These simple tips can help you live longer
Want to know how to live a longer healthier life?
By following just a few simple strategies, we can potentially live up to 30% longer - sometimes even decades more!!
And fortunately, you don’t generally need expensive supplements or fancy diets or equipment - getting the basics right is what makes all the difference. There are communities around the world called the ‘blue zones’ where people consistently live decades longer than the average western person - often living to over 100 years old!
This has triggered a lot of research into what makes these people just so healthy and long-lived - while they are scattered in different continents, they all follow very similar lifestyle and dietary habits, as follows:
Diet :
Diet is one of THE greatest predictors of life expectancy - studies show that if we follow an optimal 'longevity' diet from age 20, we can add up to 10 years to our lives!!
This diet is mostly whole plant foods- rich in veges, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
It's very low in red meat, processed foods, saturated fat, and added sugar.
Some of the most important aspects in a ‘longevity’diet are:
Eating 5+ a day .
People who eat 5 or more servings of fruit and veges a day consistently live longer healthier lives
This is thought to be partly due to nutrients that are only found in plants (phytochemicals) that are highly protective for health
The best way to get a diverse range is to 'eat a rainbow' of different coloured plant foods!
Coffee and tea consumption is also linked to 20–30% lower risk of early death (limit coffee to 4 cups/day)
Eat more nuts, beans, and whole grains:
Did you know, that eating 3 servings of nuts/ week can improve your life expectancy by 39%!!
Whole grains are also key - as 2-3 servings per day reduces the risk of early death by 20% (ie don’t go low carb if you want to live longer 😉)
And for every extra 20g of legumes you eat per day, your longevity increases by 6-8% - so aim for at least 100g/day.
Eating less red meat.
Longevity diets contain very little red meat, and some research shows the risk of early death directly increases with the more red meat you eat
Try eat sparingly if at all - international nutrition guidelines recommend no more than a palm sized serving maximum 3 times /week - instead substitute red meat with plant proteins such as legumes (this has the biggest benefits for longevity), and small amounts of fish and chicken (if you choose to eat these).
Calories and fasting
Calorie restriction has long been shown in animal studies to improve lifespan, while excess calories shorten life expectancy - however to chronically calorie restrict is difficult, and has the risk of malnutrition if not done very carefully
Instead, why not try the Japanese concept of hara hachi bu (eating until 80% full) ?
Fasting may also help us live longer healthier lives, ie time restricted eating or the 5:2 diet, see our posts on fasting for more details
Some people shouldn't fast, in particular pregnant women, people with a history of eating disorders, or those who are underweight or malnourished - please also check with your doctor if you have any significant health issues, to see if it is safe for you
Avoid ultraprocessed foods, limit added sugar and animal protein
Ultraprocessed foods (UPF) include most fast foods and prepackaged foods, in particular those with multiple non whole food ingredients (ie additives, artificial flavoring, added sugar etc).
Eating more than 4 servings of UPF daily can increase the risk of early death by a whopping 62%!
Added sugar and high amounts of animal protein increase hormones that reduce longevity (ie insulin and IGF-1), so should be limited - it’s recommended to get most of your protein from plant sources if possible (ie legumes, nuts, seeds), with small amounts of animal protein (mostly fish, chicken, and eggs) if needed
Don't smoke, limit alcohol
Smoking cuts around 10 years off your life, and makes you 3 times more likely to die early - quitting at age 35 can add 8 years back, even quitting in your 60s helps!
Limit alcohol to 7 units/week for women, and 14 units/week for men
Prioritize happiness, reduce stress, nurture your social circles
Happiness can help us live up to 18% longer- it switches on anti inflammatory genes and even protects DNA from damage!
People who are chronically stressed are around 2.5 to 3x more likely to die early, and stress resilience strategies (such as meditation and gratitude practicing) can slow down ageing
Social connection is one of THE biggest predictors for a longer life, strong social networks help us live up to 50% longer. Having just 3 close friends decreases our risk of early death by 200%!
Get enough sleep and exercise
Sleep is crucial for health, and sleeping less than 6h/night longterm shortens lifespan.
Lack of exercise causes 10% of early deaths - and just 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise improves life expectancy!
Even 15 minutes/day can add 3 years to our life
Sitting still for long periods of time is also harmful, get up regularly to move if you have a sedentary job.
They may not sound like much, but together these simple tips can make a huge difference - plus they're key to a healthy happy life!