Top 10 Ways to Enhance Longevity

Who does not want to live a long time feeling their best? Everyone does, so how do we do that in this fast-paced and environmentally unhealthy society? Longevity is the point in understanding how to take care of yourself and what works for your body sustainably. Living a long and healthy life takes a little strategy and intentionality, but overall it is like a work of art, getting to design your life from this point on and make it the way you want. In today's article, I will discuss the top 10 ways you can live longer and healthier.

Living a Long Time Requires Some Routine

If you go and look at the longest-lived people on the planet, they all have something in common. They all had routines and habits that they did each day. These habits and routines were surrounded by what they loved to do, making it easy for them to stay consistent with them. Why is routine important for Longevity? Because it is predictable, and as humans, we need structure and routine to thrive. Do not get me wrong, these people definitely had some spontaneity in their lives, but it was sparring compared to their daily routines. What types of habits did these people have? They woke up and went to bed at the same time each day, walked as much as possible, ate from their garden, laughed, and spent time with their loved ones. They were intentional with their time each day, ensuring they spent their time doing things that made them happy. Intentionality is essential for you to live a long time. Ask yourself how you want to spend your time before your time is up. Being selfish with your time sometimes and saying instead of working an extra hour this afternoon, I'm going to go pick my kids up, and we will spend the evening at the park and have fun—scheduling time for fun dates with your spouse that haven't gone in years. Instead of sitting around on your phone with the family, pull out a board game that all you can share laughs and create memories that will last a lifetime. If you have not caught on by now, Longevity is all about making each moment count and creating a lifestyle that makes you happy. Time is our most valuable asset.

Longevity Is All About Relaxation

It is true when they say the more relaxed you are, the longer you live. Just as Jeanne Calment stated in an interview from a book called Ikigai, "Everything is fine," She believed that the less you are stressed, the longer you live, and she lived to be 122 years old. There is some science to managing your stress and living a long time. Especially in today's society, we are so used to being stressed that we do not know how to be any other way. With stress and anxiety being a leading cause of death in young adults, we must take this more seriously if we want to live a long time. Some method the longest-lived people in the world practice are being able to disconnect throughout the day from stressful stimuli. Alternatively, in a corporate setting, take little breaks throughout the day from your work. These breaks give you and your mind a more disciplined control of what stresses you out and what does not. Having hobbies or activities, you look forward to can provide you with something to look forward to after work.

An example could be a fun board game with the family after dinner. Alternatively, an extended family walk after dinner can be a great way to share some positive emotions. It has shown that it is the little things that bring us joy and help us to live longer life.

What Do the Longest Lived People in the World Do?

People who have lived a long time and have had a good time doing it are the ones who live each day with a sense of purpose—waking up every day with a mission or goal on their minds. Whether gardening, working on a passion project, or spending time out in nature. They worked each day, but only as much as they felt was reasonable. They didn't stress about much of anything, especially the small stuff. The reason is that they had so much to be grateful for that they didn't need to worry. Focusing on what made them happy could stay focused on the projects or habits that brought them joy. They made time each day to go and socialize with the ones they loved, ensuring their relationships stayed strong and keeping them feeling positive and happy. Each day they did some exercise, whether walking from place to place, riding a bike, doing aerobics, gardening, lifting, moving, and generating a lot of energy. Each day's movement kept them strong and able to stay consistent each day.

Last but not least, they ate a very nutrient-rich diet. Their diet consisted of rich nutrients from their seasonal gardens, pasture-raised animals, olive oil, wine, and grains, but a 90-100% whole foods-based diet that was grown and taken care of by them or a local farmer. That is important because the food they consumed was not full of pesticides and herbicides or processed with tons of sugar and artificial ingredients.

Top 10 Ways You Can Live Longer?

1. Eat a nutrient rich diet

Living a long time with energy and few health problems requires a diet rich in nutrients. The more emphasis you can put on antioxidants, fiber, protein, and fat, the better your body will be able to function. When we have excess amounts of processed sugars and carbohydrates in our system, we begin to create many of the problems we deal with today. In the U.S., avoiding processed sugars, pesticides, and herbicides can be challenging, but the more we can be aware of what we put in our bodies, the longer we can live. An excellent way to measure if you are getting a nutrient-rich meal is by making sure your plate looks like this; 1/3 of your plate should be protein, 1/3 of your plate should be vegetables, and 1/3 of your container should contain fiber and fat. This way, you are sure to get in the most critical nutrients before adding anything extra to your plate.

2. Balance work and life

This is one of the essential things for Longevity. Creating a schedule that prioritizes your life over your work life will help you look forward to the things outside of work, which enables you to manage stress better. Our schedules are usually full from 8-5 with Stress-driven tasks, and when we are done at work, we have another list of tasks we have to get done before going to sleep to repeat the cycle. The problem with this is there is little time for yourself in your schedule. Making time for yourself is key to seeing the benefits of stress management. A great way of doing this is to start your day with something that makes you feel good and set tiny breaks throughout the day to help you reset your mind. We live to live, not live to work, so remember your mind is what enables you to perform the way you do and want to keep it in tip-top shape.

3. Avoid smoking or alcohol

We are all aware of the harmful effects of smoking and alcohol. Smoking cigarettes can lead to cancer, but it has also been shown to weaken your metabolism, making it harder for you to lose weight over time, leading to poor eating habits. Excessive alcohol consumption wrecks your endocrine system and liver function, causing hormone imbalances and can lead to fatty liver. There is an exception to organic wine; organic wine is healthy to consume one glass 4-5 times a week. The alcohol I am referring to is hard liquor because they contain the most harmful ingredients compared to wine. Both alcohol and cigarettes negatively affect your energy levels and, over time, can cause your ATP levels to become very low, putting you at risk for other chronic illnesses.

4. Move your body

Exercise is one of the top ways to live a long time. Think about how we are designed to move around, not to sit all day long. So setting reminders for yourself to get and move your body, stretch, and exercise can be a great way to incorporate movement into your daily routine. It does not have to take 15-20 minutes to move, and you can do 5-10 minutes of activity a couple of times a day. One of the best forms of exercise is walking, especially after a meal can be great for improving your digestion and metabolism and giving you more energy.

5. Rest your mind daily

Shutting your mind down each day is essential for proper recovery. We are constantly stimulated by something, whether it is our phones, people, meetings, emails, or phone calls, and our brain is always on. Disconnecting and sitting still in silence is an excellent way for your brain to rest appropriately. A great way of doing this is to shut down all devices a few hours before bed, which can help your body's natural ability to set in melatonin naturally.

6. Manage stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety are higher than they have been before in the U.S. and even around the world. Due to the media constantly feeding us with news to worry about to the stress of our daily lives. Managing our emotions and stress levels is essential to maintaining proper hormone balance and cognitive function. Having outlets to help you manage your stress can be helpful, such as journaling, therapy, meditation, yoga, tai chi, and much more are all great ways to channel your focus and help keep your mind and body balanced.

7. Avoid excessive carbohydrates

Having too many carbohydrates in our diet harms one of our body's most important hormones, our insulin hormone. Our insulin hormone is responsible for processing nutrients in the liver to ensure they get to the right place. Well, when our diet has many excess carbohydrates, mainly processed carbs, it can cause our insulin hormone to become compressed, making it harder for our liver to know what to do with certain foods. Our body already creates 120g of carbohydrates every day by itself. Of course, our diet should contain some complex carbohydrates from root vegetables, natural grains, fruits, and vegetables. But anything more than that could be doing more harm than good.

8. Challenge your self

Doing hard things can increase your quality of life and mental fortitude. Now I am not saying go climb mount Everest or run a 100-mile race. I am speaking to do things that make you uncomfortable every once in a while. Having things that challenge your mind and body helps your brain stay sharp. Building things, sewing, painting, hiking, lifting weights, and signing up for competitions are great ways of challenging yourself.

9. Spend time with those you love

Family and friends are everything; the more you can spend time with the ones you love, the better your life can be. They will be beneficial if they are healthy relationships full of love and support. You want to try to eliminate as much negativity from your life as possible. The more negative people around you, the more likely you are to become negative. Be aware of those you spend time with and ensure they are there for the right reasons.

10. Give back when you can

Serving others is why I think we are here. Giving back as much as possible to one another is one of our best gifts on this planet. When you can give back to someone, whether that be something you just learned, helping him or her with his or her groceries, buying a stranger a cup of coffee. Doing for others makes us feel we have a purpose, so next time you have an opportunity to help someone do it.

Living a long time does not have to be complicated; all it takes is a little awareness and effort. So, if you desire to live a long time, give some of the things I have listed above some consideration and get started today.