Simple habits like climbing stairs, walking, doing planks, drinking coffee or tea, chatting with friends and relatives help add years to your life.
In recent years, the super-rich have spent millions of dollars aiming for a long life and slowing down the aging process. However, scientists say that simple, completely free habits integrated into daily activities are the key to increasing longevity.
Take the stairs
Regular physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle. There is growing evidence that being sedentary can be deadly for a number of reasons. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, everyone should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week.
Many studies have shown that with activities such as climbing stairs or hiking, you can still achieve health benefits equivalent to many hours of gym. Even taking short breaks from work to walk is good for the musculoskeletal system.
According to a study published in Nature Medicine, four to six minutes of exercise spread throughout the day that raises your heart rate is enough to reduce your risk of early death. Another analysis found that this frequency of exercise can also prevent cancer.
Climbing stairs is one of the ways to increase physical activity, thereby increasing longevity. Photo: Canva
Plank or wall exercise
In addition to cardio exercises that increase heart rate, muscle training also helps the body age more slowly, avoiding many diseases of old age. Studies show that combining cardio (running, cycling) and resistance exercise helps increase longevity.
Simple exercises like plank (put your hands on your back, hold your back and squeeze your buttocks to make your body straight like a plank, parallel to the ground), combined with wall lean (lean back against the wall, calves and thighs form a right angle) can help reduce blood pressure and increase strength.
These two exercises use body weight and can be done outside the gym to help keep you active, energized and improve your endurance.
Snack on healthy carbs
Ensuring nutrition is an important factor for a healthy life. Instead of creating a restrictive diet that can only be followed temporarily, nutritionists recommend adding more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and carbohydrate-rich beans to your daily meals. This is a simple way to "diet like you're not dieting".
Plants rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, which can reduce the risk of deadly diseases such as bowel cancer, are a staple of the diets of people living in the world's longest-living Blue Zones.
For a simple nutritional boost, snack on healthy options like berries dipped in dark chocolate, dried fruits and nuts, cheese with veggies, and whole-grain crackers.
Drink coffee, tea and dark chocolate
There is growing evidence that phytonutrients such as polyphenols, antioxidants found in coffee, tea, and dark chocolate, may protect against chronic disease.
Coffee may help prevent heart disease, while green and black teas both contain antioxidants. Dark chocolate is a source of flavonoids, which are also good for the heart.
Be with friends and loved ones
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the cause of people's declining health is a lack of social connection. Scientists have shown that loneliness is as harmful to the body as smoking.
People in the world’s Blue Zones say a strong sense of community is the source of energy and motivation that keeps them alive and youthful in spirit. Richard Soller, 96, a marathon runner, shares his secret to staying healthy: talking on the phone every day with friends and family to keep his mind and body active.
According to experts, regular communication is the key to preventing memory and cognitive decline. Taking the time to listen to your own thoughts and the confidences of those around you can help you build lasting relationships.
Thuc Linh (According to Insider )
Source link
Comment (0)