Sure, living well, eating healthy and exercising would all make you fitter and, consequently, live longer. But the specifics have been a little cloudy … until now. A British survey of 20000 people has revealed that 4 specific habits: moderate drinking, regular exercise, smoking cessation and consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables together helped a person live 14 years longer than those who follow none of these habits.

The questionnaire-based survey of the participants, who were between 45 and 79 years old also included blood tests of each person to determine Vitamin C intake (a predictor of fruits and vegetable intake). A point-based system was used to score each participant with 1 point awarded for each of the 4 habits mentioned.

After allowing for age and other factors that could affect the likelihood of dying, the researchers determined people with a score of 0 were four times as likely to have died, particularly from cardiovascular disease.
The researchers, who tracked deaths among the participants until 2006, also said a person with a health score of 0 had the same risk of dying as someone with a health score of 4 who was 14 years older. [MSNBC]

Forget the Fountain of Youth. The secret to longevity lies in simply making better choices everyday!

Which of these healthy habits will you begin to take on today?

Related Posts: