Quitting These Unhealthy Habits Now Allows You To Live For 10 Additional Years

Since time immemorial, people have been looking for ways on how to improve and extend their lifespans. Many would go to great lengths just to add more years to their lives.

Decades ago, life expectancy was almost synonymous with work. For some, the moment they stop working and go into retirement, they would feel weak and almost helpless. Stress and anxiety would set in during this time, which often leads to their developing various types of chronic illnesses. These factors combined contribute to their early demise.

Now, advances in medical technology equipped people with knowledge on how to live longer after leaving their jobs or workforce. Many have been able to enjoy 15 to 20 more years of satisfying and healthy lives after retiring from their work.

There are many reasons why people want to improve their longevity. Some wanted to enjoy additional years with their loved ones, while others want more time to fix or savor their successful lives. Whatever the reasons you may have, living a longer and healthier life is now a possibility.

No Longer a Secret

Findings of a new study revealed that major changes could give you ten additional years of enjoyable life. Integrating healthy habits like eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly have been found to help a lot. Quitting nasty habits like smoking and drinking also contribute hugely and help add another decade to your life. Researchers of the new study say that following a basic lifestyle guide could aid you greatly in adding seven to ten more years of disease-free life.

The Study

Involving over 100,000 50-year-old non-smoking volunteers who possess lean bodies and are very active, researchers tracked their health for at least 20 years. The research team found that this group can expect to live more years in better health compared to their unhealthier counterparts. The Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Harvard University experts spearheaded the research.

All the volunteers who participated in the study were free of life-threatening diseases at the commencement of the study. The research team then studied them for at least 20 years. At the end of the study, researchers were able to establish the five major health hazards to life longevity. These include excessive drinking of alcohol, leading sedentary lives, obese or overweight, smoking tobacco, and consuming foods high in trans-fat. With these risk factors in mind, researchers made some calculations on how many more years a 50-year-old person can expect to live.

The Results

What they found out will make you think deeply about quitting nasty habits if you have one. Researchers discovered that women who observe four or five healthy habits, including exercising, eating well, keeping a healthy weight, and not drinking or smoking can expect to live until 84. Comparatively, women who do not observe these habits can expect to live until 73 years old. For men, researchers say those who follow healthy habits can expect to live up to 81 years of age. The least healthy can expect to reach only until 73 years old.

Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said their research shows you can improve longevity by observing a low-risk lifestyle. He added that you can expect to be free of major diseases up to the age of 50 if you adhere to a healthy lifestyle.

This means you need to kick all unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking, as well as start getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy and balanced diet. The Harvard professor also said by adhering to a low-risk lifestyle, approximately 7.6 years to 10 years are added to your age.