Top 10 Tips for Living a Longer, Healthier Life

Healthy eating collage. Lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts and

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4. Eat Healthy

Probably one of the most basic health rules for longevity is eating a healthy diet. Americans live on processed foods, fast foods, and junk foods, none of which provide your body with the nutrition it needs. Eating a typical American diet increases your insulin levels, which accelerates the aging process as well as increasing your risk of chronic disease and obesity. Eat a diet that is plant based, which means mostly organic veggies, nuts, whole grains, from local sources.

5. Exercise

It’s been proven in study after study that those who live sedentary lifestyles have much shorter lifespans. In fact one study alone showed that reducing the time you sit every day to 3 hours can increase your life expectancy by 2 years, and limiting your television time to less than 2 hours per day will add another 1.4 years. It is difficult to follow these rules when most people have jobs that involve computers; however, studies show that just getting up from your desk every 30 to 60 minutes and walking or stretching for a few minutes is enough give you some additional health benefits and possibly even add to your longevity. Get regular exercise, even walking is sufficient, at least 30 minutes 3 times per week, and will improve your health as well as lengthen your life.

6. Stop Drinking Sodas

This is part of eating a good diet, but since many people simply can’t seem to stop their soda habit, this calls for a special mention. Replace those sugary, chemical filled, and GMO syrup filled sodas with plenty of clean, clear water. Don’t even think about diet sodas, as they are worse than regular sodas and can cause mood swings, birth defects, brain damage, and cancer. Green juice and fresh, organic fruit juice are good, but what your body really needs is plenty of fresh, clean, good old fashioned water.

7. A Healthy Mind Matters

When your mind is in a good place, you will make smart and healthy decisions such as using seat belts, eating right, getting exercise, going to bed at a reasonable hour. Learn to reduce stress in your life, or learn ways to manage it such as by practicing yoga or meditation. Make time for fun. That old saying about all work and no play will not only make you dull, but it makes you hard and bitter as well. Try to spend at least a few minutes every day doing something that makes you happy, even if it’s just reading in bed for 15 minutes before you go to sleep. Get rid of toxic and/or negative people in your life and practice looking on the bright side of things.

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