Longevity in life is perhaps the strongest motivation for making measurable changes at an early age. There are so many factors that determine how long you’ll have to live that many people ignore some of the more important aspects of self-preservation. Extending life expectancy isn’t just about adding as much life as possible. It’s also about adding usable time that can be spent on activities. Many modern chiropractor professionals focus solely on extending time, but they forget about the quality of that extended life. What good is an extra three years if you have to spend them lying in a bed?
Scientific understanding is constantly evolving, and it won’t be long before many anti-aging treatment plans are commonplace. Certain holistic methods of extending life are already well-known to be effective, and a few of those techniques are outlined below.
Drink More Water
This is one of the most overlooked aspects of human health, and the problem isn’t limited to aging members of society. The vast majority of people in the world, even those in highly civilized and modernized countries like the US, don’t drink enough water in their daily life. It was once believed that humans need to drink 64 ounces of water per day in order to maintain optimal health, but recent studies have shown the amount should be much higher. Some researchers believe that as much as 128 ounces of water per day is adequate for proper hydration. Failure to drink enough water can lead to dehydration, which is a problematic condition. Even light dehydration can causes headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and a general lack of energy and positive mood.
Follow A Strict Diet
As important as water is to extending life expectancy, diet is even more vital. The food you eat directly correlates to the overall health of your system, so foods that are known to cause health issues should be avoided. These include foods that are high in fat, sugar, or salt. It’s best to create a diet that is based on natural foods like fruits and vegetables. The Mediterranean region has one of the highest life expectancies in the world thanks to their rich diet of raw vegetables, nuts, fruits, and healthy oils. A proper diet will help prevent heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even memory loss.
Continue Learning
An active mind is much more likely to maintain a healthy body, according to new research that shows a correlation between education and life expectancy. As the mind ages, it tends to work less on everyday problems, which can lead to degradation through inactivity. Continuing education into your later years will help stimulate the brain into staying young and active. Not only that, but education at an early age tends to translate to longer lifespans due to higher income potential throughout life and healthier decisions made throughout life. It has been estimated that obtaining a bachelor’s degree can boost life expectancy by up to nine years.
Avoid Negative Stress
Stress itself isn’t entirely negative. Stress related to work, family, and society are generally good in small doses, since that stress helps give the mind focus and purpose. However, too much stress can actually start to inhibit certain aspects of aging, and it can even reduce life expectancy. High levels of negative stress causes your body to release stress hormones, like cortisol, that aren’t conducive to longer living. Stress should be maintained at a low level in order to avoid any negative effects on life expectancy.
Stay Social
It is commonly believed that an aging person must have a reason to keep living, or else their mind and body will start to shut down in response to their lack of responsibility or connection. People must feel needed and appreciated in order to reach those higher years of their life. The best way to do this is to stay as socially active as you possibly can. This will create connections that promote continued existence through a desire to maintain those connections. Staying social can involve something as simple as spending more time with family, or it can be as complex as running for public office or contributing to society in some other literal sense.
Keep Active
Of course, exercise is one of the hallmarks of healthy elderly people. It has been estimated that every hour of inactivity throughout life results in as much as 22 minutes being lost from your life expectancy. That means that merely sitting in place for long periods of time is possibly the least healthy thing you can do for yourself. Staying active doesn’t have to be anything incredibly difficult, either. A solid exercise routine for an aging individual might include several walks throughout the day combined with light calisthenics. Small free weights can even be used to help boost the