There’s a famous quote by Jack London: “I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.” The basis of this sentiment is simple – to actually live rather than just go through life. However, you don’t have to do wild and crazy things to prolong your life; believe it or not, it’s unbelievable what a great impact on your life expectancy little things can make – things so apparently insignificant that they don’t make a big impact on your life or your wallet, and you can go on living without even noticing them.
Want to find out how to live longer? Read on to find out how making simple changes around the home can help improve your health and wellbeing…
- Ditch your coffee machine – Reducing your coffee intake to nil could actually add half a year to your lifespan
- Stock up your medicine cabinet – Taking 81 mg of aspirin every day could add up to two years to your life expectancy. Aspirin helps your heart and brain health and could prevent a heart attack or stroke.
- Keep sunscreen and hats in your cupboards at all times – Minimising your sun exposure and wearing sunscreen, even when you’re just hanging out in your backyard, could add a year to your life expectancy. Extended exposure to sunlight increases risk of skin cancer, melanoma and even wrinkles, which aren’t life threatening, but none too pretty either.
- Buy some dental floss for your bathroom – Floss everyday to add another year to your life expectancy. Not flossing regularly can lead to inflammation of gum diseases which is closely linked to heart disease. It’ll only take a minute out of your busy day, but could add a whole year to your lifespan.
- Stock your kitchen with healthy foods – Reducing your fast food intake could add two to four years to your life expectancy depending on what your current consumption is. The ideal amount of processed food is zero, but the rare burger won’t hurt.
- Add high-calcium foods to that grocery list – Calcium is an important mineral often deficient in adults. This deficiency can lead to osteoporosis – brittle bones disease – and, far from being pleasant, reduces your life expectancy. Adding more calcium to your diet or taking a supplement of 1500 mg a day could add a year and a half to your life.
- Toss out the sweets and junk food – Limiting your sweets to once or twice a week could add a full two years to your life expectancy.
- Make sure you eat nutritious, fibre-rich foods at home every day – Make sure you’re going to the bathroom to do a number 2 at least once every two days. Having regular bowel movements could add half a year to your life expectancy.
- Add regular health checkups to your wall or fridge calendar – Going for regular health checkups is essential. Examine yourself for cancer to add a year to your life expectancy and get regular blood tests (including blood pressure) to add up to three years to your life expectancy.
- Get outside of your house! – Don’t sit for extended periods of time. Sitting while driving, to an office where you sit for eight hours and come home to sit at your computer or in front of your television can strip a long time off your life expectancy. Exercise regularly, and if you find you’ve been sitting down all day, go for a walk. This could add half a year to your life expectancy.
These are some easy and inexpensive steps to make your home a healthy sanctuary which could help increase your life expectancy. Some of these steps, like reducing coffee, fast food and sweets intake, could actually save you money as well. Check out this site to see what your life expectancy is with your current lifestyle.
[box_light]Adrian Rodriguez is a freelance writer who sells land for sale. South Morang is a great place to invest in. Click here for more information.[/box_light]
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- Life expectancy (pinnaclelife.co.nz)
- The Truth About Life Expectancy (washingtonmonthly.com)
- US Ranks 51st In Life Expectancy (joemygod.blogspot.com)
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