Physical Wellness

How To Live Longer: 5 Habits You Should Start Today

By Sara Gale | Update Date: Apr 29, 2016 04:20 AM EDT

While all of us believe we have no control over our lifespan on earth, lifestyle and diet reportedly have important roles to play in longevity. Though genetics partly controls our body and health, the rest is determined by our habits. Here are five habits you should start today to live longer.

Give up smoking

Smoking is increasingly linked to diseases and fatalities and is it is reported in one of the studies that smoking kills 10 years of your lifetime. People who smoke are said to die three times prematurely than those that haven't touched a cigar or cigarette ever in their life.

Giving up smoking at the age of 35 could prolong your lifetime for about 8.5 years while quitting smoking at the 60s could add 3.7 years to your life. So, don't hesitate to give up smoking, better late than never.

Cut down alcohol consumption

Even experts recommend consumption of alcohol in moderation while all of us are aware of the health risks of heavy liquor drinking. Drinking alcohol more than permissible quantities not only reduces the life span of a person but also affects his quality of life. Pancreatic, liver and heart diseases are more debilitating than the death itself.

"To keep consumption moderate, it is recommended that women aim for 1-2 units or less per day and a maximum of 7 units per week. Men should keep their daily intake to less than 3 units daily, with a maximum of 14 units per week. It's important to note there is no strong research indicating that the benefits linked to moderate drinking are greater than those of not consuming any alcohol," reported Authority Nutrition.

Use turmeric in diet

Surprisingly, use of turmeric in the diet is said to provide longevity. A compound named Curcumin present in turmeric reportedly has anti-aging properties. Curcumin is found to help maintain the functions of the heart, brain and lungs and also fight certain type of cancers. Turmeric has been proved to increase lifespan in mice and insects, however, the experiments weren't dealt in human.

Tea or coffee drinking habits

Coffee and tea drinkers are said to have 20 percent reduced the risk of early death than those that never drank them. Green tea is said to cut diabetes, cancer and heart disease risks while coffee is observed to reduce the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, brain, heart, Alzheimer's and Parkinson diseases. A maximum of 400 mg or 4 cups of coffee is recommended for a person a day.

Improve sleeping pattern

"Sleep is crucial for regulating cell function and helping your body heal. A recent study reports that longevity is likely linked to regular sleeping patterns, such as going to bed and waking up around the same time each day. For instance, sleeping less than 5-7 hours per night is linked to a 12% greater risk of early death, while sleeping more than 8-9 hours per night could also decrease your lifespan by up to 38%," noted Nutrition Authority

To increase your lifespan get around eight to nine hours of sleep a day possibly in a specific time slot.

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