Come vivere più a lungo: buone abitudini per una vita sana

"There is no 'magic' key to living a longer life - but we do know that certain factors in our genetic make-up and lifestyle can influence both the length and quality of our life." agrees GP Dr Zoë Watson. "Two of the biggest lifestyle factors which we know can heavily influence our health are fumare and alcohol consumption.

"Smoking is linked with an increased risk of many types of chronic diseases, including cancro, heart disease, ictus, BPCO, malattia vascolare periferica (malattia arteriosa periferica) - e molte altre condizioni croniche.

"Bere alcolici in excess also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, several types of cancer and of course liver disease - amongst many other conditions. So, reducing smoking and drinking alcohol to occasional consumption or in moderation could lead to a significant improvement in both the length and quality of life," says Watson.

1. Mangia più proteine vegetali

These days, many of us are increasing the amount of protein we eat from vegetable sources, either due to diete vegane o vegetariane, o a causa dell'impatto della produzione di carne sul pianeta. E gran parte di essa è piuttosto salutare. Ma sapevi che lo 'stress' che questo tipo di proteina esercita sul nostro corpo può anche essere benefico?

According to a revisione in 2019 our bodies are hard-wired genetically to become 'stressed' when we eat a lot of vegetables, as in days gone by this meant that hunts had gone wrong, and we were in danger. Eating more vegetable protein can induce a process called 'hormesis' in which stressors activate the genes that slow down cell growth and ageing.

We all know that exercise is good for us, but have you ever tried a sessione HIIT? High impact interval training involves thirty seconds of full-on exercise followed by thirty seconds of rest for the duration of a workout. In 2017, a studio found that this type of exercise helped to improve 'age-related decline in muscle mitochondria', a process which helps to generate chemical energy in cells. This helps to reduce adverse effects of ageing on the body.

It's time to turn that frown upside down. Why? Because according to a studio del 2019, l'ottimismo può aiutare ad aumentare la nostra longevità. Mentre alcuni aspetti dell'essere ottimisti sembrano essere ereditari, anche il nostro ambiente e il modo in cui trascorriamo il nostro tempo hanno un impatto. Sentirsi più positivi e vivere più a lungo? Cosa c'è da non amare!

Of course, nutritional balance is a great thing for our overall health. But have you thought about the other sort of balance? A studio in 2012 discovered that being more flexible can mean living longer. Booking into a corso di yoga might do wonders for your ability to bend, but even simple exercises such as balancing on one foot at a time - perhaps while the tea brews - can help to improve your stability, flexibility and even mobility.

A studio di Harvard released in 2017 discovered that one of the factors that kept participants healthy into old age was their level of satisfaction in their relationships. Infatti, avere relazioni strette positive e forti legami sociali sembra contribuire a ritardare il tipo di declino - sia mentale che fisico - che accompagna l'avanzare dell'età. Quindi forse è il momento di incontrarsi con il tuo migliore amico o organizzare una serata romantica con la tua dolce metà.

We've become accustomed to believing that eight hours of sleep a night is the holy grail for our health. But a studio released in 2014 found that not only does seven hours of slumber seem to be better for our health, but that sleeping too much or too little can both increase the chance of early death. It's also important to maintain abitudini di sonno regolari patterns - going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time each day if you want to increase your chance of a longer life.

Whether it's cracking a joke with friends or chuckling in front of a funny movie, we all know that laughter reduces stress and helps us to feel good. But having a good sense of humour could also help you to live longer. A studio in 2016 discovered that women who scored high in the humour stakes had a 48% lower risk of death from any cause. Men who were similarly wired had a 74% lower chance of death from infection.

It's not to everyone's taste but having a cup of green tea could work wonders for your health. In fact, a studio in 2015 discovered that micronutrients in this drink help to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and vascular disease.

For those fonder of a daily coffee hit, don’t worry. A 2021 studio discovered that moderate consumption of this popular pick-me-up (1-6 cups a day) ha mostrato un rischio di morte ridotto del 56%.

If you're complacent with your dental hygiene, it might be time to clean up your act. According to a studio released in 2013 not only can una scarsa igiene dentale impact your appearance and potentially increase the need for expensive or painful dental work, but it could also raise your risk of heart disease as a result of increased inflammation, and bacteria seeping into the bloodstream.

If your job means you're desk-bound, or you spend more than six hours a day sitting, it's time to get on to your feet. Standing up and walking around are an important part of staying healthy and maintaining a healthy weight. A studio published in 2018 revealed that if you sit for longer than six hours a day, you have a 19% increase in your risk of premature death, compared with those who sit for less than three hours a day.

Sappiamo tutti che la vita non offre garanzie. Tuttavia, essere fisicamente attivi e adottare uno stile di vita e una dieta sani - e prestare attenzione agli aspetti che si ritiene influenzino l'aspettativa di vita - può rendere possibile aumentare le probabilità di vivere una vita lunga a nostro favore.