Good habits will help you live longer and healthier

Good habits will help you live longer and healthier

You don't need to eat yogurt or live on top of a mountain, but you do need to floss. One of the biggest factors in determining your age isn't your genes, it's your life situation. Sure, if your parents did it, you'd be much more likely to live to 100, but why shorten your potential? Assuming you've avoided the genes for a truly deadly disease, "there's nothing stopping you from living independently into your 90s," says Thomas Perls, who has studied more than a century of background at Boston University School of Medicine. So follow these 11 habits and keep striving for triple digits.

Don't retire.

"Evidence shows that obesity and chronic disease rates skyrocket in retirement in societies where people suddenly stop working," said Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging. If you do retire, stay active, perhaps by volunteering.

floss daily

It may help keep arteries healthy. A 2008 New York University study showed that daily flossing can reduce the amount of gum disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria are thought to enter the bloodstream and trigger arterial inflammation, a major risk factor for heart disease.

walk around

"Exercise is the only fountain of youth that really exists," said Jay Olshansky, a professor of medicine and an aging researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Studies show that exercise can improve your mood, mental acuity, balance, muscle mass and bones.

Eat fiber-rich cereal for breakfast

Eating a serving of whole grains, especially in the morning, seems to help older adults maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. "Those who do have lower rates of diabetes, a well-known accelerator of aging."

Have at least six hours of closed eyes

Centenarians make sleep a top priority. "Sleep is one of the most important functions our body uses to regulate and heal cells," Ferrucci said. "We have calculated that the minimum amount of sleep required for older adults to achieve these healing REM stages is about 6 hours."

Eat whole foods, not supplements

Studies have shown that people with higher blood levels of certain nutrients (selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E) age faster and experience slower cognitive decline. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that taking pills containing these nutrients provides these anti-aging benefits. Avoid nutrient-poor white foods and eat more colorful fruits and vegetables, as well as dark whole-grain breads and cereals.

A little less neurotic.

Research shows that centenarians do not tend to dwell on problems or internalize things. Find better ways to manage your stress. Yoga, exercise, meditation, tai chi or just a moment of deep breathing are all good. Contemplation, eating chips in front of the TV, overeating? bad, very bad.

become a creature of habit

Centenarians tend to follow strict routines, eating the same diet and doing the same activities their entire lives. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day is another good habit to keep your body in a steady balance that can easily be upset over time. When this balance is disrupted, your immunity weakens, making you more susceptible to flu viruses or bacterial infections that are circulating.

keep in touch

Maintaining regular social contact with friends and loved ones is key to avoiding depression, which can lead to premature death. Maintaining daily contact with a close friend or family member provides seniors with the added benefit of having someone else take care of them. "They'll tell you if they think your memory is fading or if you're looking more withdrawn," Perls said. "They may force you to go to the doctor before you realize you need to go to the doctor yourself."

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