People with a long life expectancy are often less likely to suffer from chronic age-related diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. Although aging is inevitable, it is important to adopt healthy habits. Getting strong right now can increase your life expectancy, contributing to a  healthy and sustainable life .

1. Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for physical and mental health. Many studies have shown that sleeping too little or too much increases the risk of diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. When we sleep, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the body is secreted to help eliminate toxins that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s (memory impairment). Therefore, you should try to sleep about 7-8 hours a day at the same fixed time frame.

2. Healthy diet

A healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fermented foods, and omega-3s can reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia. Some studies also show that a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, olive oil, whole grains and legumes may also help prolong your life.

3. Maintain a reasonable weight

Weight control significantly reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, fatty liver and diabetes. Everyone’s weight is different, but a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy. Therefore, you should maintain your own reasonable weight but not by always obsessing over the current weight.

4. Social Engagement

There is a lot of evidence that participating in a strong social circle increases your life expectancy by up to 50%, contributing to a happy, long life. In addition, socializing and maintaining good relationships can increase immune system function, reduce stress and anxiety levels, and even reduce the risk of dementia – all of which. contribute to a long and fulfilling life.

5. Physical activity

We all know regular exercise has many health benefits, even the world’s most successful people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg or Richard Branson make physical activity a daily priority. Exercise helps reduce the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, thereby increasing your life expectancy. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week, which is the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking, cycling, or any other moderate activity each day.

6. Train your brain

The risk of dementia is related to cognitive resilience. Our cognitive resilience in old age can be enhanced by training our brains now through intellectually stimulating activities, such as learning a new foreign language. Brain training helps to increase the branching of nerve cells and stimulates the brain’s plasticity, allowing the brain to adapt well to new situations, even helping to recover quickly from an injury and an injury. number of mental illnesses. 

7. Intermittent Fasting

Many people think that eating a full breakfast is the foundation of a healthy diet and skipping breakfast will have adverse effects on health. However, some studies show that intermittent fasting (eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours) can reduce a range of chronic disorders including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease. , cancer and neurodegeneration. Besides, this diet can help increase the body’s antioxidants, repair DNA, increase protein function, control and reduce inflammation …

8. Low-carb diet

There are many different low-carb diets, the most popular of which are the Keto diet (eating low-carb, high-quality fats) and Atkins (eating as much protein and fat as you like, avoiding starchy foods). ). Low-carb diets high in plant-based proteins and fats have been shown to reduce mortality and the risk of cardiovascular disease higher than diets containing animal protein and fat. . 

While a high-fat diet is tempting, if you’re looking to lose weight in the short term, a balanced diet of foods will be better for you in the long run.

9. Avoid smoking

Smoking increases your risk of cancer, shortening your life by up to 10 years depending on how often and for how long. Many recommendations suggest that stopping smoking before the age of 40 avoids more than 90% of smoking-related deaths and more than 97% when stopping before the age of 30.

10. Avoid alcohol use

Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of heart disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, and some other cancers. Although there are some studies that suggest that moderate alcohol use can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, the harmful effects of alcohol are indisputable.

11. Stress relief

While stress is an inevitable part of life, it can take a significant toll on your physical and mental health. Research shows that chronic stress can alter daily food intake, leading to a person eating too much or too little. In addition, chronic stress has the potential to increase the risk of depression, anxiety disorders, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, malnutrition, and most importantly, shortening your lifespan.

12. Limit the use of processed meat

Meats that have been processed to last longer, such as sausages, salami, bacon, dried meat, canned meat, etc., are classified as unhealthy foods because they have the potential to cause bowel cancer and other types of cancer . cardiovascular disease. The reason is that processed meat contains chemicals that are harmful to health such as nitrites, nitrates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds, etc. Therefore, the consumption of many processed meat products over a long period of time. may increase the risk of chronic diseases.