Turn on the TV or radio, or log on to the Internet and we are bombarded with advertisements for products that promise to make us look and feel younger, and live longer, healthier lives. In spite of all these claims, no one seems to have found the fountain of youth. However, it turns out that some simple everyday choices or habits can have a strong influence on how long and well we live.
Are you a tea drinker? Both green and black tea contain a concentrated dose of catechins, substances that help blood vessels relax and protect your heart. As is true with most food and beverage choices, fresh is best. Bottled or canned, ready-to-drink teas don't offer the same health benefits. Once water is added to tea leaves, their catechins degrade within a few days. So brew your tea fresh and stick to lemon or honey with it as some studies indicate that adding milk may eliminate tea's protective effects on the cardiovascular system.
After you have that cup of tea in the morning, MOVE IT! "Fit" people—defined as those who walk for about 30 minutes a day—live longer than those who walk less. The Honolulu Heart Study, a study that followed 8000 men over a 12-year period, found that walking just two miles a day cut the risk of death almost in half. The walkers' risk of death was especially lower from cancer. Those who walked infrequently were about 2 1/2 times more likely to die of cancer than were the two-mile-a-day men.
When you get back from that walk, skip the soda, even if it's diet. Scientists in Boston found that drinking one or more regular or diet colas every day doubles your risk of metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions, including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, and excess fat around the waist, that increase your chance of heart disease and diabetes. The scientists speculate that it could be one of the additives in the soda that increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, or in agreement with other findings, it could be that by regularly exposing themselves to the natural or artificial sweeteners in the sodas, drinkers are conditioning themselves to prefer and crave sweeter foods, which may lead to weight gain and subsequent diseases.
Add some purple punch to your lunch, or any other meal or snack. Concord grapes and blueberries get their color from polyphenols—compounds that reduce heart disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer's disease. Preliminary animal studies suggest that adding dark grapes to your diet may improve brain function. "What's good for your coronary arteries is also good for your brain's blood vessels," says Robert Krikorian, PhD, director of the Cognitive Disorders Center at the University of Cincinnati.
Finish off your day with a Metabolic workout. Lower-body strength translates into good balance, flexibility, and endurance. As you get older, those attributes are key to reducing your risk of falls and injuries—particularly hip fractures, which often quickly lead to declining health. Up to 20% of hip-fracture patients die within 1 year because of complications from the trauma. "Having weak thigh muscles is the number one predictor of frailty in old age," says Robert Butler, MD, president of the International Longevity Center—USA in New York City.
Finally, take all those endorphins you've produced from exercising and the extra energy you have from clean nutrition choices and focus it on a positive outlook on life. People described as flourishers in a study in American Psychologist have a positive outlook on life, a sense of purpose and community, and are healthier than those who don't feel good about themselves. "We should strive to flourish, to find meaning in our lives," says Corey Keyes, PhD, a professor of sociology at Emory University. "In Sardinia and Okinawa, where people live the longest, hard work is important, but not more so than spending time with family, nurturing spirituality, and doing for others."
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