British researchers have just discovered how you can tack on more than a full decade to your life. In so doing, they have created a formula for longevity that, while not earth- shatteringly surprising, does succeed in illustrating the end result of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And for all of the millions of people out there, who do experience difficulty in doing so, the following math might go a long way.
What they found will vary from person to person. But overall, they discovered that if you quit smoking, you add five years onto your life. (Consequently, if you have never smoked, then consider that five years a hard fact.) If you exercise moderately, you will add three more years. Plus, if you eat five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, you’ll add another three.
To construct their variable life expectancies, the researchers followed the lifestyles of 25,000 adults, aged 45 to 79, in the City of Norfolk. And they found, quite simply, that if you choose to live a healthier life, then you could reap the rewards, which could last beyond 10 years. It’s the first time ever that eating well and exercising have been quantified.
The researchers stressed that it’s never too late to improve your longevity — a signal that adults of any age can take matters into their own hands. Exercising has a direct link to longevity. Every bit of exercise can be measured as a benefit to one’s health. The good news for couch potatoes is that people who are inactive can have a 20% lower risk of death simply by becoming moderately active!
A half-hour walk a day doesn’t amount to an extraordinary workout. The level of your activity depends on your job. If you sit at a desk all day, then you need 60 minutes of exercise during that day to save three years of life.
Someone who stands all day — a teacher, barber, or retail employee, for example — needs 30 minutes to obtain the same benefit. And for individuals who exercise all day at work — athletes, constructions workers, nurses, plumbers, bricklayers, etc. — they don’t need to add on any extra activity to get the same benefit. They get loads of exercise already.
As for food, the five-a-day fruit and veggies idea maximizes the longevity benefit and it isn’t a challenging mark to meet. For those of you who eat none a day, adding just one fruit a day nets you two years of life. As will moving from two servings to three. People lacking exercise can eat an apple or pear a day and add two years to their life span.
These numbers, culled from real people in the U.K., proves that if you make small changes to your health, then you can live longer. While several sporting goods stores sponsored the study, Cancer Research U.K. and the British Heart Foundation did as well.
Next Post: The Ugly Truth About Olive Oil Products
Previous Post: Apple-Shaped Bodies Put the Highest Stress on Arteries
Tags: exercise, health secrets, what's the best exercise
