't Forget Your Cardio
46. Take Up RunningYou don’t have to be a marathoner to make running work for your lifespan. A 15-year study published in the American College of CardiologyOpens a New Window. found that, out of more than 55,000 people, runners lived an average of three years longer than those who didn’t, and were 45 percent less likely to have died from cardiovascular conditions like heart disease or stroke. How fast, far, or frequently they ran didn’t matter — even light jogging once or twice a week still showed higher benefits than not running at all. Running yields these benefits for a simple reason: It strengthens your heart and vascular function. And it also keeps your knees and bones healthier as you enter old age. Another studyOpens a New Window. from Stanford University followed a group of individuals over 50 years old for about 20 years and observed that those who regularly ran showed far fewer of the everyday disabilities that come to us as we age (like slower movements as they rose, dressed, and walked throughout the day). Interestingly, those runners were also about half less likely to die early when compared to people who never ran.
47. Mix Up Your Run PaceVarying your speed during a shorter workout yields more health benefits than going slow-and-steady for a longer amount of time. Try this tempo workout to increase your lactate threshold, or the point at which your body fatigues: Warm up for 10 minutes, then run 20 minutes at a comfortably hard pace (you can talk, but barely), then cool down for 10 minutes.
48. Go for A Bike RideRecreational cyclists show fewer signs of aging than non-cyclists, a new study discovered. Researchers found that cyclists don’t show typical signs of aging, such as loss of muscle and bone strength, lung power, and reflexes.
49. Get In the PoolSwimming is the ideal anti-aging sport, thanks to its zero impact, low chance of injury, and cardiovascular and mental health benefits. Scientists also claim swimming can reverse chronic conditions like arthritis and diabetes and lower your risk of mortality by 50 percent compared to being sedentary. Note, however, if it’s been ages since you’ve swam laps — or if you never have — a pool workout will feel exhausting after about 5 minutes (which will feel like 50). Don’t go overboard with your expectations. Aim to swim two or three minutes longer with each workout.
50. Work A Jump RopeNot only does churning a rope get your heart rate up instantly, it also requires agility, concentration, and coordination — all critical as you age. What’s more, it’s simple to make it more challenging: Try double-unders (the rope passes under your feet twice with each jump) or squat jumps, where you sink into a half squat in between each jump. You won’t need to dedicate much time to jumping, either. Even spending 10 minutes jumping will give you a generous calorie burn — some 140 calories — and help strengthen every major muscle.
Westend61 / Getty Images12 / 23Stay Flexible
51. Do the Best Stretch for Your HipsStretching may not provide visible results, but it will help ensure you never need a cane or hip replacement later in life. If you only do one stretch a day, make it a hip opener like the Pigeon Pose, which benefits your knees, hips, sacrum, and back. To do the pose, lie on the floor with your right leg in front of you with the knee bent and foot turned in, and extend your left leg behind you; you’ll feel a deep stretch at your right hip. To deepen the stretch further, reach your hands in front of you. Perform the same movement on the opposite side.
52. Try a Stretch that Also Builds MuscleThe Crescent Lunge is a dynamic stretch that not only works your legs, glutes, hip flexors, and lower back, it also targets your shoulders, neck, and upper back. If you want to get more of a stretch in your lower back, after you lunge forward and reach your arms toward the ceiling, gradually lean backward, arching your spine.
53. Work Your Core While You StretchYou might take for granted moves like twisting and bending to reach things, but they become more challenging as you age. To prevent that from happening, incorporate stretches like the Reverse Lunge with Twist, which combines flexibility, strength, and balance work. Lunge backward, and rotate your torso to one side, looking back to your foot planted behind you. Repeat on the opposite side.
54. Do This Move During Every Warm-UpTight hamstrings have a ripple effect on the whole body, and can actually pull your spine out of alignment, causing serious pain and loss of mobility. Doing The Inchworm when you’re warming up for a workout will help. From a pushup position, walk your feet inward until you’re in a pike (or a downward-facing dog). Hold for a few seconds, then walk back out to the pushup position.
55. Protect Your ShouldersTo preserve your range of motion in your shoulders—and help protect yourself from future injury—try this simple exercise with a towel. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and grab one end of the towel with your right hand, holding it behind your neck and draped down your back; reach behind you with your left hand and grab the other end of the towel. Pull both ends of the towel, and to increase the stretch in your right shoulder, pull harder with your left hand. Repeat on the opposite side.
56. Do the Sit-and-Reach TestYou’ll remember this move from your high school gym days. Sit against a wall with your legs straight out in front of you. Reach your hands toward your toes, keeping your arms parallel with your legs and your back as flat as possible. Hold and repeat. Your goal is to grip your toes—a feat that isn’t just a good indicator of flexibility, but also of overall health, research shows.
57. Take Care of Your Tight Hips
If you have tight hips, take on this stretch daily: Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your left ankle on top of your right knee. Keeping your shoulders on the floor, lower your knees to the right. Switch legs and repeat.
58. Stretch at Your Desk
While seatedOpens a New Window., cross your right leg over your left, then bend at the waist, letting your arms and head hang down toward your left foot. Repeat by crossing your left leg over your right.
59. Open Your Back
Stiff back? Try this after workouts. Lace your fingers, then extend your arms in front of you as you rotate your palms so they’re facing away from you. Keep your arms out as you tuck your chin down into your chest.
alvarez / Getty Images13 / 23Foam Roll
60. Roll Your Hip FlexorsFoam rolling works through the myofascia, a tough web around muscles. As you exercise, this supportive web gets inflamed, tightening up, compromising muscle function, and increasing injury risk. Which means the best time to foam roll is before you exercise. And the best to start with is this exercise to help loosen your hip flexors. These muscles are responsible for every major movement, whether you’re running, playing basketball, squatting or doing Olympic lifts. Here’s how to target them: Lie with the roller under the front of your hip. Keep your opposite leg extended, with the hip rotated outward and the instep of the foot on the floor. Lift the other foot an inch or two and roll the hip back and forth.
61. Roll Your LatsIf you’ve noticed that your range of motion is limited during exercises like overhead squats, or that doing pull-ups feels tougher than normal, or even if your basketball shot is off, it’s likely that your lats are tight. To get at them with a foam roller, lie on your side with your arm extended and the foam roller resting under your armpit. Press your opposite palm into the floor and lift your hips an inch or two above the floor. Roll your lats back and forth over the foam roller.
62. Roll Your CalvesThis might be the last muscle group you focus on, but if you’re looking to run smoother, jump higher, or squat deeper, you should be targeting this overlooked area. Rolling your calves will not only improve the elasticity of the muscle fibers (key for powerful movements like jumping or sprinting), it will also help protect your Achilles tendon, which can often become tight with overuse. Sit with one ankle over the other and the foam roller underneath. Press your hands down, lift your butt, and roll your calf. When you find a painful spot, pause and flex your ankle in both directions.
63. Roll Your ChestGrinding out a ton of pushups or overdoing it with bench press reps can cause your pecs to become so tight, your shoulders are pulled forward (a position that sitting at a computer only exacerbates). Rolling this area will help correct your posture, protect your shoulders, and ultimately help you get a stronger chest and upper back. Lie facedown on the floor with your arm extended and the foam roller resting under the side of your chest, near the shoulder. Press your forearm into the floor and begin to roll the side of your chest back and forth, giving attention to painful spots.
64. Roll Your PiriformisChronically tight hips—from overdoing it on the bike, logging a ton of running miles, heavy squat days, or simply sitting in a chair too much—can stem from a tight piriformis. Rolling it can also help release painful trigger points in the glutes. Here’s how: Sit on the foam roller and cross your ankle over your thigh just above the knee. Put your weight onto one buttock. Roll back and forth. When you find a painful spot, pause there and try to relax your glutes.
65. Roll Your Mid- and Upper BackWe promise—nothing feels quite as good as propping your back onto a foam roller, and slowly rolling out all the muscles that have bunched up as you hunched over your keyboard all day. Doing so will also help release your neck and your lower back, too. Lie face-up with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and your upper back on the foam roller. Lift your butt, cross your arms over your chest, and with a neutral neck, roll your mid- and upper back over the roller.
Corey Jenkins / Getty Images14 / 23Focus on Functional Movements
66. Play More BallThe connection between your two brain hemispheres deteriorates with age, but moving in several planes of motion helps prevent that. Why: Whenever your arms or legs cross the midline of your body, you engage both sides of your brain and force the connection to work harder. The easiest way to make that happen without overthinking it is playing sports like basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, or ultimate Frisbee. Bonus: You’ll meet your quota for cardio too.
67. Work in Walking LungesPerforming walking lunges require coordination and balance, and if you do them forward, backward and to the side, you’ll work your muscles in several planes of motion. That’s key for easily performing any movement. To up the difficulty, and better strengthen your lower-body muscles, hold a dumbbell in each hand while you lunge.
68. JuggleLearning to juggle three tennis balls at a time improves your hand-eye coordination and actually increases the gray matter in your brain, according to neuroscientists. Gray matter is responsible for motor function, information processing, and memory. Here, the best advice is to go slow. Start with one ball, and practice transferring it from hand to hand in a clockwise and counterclockwise loop, then add a second ball, then a third.
69. Try Tai ChiThe mind-body emphasis of Tai Chi and its slow, controlled movements require concentration and coordination, and research shows that regular practice increases your brain matter and can even help prevent Alzheimer’s. Tai Chi holds immediate benefits as well—it’s proven to help you feel more relaxed and focused.
70. Go for A Game of Letter BallTrainer, author and founder of Ultimate Athletics Max ShankOpens a New Window. recommends this drill to improve your coordination and performance: Write several letters of the alphabet on the surface of a tennis ball, and toss the ball against a wall, calling out which letter is visible to you in mid-air. This exercise sharpens your near-far vision and the ability to track the ball in motion.
Fernanda Puram / EyeEm / Getty Images15 / 23Avoid These Foods
71. SugarAdded sugars found in soft drinks, baked goods, and processed foods are a huge driver of America’s obesity, diabetes, and heart-disease epidemics. Recent research showsOpens a New Window. that 71 percent of us get more than 10 percent of our daily calories from added sugars—instead of 6 percent of less, like we should get—which jacks up the risk of heart disease–related death by 30 percent. Get more than 25 percent of your daily calories from added sugar, and your death risk triples. To stay slim, keep your heart healthy, and live longer. Lay off the obvious sugar bombs like soda and candy. But also be wary of cereals, granola bars, sauces, salad dressings, crackers, and even some breads, which can contain a surprising amount of added sugar. It’s wise to cut back on processed foods altogether, but before you buy anything that’s packaged, first read the Nutrition Facts panel to make sure the product isn’t stocked with sugar.
72. Artificial Colors and Dyes
The bottom line: Whether there are studies or not, artificial colors and dyes in food aren’t worth the risk. There is plenty of precedent for this thinking. Commonly used Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 dyes—all made from petroleum—contain compounds that have been linked to cancer, in enough quantities. And a recent study Opens a New Window.from Johns Hopkins found that the caramel color used to give colas and other soft drinks their dark hue can harbor a known carcinogen. Luckily, it’s getting much easier to avoid artificial colors. Candy giants Nestlé and Hershey just announced that they would be phasing these dyes out of their foods and using plant-based colors, like annatto, instead. There’s really no good reason to expose yourself to the risks posed by artificial colors, so choose natural and organic foods whenever you can and read ingredients lists to make sure that a food doesn’t include these dyes.
73. Charred MeatGrilling meat over a hot flame causes carcinogens to form, especially on beef, pork, and lamb. These compounds, called heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, damage DNA in ways that increase cancer risk. To grill safer, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends trimming off any fatty parts (they are the most likely to char), and then marinating meat in antioxidant-rich herbs and acidic liquids like vinegar or wine, which will reduce the formation of these carcinogens. Also preheat meat on the stove or in the microwave, so you don’t have to grill it as long. Then to give it that smoky flavor at the end, move the coals to the side and put your meat in the middle for less direct exposure.
Jan Stromme/Getty Images16 / 23Enjoy These Foods Often
74. Dark ChocolateDark chocolate has some very real health benefits when enjoyed in moderation. It’s rich in flavonols, which can lower blood pressure and reduce blood clots, as well as stearic acid, a saturated fat that supports healthy cholesterol levels. A large Australian studyOpens a New Window. from 2012 revealed that eating dark chocolate every day may prevent heart attacks and strokes. Another studyOpens a New Window., which followed 20,000 people for eight years, linked eating one square of chocolate a day to 39 percent lower risk of major cardiac events. Look for a dark chocolate that has flavonol-rich cocoa solids listed first on the ingredients list, and skip any that has added hydrogenated vegetable oils.
75. CoffeeDoctors used to think coffee jeopardized heart health, caused cancer, and made drinkers die early. But then researchers had a big epiphany: Most of the coffee drinkers enrolled in human trials back in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s were also chain-smoking, heavy-boozing, sleep-deprived workoholics. So it wasn’t the coffee causing their high rates of cancer and heart disease. In recent years, there’s been a flood of research showing that coffee is not only not going to kill you—it could even extend your life. Studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption can protect against heart disease, liver damage, melanoma, multiple sclerosis, cognitive decline, and even certain cancers. The federal government’s dietary guidelines advisory panel even just announced in February that enjoying a few cups of coffee per day is a great way to guard against Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
76. Eggs Such a shame that doctors used to say bagels were a better breakfast than eggs. They were right in that egg yolks do contain a good deal of cholesterol, but they were wrong in thinking that dietary cholesterol directly raises LDL cholesterol in your body. It doesn’t. And now ample research shows that eggs do not increase your risk of heart disease but instead are jammed with nutrients that may lower your risk, particularly protein, folate, and vitamins B12 and D. This is why the 2015 federal dietary recommendations say eggs—including the yolks—can be part of a healthy diet.
77. WineBecause red wine is brimming with antioxidants, most notably resveratrol, it’s actually pretty fantastic for youOpens a New Window.—as long as you keep it under two glasses a day. A 40-year study of about 1,400 men found that moderate wine drinkers lived an average of five years longer than the guys who never drank vino. Other research shows that it’s a lot better for you than beer or hard booze. In a study of almost 130,000 adults, regular wine drinkers had a lower mortality risk than beer or liquor drinkers.
78. Whole GrainsA new Harvard-led studyOpens a New Window. of 118,000 health professionals linked high intakes of whole grainsOpens a New Window. to up to 9 percent lower risk of death from any cause, and 15 percent lower risk of cardiovascular-disease-related death. Each 28-gram serving of whole grains per day was associated with a 5 percent reduction in overall death risk and a 9 percent reduction in death from cardiovascular causes. On top of that, this study also determined that you might cut your odds of dying from heart disease by 8 percent just by replacing one serving of refined grains — white bread, pasta, corn flakes—with whole grains, such as whole-wheat spaghetti, quinoa, or steel-cut oats. The researchers say that whole grains don’t spike blood sugar like refined grains do. And with whole grains, all of the beneficial nutrients like magnesium, fiber, and phytochemicals remain intact, rather than being stripped away as they are with refined grains.
79. YogurtYogurt can be crazy-healthy—as long as you avoid brands that are teeming with added sugars (just read the Nutrition Facts panel to find out). Packed with protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals, and sometimes probiotics, yogurt has been linked to many life-extending benefits. A recent meta-analysisOpens a New Window. done by Harvard researchers found that a carton and a half a day slashes Type 2 diabetes risk by 18 percent. Also, yogurt’s one-two punch of calcium and vitamin D helps protect bones from osteoporosis, a disease that can actually be harsher on men than women. Look for yogurts that contain live and active cultures, which are probiotic strains that help boost immunity and digestion. Greek yogurt will have these beneficial bacteria, along with more protein than regular yogurt.
10'000 Hours / Getty Images17 / 23Work Hard
80. Devote Yourself to a CareerThe Longevity ProjectOpens a New Window.—an eight-decade long mission from University of California Riverside—used data from about 1,500 gifted children as far back as 1921 to answer the question of who would live the longest, and what factors contributed to that longevity. (The project had been following and recording the children’s personality and behavioral traits, as well as their chosen careers, throughout their lives.) One of those answers, researchers found, is a solid work ethic. According to the mortality data, the individuals in the group described as conscientious, hardworking, and prudent throughout their lives managed to survive about two or three years longer than the others—a 30 percent decreased risk of an early death. But according to the researchers, working “hard” doesn’t necessarily mean breaking your back by logging the hours: the characteristic of simply being devoted and diligent with your work could add longevity because it extends naturally to other parts of your life, your attentiveness to your health, fitness, and well-being.
81. VolunteerChances are if you’ve volunteered, donated, or contributed your time for a cause, you’ve gotten a warm feeling of satisfaction. But a 2013 reviewOpens a New Window. from the University of Exeter found that helping others in need is also a good predictor for a longer life, based on several studies from the past few years. The researchers looked at the effects of formal volunteering (defined as a regular, long-term, and structured commitment at least once a month) on individual’s mental well-being, physical health, and overall survival (compared to those who have never volunteered at all). Some studies showed that one hour or more of volunteering a month was linked to self-reports of higher life satisfaction and lower instances of depression. But even more interestingly, other studies analyzed in the review also showed individuals had a lower risk of mortality, even after adjusting for factors like higher socio-economic status, lifestyle, and overall health. The researchers admit the mechanisms behind this are unclear (especially since volunteering showed no direct physical health advantages), but the social benefits that come with spending time with others—like a higher mood or a lower risk for depression—could possibly play a role.
Maskot / Getty Images18 / 23Check These Vital Signs
82. Keep Your Blood Pressure in CheckHigh blood pressure is the root of a lot of fatal conditions, including the country’s top killer: heart disease. According to the CDC, it contributed to more than 360,000 American deaths in 2013 alone. So when we’re talking longevity, keeping your blood pressure at a stable level could be one of the best ways to start. A study published in the New England Journal of MedicineOpens a New Window. reports that managing your hypertension by checking in with your doctor to make sure you fall within the 2014 hypertension guidelines from ages 35 to 74 can save 56,000 people from developing cardiovascular disease and 13,000 from dying each year — and that means following the principles as early as your mid-30s. The guidelinesOpens a New Window. give a solid measure of what your blood pressure range should be, at any given range. According to the authors, hypertension remains one of the most important preventable contributors to death. So along with going for routine checkups with your doctor to check this all out, keeping your blood pressure in check involves a few things you should be doing regularly already: staying active with exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, and taking time to de-stress.
83. Protect Yourself from the FluWhile the flu can seem relatively harmless, it’s actually one of the CDC’s top ten U.S. killer diseases, with anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 people dying from it each year (that’s more than Ebola and cancer during bad seasons). That’s because, once the flu compromises your system, it can exacerbate existing conditions or develop into serious respiratory illnesses like pneumonia. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health Opens a New Window.found that good hand hygiene — that’s washing your hands after touching surfaces, and using soap — greatly reduces your risk of infectious diseases like gastrointestinal or respiratory illnesses. Another study, from 2010Opens a New Window., observed the hand-hygiene habits and cough etiquette of students living in a dorm during flu season, and found that preventative measures actually reduced the number of H1N1 flu cases in the groups that followed them. The precautions for dodging the flu are pretty simple: Get vaccinated every year, wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough, and protect your immune system by eating and exercising right.
84. Self-Examine Every MonthThere’s a lot of debate over whether self-examining for testicular or breast cancer will actually elongate your life, but research shows it definitely won’t hurt. Testicular cancer has a 99 percent survival rate if caught early, and that means men can book it early if they feel down there every month on a regular basis. And while no studies have yet looked at the direct benefits of self-examining in an at-risk population, research shows waiting longer to see your doctor about it is linked to mores serious stages of cancer: the longer you wait, the higher the stageOpens a New Window.. And a delayed diagnosis is linked to higher death rates and more chemotherapyOpens a New Window. — which will also cost you about $50,000, according to a more recent studyOpens a New Window.. In short: just 60 seconds of a self-exam could save months or even years of your life.
Sigrid Olsson/PhotoAlto / Getty Images19 / 23Live in the Kitchen
85. Cook MoreEven dietitians discourage rigid calorie counting. That said, you still have to mind what you eat and try, without a tally sheet, to keep your daily caloric intake to around 2,500 calories. If you continually overindulge, you’ll fatten up, which heightens your risk for myriad diseases and can make you die early. The simplest way to make sure you don’t overeat? Cook at home. A new Johns Hopkins studyOpens a New Window. found that people who frequently fixed meals at home consumed less fat, sugar, and total calories than those who cooked less. And those who made at least six meals a week at home even ate less than when they went to restaurants.
86. Choose OrganicFor years, there has been a heated debate over whether usually higher-priced organic foods really are healthier than conventional (for humans, that is; it’s already well established that organic is better for the planet). But recent research has strongly backed organic’s many nutritional advantages. A meta-analysisOpens a New Window. from last year found that organic crops contain significantly more disease-fighting antioxidants than their conventional counterparts, while also harboring lower levels of chemical pesticides and toxic heavy metals, some of which have been tied to serious health issues. Another study found that organic milk has 62 percent more omega-3s than nonorganic milk. Organic is usually pricier than conventional, especially if you’re buying organic produce out of season. So while you may not be able to justify the price tag all of the time, make an effort to go organic as often as possible, particularly for certain fruits and veggies that, when grown conventionally, tend to have a lot of pesticide residues. You can also check out the Environmental Working Group’s new Dirty Dozen and Clean FifteenOpens a New Window. lists for inspiration.
87. Cook with Olive OilOlive oil is a key piece of the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to boost brainpower, protect your heart, and help you live longer. Olive oil has loads of cholesterol-lowering, insulin-regulating monounsaturated fat, as well as plant phenols, which are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Cook with olive oil whenever possible, and use it as a base for making your own salad dressings.
88. Use Fresh Herbs and SpicesUnless you’re sure you’re getting dried herbs from the farmer’s market, most store-bought seasonings, meat rubs, and spice mixtures contain an egregious amount of salt. Skipping the prepared seasonings and instead jazzing up food with actual herbs and spices is an easy way to cut back on this sodium. Plus, most herbs (think oregano, basil, fennel) are high in disease-fighting antioxidants; cayenne pepper may even help protect you from prostate cancerOpens a New Window..
Julien Fourniol/Baloulumix / Getty Images20 / 23Avoid Toxins
89. Quit Smoking AlreadyQuitting smoking is still one of the most obvious things you can do to avoid an early death. The current numbers are pretty evident: A recent study in the New England Journal of MedicineOpens a New Window. analyzed government data that followed over 200,000 people in the U.S. over a course of 15 years, and found longtime smokers could expect to hack off about ten years of their life if they didn’t stop, compared to those who had never picked up a cigarette at all. But for those who chose to quit before ages 35 to 44, there was still hope of ramping that number down to nine. If you quit during middle age (45 to 54), you could decrease those ten lost years to six. And quitting as a young adult, at 25 to 34, could just wipe out the ten years lost altogether. This directive goes for e-cigarettes, too. A growing pile of research shows that e-cigs can be just as addictive as traditional smoking, and expose you to a whole new host of carcinogens.
90. Detox Your HouseholdWhat you don’t know could hurt you: Toxins linger everywhere in your home — including your dishwashing liquid, food containers, and surface cleaners — and all it takes is a quick monthly clean up to ditch harmful chemicals before they contaminate the air and hijack your system. Combined with conditions like asthma and existing respiratory problems, these chemicals in the air could speed up death. And products containing BPA (in canned foods), phthalates (plastic), and PFC’s (non-stick pans) have been shownOpens a New Window. to disturb your endocrine system — the headquarters for your hormones, which can lead to diabetes, intellectual disability, and death from low testosterone.
But if you think you’ve dodged the bullet by splurging on so-called green or organic cleaning products, beware: Recent researchOpens a New Window. from the University of Melbourne found that fragranced household products labeled ‘organic’ can still emit the same carcinogenic air pollutants as regular products. So when it comes to elongating your life and keeping your house clean, go back to the basics: use non-toxic cleaners Opens a New Window.(vinegar and water for floors and windows, baking soda for sinks and tubs, warm water and soap for other surfaces), choose glass or ceramic food containers over plastic, dust and clean often, and above all — read the ingredients on the label.
Halfpoint Images / Getty Images21 / 23Adjust Your Attitude
91. Be an OptimistAttitude really can be everything: After reviewing over 160 studies on both humans and animals about happiness and longevity, researchers at the University of Illinois and Texas at DallasOpens a New Window. concluded that thinking about your life in an optimistic way is linked to a longer life span — even more so than obesity is tied to a shorter life span. According to the researchers, self-willed positive thinking helps you de-stress, manage depression, anxiety and anger — thereby reducing the risk of inflammation, heart disease, and other cardiovascular conditions, which can often grow out of these conditions. The individuals in studies ranged from nuns who wrote about positive emotions in journals who outlived those who wrote about negative feelings; people with HIV who expressed an open-minded attitude towards life in self-reports had a longer lifespan than those who didn’t; and pessimistic students who died earlier than happy ones.
92. MeditateMeditation is slowly gaining a solid reputation as one of the best (and most inexpensive) ways to de-stress and dodge health problems for a longer life. Research shows that taking the time to just sit still and think for only a few minutes every day can reduce anxietyOpens a New Window., lower your blood pressureOpens a New Window., and relax your heart and immune system to function in a healthy way. A studyOpens a New Window. published in the journal Circulation found that the mind-body intervention cut the risk of sudden death, heart attacks, or stroke by 48 percent for people with weight and heart problems. The mechanism behind meditation’s effect could be as simple as relaxing your body, reducing inflammation, and boosting your immunity in effect, but a recent study has shown evidence that it can also stop your cells from aging: Researchers at the University of California Davis found that mindfulness meditation (exercises that focus on breathing and sitting still) protects your DNA chromosomes from degenerating (which they naturally do as you age) by boosting the levels of an enzyme that delays cell death. More work on this still needs to be done, but the people in the study with more resilient chromosomes also reported less anxiety, depression, and had overall good feelings.
93. Have a GoalFor years, research has been stacking up that shows that having a goal in mind — defined basically as a set plan for the future instead of living impulsively from one day to the next — ensures a healthier, longer life for older adults. And the most recent research suggests that that sort of planning is important for people of all ages. Researchers at Carleton University in OttawaOpens a New Window. tracked over 6,000 people over a 14-year time period; they asked individuals from all age groups to fill out questionnaires about their goals and achievements, ticked off when people died, and kept track of factors like age, emotional well-being, or physical health that might influence early deaths. Fourteen years later, about 500 people had died, and self-reports showed their low levels of direction appeared to be the same — regardless of age or emotional well-being. In numbers, having a sense of purpose ensured about a 15 percent lower risk of death from any cause. Previous studiesOpens a New Window. on the importance of a purpose suggest that an end-goal reduces stress, and therefore the risk of high blood pressure, depression, and other factors that predict death. But bear in mind that a goal can be simple, like hitting the gym three times a week.
Courtesy Image22 / 23Set a Morning Ritual
94. Make Time for BreakfastIt is the most important meal of the day. A huge meta-analysisOpens a New Window. found that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers. That’s likely because, as other studies have shown, having a decent meal in the morning helps you consume fewer calories and make healthier food choices throughout the day. But eating breakfast also protects your heart. A 2013 Harvard studyOpens a New Window. of 27,000 male health professionals found that those who skipped breakfast had a 27 percent greater risk of heart disease compared with men who ate in the a.m. Do your body a big favor, and make time before work to eat a nutritious meal.
95. Drink TeaBesides being the most widely consumed beverage on the planet, tea is also very likely the healthiest. With its abundant polyphenols and phytonutrients, tea, when sipped regularly, helps reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, and several types of cancer. This zero-calorie great-for-you beverage is actually just as hydrating as water, even despite the caffeine. But you should know that all of these researched health benefits are only for green, black, white, and oolong teas, which come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas may not contain any real tea at all.
96. Consume DairyHaving a small glass of milk or a few slices of cheese most days of the week can cut your risk of death from heart disease or stroke. Australian doctorsOpens a New Window. tracked the diets of 4,000 adults for more than a decade and found that those who consumed dairy products five times a week were in much better metabolic health than those who avoided dairy altogether. Dietitians say that dairy is an easy way to get essential nutrients like protein, vitamin D, and calcium. The calcium component of dairy is key for men’s bones. Guys are twice as likely as womenOpens a New Window. to die following an osteoporosis-related fracture.
97. Be More Like Laird
Laird Hamilton’s morning ritual is a testament to good habits. Here’s what he does:
“The first thing I do in the morning is take a hot shower to wake myself up and shake off the slumber and stiffness that accumulates during the night. Then, before I eat anything, I drink a glass of warm water with lemon juice and salt — just a quarter-teaspoon of Himalayan mineral salt and as much as a whole lemon. It’s like a warm, liquid cleanse, and it purges you right away. But it also sets up my stomach for the espresso and the protein smoothie that come next. You don’t want to put coffee on an empty stomach — too much acid. Besides, coffee is an appetite suppressant, so I don’t want to have it right before I eat the most important meal of the day. Then, I almost always do a variation on the same few stretches: I reach up with my hands high overhead and arch my back, stretching the fascia in the whole front of the body and gazing back beyond my hands. Dogs put their paws out in front of them to arch their backs when they wake up, and so should we. It stretches the chest, the hip flexors, the whole front of the body. I also do a quick side stretch by interlocking my hands behind my head with elbows out and standing with my heels together: I alternate, bringing each elbow down to each side, to open up the whole upper body. Then I’m stoked to start the day.”
Letizia Le Fur / Getty Images23 / 23Cheat Death with Science
In the Men’s Journal feature, Building a New Super Athlete, contributor Joseph Hooper outlined how medical technology is reengineering the human body for optimal performance. Below are three experimental techniques that showed not only promise for athletes, but for those of us looking to push well past 100 — at least with the help of some cutting-edge science.
98. Extend Your TelomeresIn 2002, Manhattan entrepreneur and anti-aging gadfly Noel Patton purchased the rights to a biological compound some longevity scientists believe is our best shot at extending the span of human life. In 2007, Patton signed up about 100 affluent human guinea pigs who were willing to pay $25,000 for the privilege of taking his untested supplement, TA-65Opens a New Window., for a year while having their health closely monitored.
The molecule at the heart of the supplement, isolated and intensively refined from the traditional Chinese herb astragalus, was the only substance that had ever been discovered to enhance, albeit modestly, the body’s ability to produce the enzyme telomerase. Telomerase’s job is to replenish the tips of our chromosomes, the telomeres, which allow our cells to keep on dividing, which they need to do for the body to keep growing and repairing itself. “Telomerase is what keeps stem cells happy,” says Dr. Joseph Raffaele, a prominent Manhattan anti-aging doc. “It allows them to keep dividing and replacing damaged cells in the body.”
The paying volunteers weren’t sure whether they might live forever (shortening telomeres is one of the drivers of aging and bodily decline), get cancer (telomerase fuels runaway cell growth in cancer), or derive results somewhere in between. In between won out. The scientific consultants to Patton’s TA SciencesOpens a New Window. company, Raffaele and Calvin Harley, one of the world’s leading telomere biologists, published a paper that showed a modest improvement in the immune systems of some of the subjects. They are set to publish another one this fall that details some cardiovascular and insulin-system upgrade as well. But many of the subjects reported big lifts – cognitive, sexual, all-around vitality.
To date, some 20,000 people have spent upward of $8,000 for a year’s supply, purchased through the TA Science’s network of health-care providers. (Much of the product is sold online.) High-visibility clients (who don’t go on record) include Hollywood producers and one A-list actor esteemed for his ripped physique. And yet, still the best scientific evidence we have about the effects of taking TA-65 comes from mice. A study from a top telomere biologist showed that the supplemented mice better resist the depredations of aging – they process glucose better; their skin and bones are healthier.
What TA-65 might be doing for the Bill Andrewses of the world is open to conjecture. One plausible theory: By goosing the body’s ability to generate new immune-system cells, the supplement enhances athletic recovery. Endurance athletes subject themselves to huge amounts of systemic inflammation, and the immune-system reinforcements may allow athletes to resist exhaustion at the cellular level, to continue to perform at a high intensity. It could be driving cell growth in the muscle or the lung tissues. People who exercise tend to have longer telomeres, so maybe taking TA-65 and, it is hoped, slowing down the normal rate of telomere decline, is like getting exercise in a bottle. At this point, nobody knows.
99. Hop in a CVAC PodHeather Hiniker owns and runs what could be considered a gym of the future in Newport Beach, California. The machine does all the work. At her Ascent facilityOpens a New Window., the training consists of showing up and settling into one of her three stationary CVAC podsOpens a New Window. for a 20-minute session. The air pressure inside will yo-yo between sea level and about 22,500 feet, with 200–400 pressure changes in between. When you hit maximum altitude (or rather the air-pressure equivalent), you take a rapid nosedive back to Earth, akin to racing up to the top of Aconcagua and jumping off.
Dr. Karen Herbst, an endocrinologist at the University of California San Diego, sees the pod as a means to “replicate exercise” in a machine. “I don’t see it as an altitude chamber anymore,” she says. The standard high-altitude tents that some athletes sleep in as a training aid simulate only one aspect of living at higher altitude: the reduced amount of oxygen the body absorbs. The CVAC, on the other hand, subjects the body to actual air-pressure changes, rhythmically squeezing and relaxing the whole human package – blood, organs, the works — the way an empty plastic water bottle with its cap screwed on collapses in on itself when the simulated altitude goes up and the pressure drops, and plumps back out on the descent when the pressure rises back to normal.
The effect, Herbst believes, is a stimulation of the lymphatic system, which then drains metabolic waste more vigorously, thereby reducing inflammation. This is how she explains the positive results she got in a 2010 pilot study, in which the CVAC reduced pain in subjects who suffered from a genetic pain disorder.
A Stanford pilot study found that CVAC modestly improved glucose metabolism in subjects who were Type-2 diabetic, and in those at risk for the disease. Its author is intrigued by the technology’s potential to boost athletic performance. “I had two Masters cyclists using the CVAC informally but consistently,” says Anne Friedlander, a human-biology professor. “They swore by it and said they could ‘push more watts’ the next day.”
100. CryotherapyThe ice bath has been a fixture in team training rooms for years, but by taking cold to extremes, whole-body cryotherapy, advocates say, tamps down inflammation in a frozen flash, reducing soreness and recharging the entire system to handle intense, muscle-quivering workouts. “The extreme temperatures stimulate the skin and the subcutaneous flesh into releasing anti-inflammatory chemicals, cytokines like interleukin 10,” explains Dr. Jonas Kuehne, an L.A. physician whose CryohealthcareOpens a New Window. practice is heavy on celebrities and athletes, including Allen.
Long a staple of European spas and sports teams, cryo use has risen in the U.S. in the past few years, propelled by celebrity success narratives. Kobe Bryant described his cryo experience in Germany as “an unbelievably intense feeling.” Jason Kidd said it was a secret weapon the Dallas Mavericks used (they later bought a unit) en route to their 2011 NBA championship.
Source: https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/100-ways-to-live-to-100-20150602/cheat-death-with-science/
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