The 3 most simple ways to increase life expectancy

There’s a great deal of emphasis in society surrounding anti-ageing prevention, but what about considering how we can look to extend our life expectancy? It all sounds a bit mythical, but it all comes down to making small and sustainable changes to your lifestyle and diet to help keep your body functioning to its fullest ability. Just as you take good care of precious belongings to make them last longer, the same should go for your health and life. Makes sense right?

Here's our in-house nutritionist, Kathryn Fielding’s top tips to boost life expectancy: 

Weight

Worryingly obesity is on the increase. Not only does obesity negatively impact our health in numerous ways, it has been shown that obesity can trim years off our life expectancy. Moderate obesity is said to reduce life expectancy by around 3 years, whilst severe obesity (which recent reports suggest is on the rise) can shorten life expectancy by 10 years! Reducing your energy input and increasing your energy expenditure is a fool-proof way to lose weight... and keep it off for good! If your blood sugar levels aren’t an issue, then try eating within a 10-hour window each day, allowing your body a full 14 hours to digest and rest.

Regular exercise

Regular exercise has shown to decrease your susceptibility to developing chronic diseases compared to those who don’t exercise on a regular basis. Studies have shown that older adults who engaged in regular exercise were twice as likely to be disease-free and functional in health. Try to include 60 minutes of activity each week to keep your body healthy and happy! 

Enjoy a Mediterranean diet

Diet fads come and go, but the Mediterranean diet continues to stand strong as a popular choice and for the right reasons. Studies show that a diet rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, legumes and oily fish has helped ageing people maintain muscle strength and energy, whilst helping to reduce incidences of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Adding these elements to your diet is super easy, don’t write it off before you try it.

Making these changes to your diet and lifestyle couldn’t be easier, and it’s all for such an important reason! Give it a go, what’s the worst that can happen?