How to live longer and feel better

How to live longer and feel better you ask?

Well, in life, they say there are two certainties: Death and taxes. Whereas there’s nothing we can do to stop the relentlessness of the taxman, there are things we can do to prolong our lives and ensure we live longer, healthier, and happier as a result.

With all the breakthroughs in modern medicine, science, technology, and research in general, you’d think that the human race would be healthier than ever before.

That is not the case. For the first time in history, the life expectancy of children of this generation, are predicted to be less than the life expectancy of their parents. In this day and age, that should not be the case.

Life expectancies have always increased with each generation, yet now, things have changed.

You don’t need to be a genius to figure out why that is. A lack of exercise, a lack of nutrients, and diets rich in processed junk food, coupled with unhealthy lifestyle choices, have resulted in obesity levels peaking at all-time highs.

This must change. Here’s are some tips on how to live longer and feel better.

How to live longer and feel better

Stop Avoiding Fat

For many decades, the very people we trusted to provide us with reliable information regarding our diets, and our health in general, let us down in a big way. Why? Because they told us to stop avoiding fat.

We know the dangers associated with obesity and being overweight, and we know that diets rich in unhealthy fats can put us at risk of cardiovascular issues.

However, the thing to remember is that not all fat is created equal.

Years ago, so-called experts recommended fat-free diets for weight loss and health reasons, yet they did more harm than good. We need some healthy fats in order to function correctly.

Good fats promote cognitive health and function, they improve brain power, they’re great for the heart, they’re great for the metabolism, and they even enable us to absorb and metabolize fat-soluble vitamins.

If you cut all fats out of your diet, your health will suffer in a big way. The key is to monitor your fat intakes and to ensure that you’re consuming healthy fats from the right sources.

Some great sources of healthy fats include:

• Avocados
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Oily fish
• Whole eggs
• Grass-fed red meat
• Grass-fed butter
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Natural nut butter (almond butter, peanut butter)

Don’tSmoke

It’s easy to sit here and tell people not to smoke, but some people are sadly addicted. Cigarettes contain nicotine and other addictive and harmful substances that can potentially kill you.

Smoking has been linked to some forms of cancer, it can reduce your circulation, it can increase your blood pressure, it can lead to fertility issues, it makes you look older, it harms your aerobic capacity, it causes you to smell, and it’s an extremely expensive habit.

Hard to see why anybody would want to smoke really, isn’t it?

The reason is because smoking is so addictive. If you do smoke, we recommend you do your best to quit. If you don’t smoke, make sure you keep it that way.

Spend more time outdoors

Okay, for a lot of people reading this, these next few months are going to be cold, dark, grey, and wet. Hardly the perfect conditions for getting outside. Despite this, though, if you’re looking to lead a long and happy life, we recommend that you spend more time outdoors.

Getting outside and getting some fresh air is great for the mind, the body, and the soul. If you go for a walk, or perhaps a jog or leisurely cycle, you can get some much-needed cardiovascular exercise, and get some fresh air in the process.

Being outdoors and away from your electronics is a great way of giving your mind a break. Stress, anxiety, and depression can all shave years off of your life and can severely hinder your overall quality of life.

Getting outdoors, especially getting outdoors and getting active, is great for your mental health.

👉 READ ALSO: Spending 20 Minutes a Day in Nature Could Relieve Urban Stress a New Study Claims

Eat more veggies

When it comes to your health, one of the biggest changes you can make is to your diet. Health experts recommend that we consume at least 5 portions of fresh fruits and veggies per day.

Fresh vegetables are packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients that the human body can’t get enough of.

The antioxidants found in fresh vegetables help to protect your cells and destroy toxins and free radicals that could potentially be fatal by causing cancer, and other serious chronic diseases.

The vitamins and minerals in veggies play key roles in countless physiological processes, and the fiber helps to promote optimal digestion, it promotes satiety, and it even helps to reduce dangerous LDL cholesterol.

Try to vary your vegetables and try preparing them in different ways to keep things fresh and exciting. You could bake them, steam them, roast them, boil them, eat them raw, dice them, fry them, turn them into soups and sauces, add them to smoothies, add them to juices, and much more besides.

☝️ It is totally understandable that people nowadays can’t eat 5 portions of veggies and fruits every day to achieve optimum health benefits. What you can do is consume them in powder form. Balance of Nature – a company that specialized in fruits and veggies blends has developed two proprietary formulas called Fruits & Veggies. Their Fruits blend is a blend of 15 fruits (Aloe Vera, Apple, Banana, Blueberry, Cherry, Cranberry, Grape, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mango, Orange, Papaya, Pineapple, Raspberry, Strawberry, Tomato) and their Veggies blend is a blend of 15 vegetables (Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Cayenne Pepper, Celery Stalk, Garlic, Kale, Onion, Shiitake Mushroom, Soy Bean, Spinach, Wheat Grass, Yam, Zucchini).

Stop drinking “diet” soda

Next up, we’re going to talk to you about the dangers of so-called “diet” sodas. Decades ago, when fat was considered to be the root of all evil, people began looking for low-fat and low-calorie foods and drinks in a bid to lose weight.

The beverage companies jumped on the bandwagon and created “diet” sodas. Notice how we’ve perhaps excessively used inverted commas every time we’ve used the word ‘diet’? Well, that’s because there’s nothing diet-friendly about these drinks.

Okay, sure they’re low in calories and are sugar and fat-free, but what they contain is even worse. Diet sodas get their sweetness from artificial chemical sweeteners such as aspartame.

Aspartame and other similar sweeteners have been linked to numerous health issues, ranging from migraines to cancer. There is evidence to suggest that these chemicals can severely damage your health.

Aspartame, for example, is thought to contribute towards conditions such as Dementia, cancer, migraine, ADHD, suppressed metabolism, and metabolic syndrome. These drinks are full of chemicals, and they provide no nutritional value whatsoever.

Drink More Water

Instead of the awful, chemically-enhanced beverages that taste absolutely disgusting and provide no nutrition whatsoever, try to drink more freshwater instead.

Water hydrates your body, it hydrates the muscles, it helps improve brain power and function, it boosts the metabolism, it improves athletic performance, it helps prevent dehydration, and much more besides.

The human body itself is comprised of over 80% water, so that alone should give some indication as to just how important water is. What’s more, if you drink mineral water, you also get to flood your body with important minerals that play countless roles in optimal health and wellness.

Each day, try to aim to consume around 8 glasses of water per day. Mineral water is best, though filtered is also very good for you.

Try to manage your blood pressure

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension, and it is responsible for countless deaths every single year. Known as the silent killer, hypertension can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, organ damage, weakened and collapsed arteries, and much more besides.

Furthermore, hypertension is considered to be so dangerous because it is so difficult to diagnose. It is known as the silent killer because there are no visible symptoms.

The most productive way of diagnosing hypertension is to have your blood pressure tested. By then for some people, though, it’s too late. If you’re looking to prolong your life, one of the most effective ways of doing so is to control your blood pressure naturally.

Prescription drugs can be used, but they often cause dangerous side effects themselves. Natural ways of controlling blood pressure include:

• Eating healthily
• Losing excess body fat
• Exercising regularly
• Not smoking
• Not drinking excessively
• Eating healthy produce
• Cutting out junk food
• Not consuming too much salt (sodium)
• Drinking plenty of water

Cut way back on junk food

Junk food is referred to as junk food because it offers very little in terms of nutrition and is very unhealthy. It is figuratively garbage for the body.

Junk food is loaded full of unhealthy trans fats, salt, sugar, artificial chemicals, flavorings, preservatives, and sweeteners, as well as other unhealthy ingredients that provide no nutrition at all.

Junk food, whether it be processed meats, baked goods, fast food, confectionery, or anything else, is crammed full of unhealthy ingredients that severely damage your health.

Junk food increases LDL cholesterol, which in turn can block your arteries and damage your heart, putting you at risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack, and more.

It can also spike blood sugar levels and put you at risk of diabetes, as well as promoting obesity, raising blood pressure, unbalancing your hormones, and much more besides. We know that some junk food tastes nice, and a small treat now and then is perfectly fine. It’s all about balance and moderation.

Try to eat healthily 99% of the time, and treat yourself now and then, making sure not to go too overboard.

👉 READ ALSO: How Does Food Affect Our Mood

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is one of the most valuable commodities in the world, yet for many people, it’s something that is hard to get enough of.

When you aren’t sleeping well, life, in general, becomes much harder and a lot more testing. We feel exhausted, we have no energy, we’re often irritable and emotional, and we struggle to function.

As well as all of that, though, it turns out that a lack of sleep could be more serious. Studies have found that individuals that regularly get just 5 or less than 5 hours of sleep per night, are far more likely to die prematurely than individuals that regularly get the recommended 7 – 9 hours per night.

So, a lack of sleep could literally shave years off of your life. To help ensure that doesn’t happen, try to fix your sleep pattern so that you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

On top of that, try to ensure that you go to bed at a reasonable time and that you wake up at a reasonable time, and try to get into a regular sleeping pattern and routine.

👉 READ ALSO: How to Make Honey Remedies To Help You Fall asleep naturally

Get enough quality protein

Protein is a macro nutrient that is essential for muscle growth and repair. It turns out, though, that protein is also very important when it comes to our health. Protein plays a vital role in cellular function and health.

We ourselves, are basically made up of billions upon billions of microscopic cells, so now the importance of protein really becomes apparent. Ideally, you should consume around 0.4g – 0.8g per pound of body weight per day.

Make sure that you choose proteins from the right sources. Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon is great, as it also contains healthy fats and minerals.

Protein from lean and natural sources of meat is also important, as is protein from healthy plant-based sources such as peas, beans, lentils, and other pulses and legumes.

Avoid protein that comes from processed or overly fatty meat such as salami or Bologna, as this is heavily processed, it contains added nasties, it’s full of artery-clogging saturated and trans fats, and it’s generally not good for you.

👌 One of the most bought plant based proteins on amazon is the OPTIMUM NUTRITION GOLD STANDARD 100% Organic Plant Based Protein Powder. As of writing this post it has a 4.3/5 rating and 3000+ reviews.

Become more Active

Finally, even though this should come as no surprise, we’re going to include it anyway.

Yes, another key to longevity and another key to happiness is exercise. Exercise strengthens the heart, it improves mental health, it reduces stress, it balances hormones, it regulates blood sugar levels, it reduces blood pressure, it helps burn fat and regulate your weight, it helps build and tone the muscles, it gets you, fitter, it strengthens the immune system, and much more!

Basically, exercise is very important, so try to do enough each week. Whether you go to the gym, you ride a bike, you go jogging, you play a sport, you go walking, or anything else, as long as you are active and aren’t just stood about or sat on your backside, you’ll reap the benefits.

☝️ If you are not the ”take the bike and start riding through the city” type, I suggest you get your hands on a bike trainer stand. You basically put your bike on and start riding it but without your bike moving. Check out the video here.

I hope I covered your question on how to live longer and feel better. Let me know in the comments below if you know other methods that have enhanced our lives and help us live longer, better and healthier.

Also, consider sharing this article on how to live longer and feel better. It means a lot to me.

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