1. Maintain healthy blood pressure....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
In an article written by Menshealth, too much pressure against the walls of your blood vessels is hell on your arteries.
Changing your blood pressure from borderline high (140/90) to average (135/85) can make your body 3.3 years younger. You’ll gain 0.9 years if you raise it from average to optimal (110/70).
Bread and rolls are the most sodium-rich foods consumed by Americans, followed by pizza, cold cuts, and soup.
Not everyone’s blood pressure is sensitive to salt, but cutting back can result in a drop in as little as a week.
According to Dr. Roach, the best non-drug ways to lower blood pressure are to manage stress and reduce sodium intake.
Here are some simple substitutions:
Instead of regular canned soup, try low-sodium options and flavor them with cayenne pepper, hot sauce, garlic, oregano, and other herbs.
2. Have a drink, but enjoy it thoroughly.
Dr. Roach believes that a small amount of alcohol is acceptable. However, keep in mind that the amount you consume makes a difference.
A “drink” is defined as 12 oz. of regular beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of spirits.
Those libations may provide you with cardiovascular benefits that may help you live a slightly longer life (by about 0.1year).
3. Maintain a strong social network
Because of the stress-reduction benefits to your heart health, going from a low social network to an ideal one can earn you 1.7 more years.
Deep relationships are required to reap the full longevity benefit from other humans. It extends beyond a lengthy contact list on your phone or the occasional text message.
Make a list of people you trust if you’re having a bad day but don’t want to talk about it. Do more activities with other people if you’re not a big talker.
If you can, get outside and go for a hike or a bike ride. Experiment with bouldering or rock climbing.
