How to add years to your life

Posted on Oct 12 in Featured, Featured Article, Latest Newsby QV SkincarePrint

A list like this reinforces that it’s often the smaller things in life that can make us healthier and perhaps even happier! Do the math – how many extra years can you add?

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HAVE a laugh, find a hobby and fall in love. Adding years to your life doesn’t need to involve strict diets or extreme exercising, suprisingly, a few of our tips involve simply involve simply better enjoying your life.

1. Stop smoking (adds 13 years)
The most recent estimate of the social costs attributable to tobacco in NSW is $6.6 billion annually.

2. Don’t stress (adds 3 years)
Lying awake worrying can shorten your life, says Dr Michael Fenech, a principal research scientist at the CSIRO. Most people need seven hours of sleep a night for optimal health.

3. See your GP regularly (adds 12 years)
We all know prevention is better than cure, so keep up-to-date with your health checks.

4. Get a partner (adds 6.5 years)
Research shows that a long-term, loving relationship can prolong your life span.

5. Drink in moderation (adds 10 years)
When consumed in moderation and as part of a healthy diet, alcohol may benefit your health. A small glass of wine a day has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s. Just make sure that one glass doesn’t turn into one bottle!

6. Develop your spiritual side (adds 4 years)
Research has shown that those with a religion, faith or spirituality tend to live longer than those who don’t. Spiritual people also tend to recover better from illnesses and surgery.

7. Have a laugh (adds 8 years)
Laughter produces protective hormones, regulates blood pressure, reduces the effects of stress and helps boost the immune system. A 2006 Norwegian study found people with a sense of humour have a 30 per cent better chance of survival when severe disease strikes.

8. Get a hobby (adds 2 years)
Whether it’s bird watching, horse riding or scrapbooking, getting involved in a hobby helps reduce stress and gives you a sense of accomplishment. The effects are especially beneficial for retirees.

9. Take a holiday (adds 2 years)
According to a US study, women who take a holiday only every six years or less are eight times more likely to develop heart disease or have a heart attack than those who holiday twice a year.

10. Clear out the clutter (adds 1 year)
Being surrounded by chaos can make you feel stressed and depressed. Start small and spend just
15 minutes a day decluttering your home and you’ll help reduce levels of the stress hormone, cortisol,
in your body.

Article source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health+healing/news+features/how+to+add+years+to+your+life,10609

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