While there’s no secret recipe for long and healthy life, chronic diseases are largely preventable if you lead a healthy lifestyle.
That’s because most of the important interventions, such as the preservation of internal organs, are directly linked to healthy eating and physical movement.
Therefore, four easy lifestyle tweaks could help you reach longevity and the age of 100, according to experts.
1.Prioritise your oral hygiene
It might feel like your dental hygiene habits are just between you, your toothbrush and your smile, but the rest of your body might disagree.
Scientific evidence keeps emerging and linking poor dental health to serious conditions, ranging from heart disease to dementia.
Dr Sulaman Anwar, Specialist Periodontist, said: “The mouth is the gateway to the body, all of these can be affected by your dental health regime.
“If people aren’t looking after their teeth, or they’re just brushing once per day, particularly if they’re skipping the night-time clean, they’re leaving a lot of bacteria on their teeth.
“At night, while they’re sleeping and not producing much saliva, that’s predisposing themselves to getting a lot of bacteria going in their bloodstream.
“Obviously they’re going to get tooth decay, but the bacteria will also circulate around the rest of their body and that long-term ill health will be costlier for their body.”
2.Flex your muscles
Research has previously found that muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors for longevity.
Dr Michael Mosley, from The Fast 800, said: “Strength training may even reverse ageing at a cellular level.”
Therefore, the doctor recommended practicing these simple exercises in three sets of ten every day of the week:
- A bicep curl using a large carton of milk
- Calf raises by pushing yourself onto your tip toes using a countertop or work surface
- Weighted squats by filling a backpack with books.
3. Don’t have your morning coffee on an empty stomach
While it’s extremely tempting to reach for the kettle first thing in the morning to get some much-needed energy, chugging coffee on an empty stomach could spike your adrenaline and cortisol levels.
Gabrielle Newman, Nutritionist from The Fast 800, explained that while cortisol is essential to get you going in the morning, too much of it can cause an unwanted stress response, consequently messing with your gut, hormones, and adrenals.
Newman said: “Your body dehydrates overnight, so before enjoying your morning brew, it’s important to drink a large glass of water (ideally at room temperature) to replenish hydration.
“Add a squeeze of lemon for extra healthy digestive points.”
4.Switch to a Mediterranean diet
As the name gives away, the diet combines the authentic lifestyles of people who live by the Mediterranean Sea.
Charlotte Hunter, Nutritionist for Issviva, explained that this diet regimen is backed by plenty of research for its effects on longevity.
Hunter said: “By Mediterranean diet, I mean the inclusion of fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meats, healthy oils, and of course, all of the phytonutrients and antioxidants we find in plant-based foods.
“So overall, thinking about our diets in a wider sense is much more useful than thinking about individual foods or ingredients that might be helpful.”