From Skipping Dinner to More Intimacy with Your Partner: Changing Your Lifestyle to Live Longer

While many people think that life expectancy is largely determined by genetics, experts say genes play only a smaller role than originally thought. It turns out that environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle are key.

So, experts say skipping dinner, improving balance and eating healthy snacks are the keys to living a long and healthy life. In his latest book, How not to ageDr. Michael Greger, a renowned American physician and author, highlights science-based solutions that can help avoid diseases, primarily those associated with aging.

According to Dr. Greger, “Instead of our current piecemeal approach focusing on individual degenerative diseases, how about slowing down the aging process? The good news is that there is a lot we can do to increase our lifespan; we have a lot of power in our own decisions. We once thought that genetics were the best predictor of how long we would live, but we now know that this is not the case,” he wrote in the book. “Studies of identical twins show that no more than 20 to 30 percent of the variation in life expectancy is explained by genetic inheritance, meaning that up to 70 percent is determined by our own decisions,” Dr. Greger added.

According to Dr. Greger, some lifestyle changes you can make include:

Practice fasting

Fasting gives your body a much-needed break from the tasks of digestion. Research shows that some types of fasting have positive effects on aspects of health such as blood sugar control, blood pressure, and inflammation. It’s also good for weight loss.

It also helps your body’s cells perform anti-aging functions, such as fighting free radicals and inflammation, says Dr. Greger. And while many people skip breakfast or wait until the afternoon to eat, the key is skipping dinner. Not only does this give you more energy, Dr. Greger says, it also normalizes your sleep cycle.

Snack wisely

Eating nuts can help reduce your risk of dying from stroke, heart attack, respiratory disease, infections, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. That’s why it’s important to have a handful of nuts like almonds and walnuts for an age-defying snack, according to Dr. Greger.

These nuts help improve cognitive function, immunity, and vision, and reduce exercise-induced inflammation, making them the perfect snack to enjoy after a workout.

Eat your vegetables

The lifestyle factor most associated with aging is the amount of fruits and vegetables we consume. According to experts, plants help keep our biological processes in optimal conditions and protect us from most diseases. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard and mustard greens should be an important part of our daily diet as they help the immune system and fight the effects of air pollution.

Research shows they may also protect against hearing loss.

Do physical exercise regularly

Regular exercise not only keeps you fit, but it also helps reduce inflammation, reduce DNA damage, and improve our cognitive function. It also increases levels of FGF21, the fasting hormone that is a key component of longevity.

Walking ten minutes after eating can help lower blood sugar levels as effectively as some sugar-lowering drugs. Even 20 minutes of daily exercise can add an hour to your life, experts say. As you age, exercise can help keep your body flexible and your joints mobile, and prevent falls, which are the cause of many premature deaths.

The proximity factor

Because physical health issues can hinder bedroom escapades later in life, physical intimacy has protective benefits for physical and mental health, says Dr. Greger. Endorphins are feel-good chemicals released during sex that have been shown to improve cellular function. Healthy habits can also reduce the risk of problems like erectile dysfunction.