Here comes the New Year, with hordes of folks looking for ways to become healthier.
Some of us will resolve to exercise more. Others will go on diets. Or we’ll cut out guilty pleasures like fast food.
Most of us will fail miserably.
One study found that 80% of New Year’s resolutions die by mid-February.[1]
New research shows there’s a better way.
On the Greek island of Ikaria, a bigger percentage of the residents live past 90 than anywhere else in the world.
Many live well past 100.
That’s why it’s known as the “Island where people forget to die.”
The old folks on Ikaria aren’t frail and feeble. If you visit the island, you’ll see centenarians riding bikes, hiking, and bragging about their love lives.
What single factor determines how much longer you have to live?
The obvious one is age. After all, if you’re 80, it’s likely you have less time left than someone who is 60.
Genetics are big factor, too. If your parents and grandparents lived long lives, chances are you will, too.
Whether you smoke makes a big difference as well.
But it turns out that there is another longevity factor that is more powerful than any of these.
Physical activity is the number one predictor of lifespan, a new study shows.
Dogs are America’s new children.
Before you dismiss this statement as an exaggeration, consider this: America’s birth rate is now at a 32-year low. Dog ownership is at an all-time high.
There are now more dogs in the U.S. (90 million) than children (74 million).
One of the reasons we love dogs so much is that they make us feel better.
If you can avoid heart disease and cancer, you can expect to live a long life. That’s because these two conditions kill more Americans than all other illnesses combined.[1]
Now, a major analysis shows that one nutrient may be the key to preventing both.
The study comes from Edith Cowan University in Australia. It followed the diets of more than 53,000 people for 23 years.
Doctors have known for decades that two major factors lead to a long life: genetics and a healthy lifestyle.
But a new study shows there’s something else that strongly influences how long we will live.
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine analyzed mental outlook of more than 70,000 people. The scientists followed the subjects for up to 30 years.[1]
The researchers found that optimistic people had 11-15% longer lifespans.