8 Habits That Could Add 24 Years to Your Life, Study Says

I'm doing good on these, will allow me to enjoy life until I slide into that grave in a cloud of dust. 

Part of my Hunter S. Thompson journey;
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

Therapy gets in the way of living, so I stopped attempting it until somebody comes up with EXACT protocols. I can't waste my time on guidelines.

 I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid I haven't been alive enough. It should be written on every school room blackboard: Life is a playground — or nothing.
— "Mr. Nobody," 2009

"Your body is not a temple: It's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." Anthony Bourdain

8 Habits That Could Add 24 Years to Your Life, Study Says

 In research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, researchers found that men who had adopted all eight habits by middle age lived 24 years longer than men whose lifestyle included few or none of the habits. The study was based on data from nearly 720,000 U.S. veterans 40 and older, which is considered a nationally representative sample. Read on for the eight life-extending habits.

2 Not Smoking

Occasional cigars, no cigarettes.

Tobacco doesn't just increase your risk for lung cancer, the #1 cause of preventable death in America. Tobacco smoke can damage the heart and walls of arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack, stroke, and dementia. "The nicotine in cigarettes raises blood pressure, and the carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry," says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inhaling secondhand smoke also puts you at risk. 

 

3 Being Physically Active

I do 2-3 hour hikes several times a week, but not enough to get in 15,000 steps a day to lose weight.

The CDC defines being physically active as anything that gets your body moving. According to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, each week, adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening activity.

4 Managing Stress

Getting retired lost all my stress.

When you're stressed, the brain increases its production of the hormone cortisol, which impairs infection-fighting T cells in the blood. Stress might play a role in the development of heart disease, the American Heart Association says. People who experience chronic stress are more prone to the common cold and viral infections, according to the American Cancer Society. 

5 Eating A Healthy Diet

Mine is still not the best, but I'm not worried.

"Diets high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol have been linked to stroke and related conditions, such as heart disease," says the CDC. "Adults who eat a healthy diet live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Healthy eating can help people with chronic diseases manage these conditions and prevent complications."

6 Having Good Sleep Hygiene

I'm much better since retiring, now can sleep til 10am to catch up if needed.

"Strong sleep hygiene means having both a bedroom environment and daily routines that promote consistent, uninterrupted sleep," says the National Sleep Foundation. "Keeping a stable sleep schedule, making your bedroom comfortable and free of disruptions, following a relaxing pre-bed routine, and building healthy habits during the day can all contribute to ideal sleep hygiene." Experts recommend getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night.

7 Avoiding Binge Drinking

My social drinking is necessary to keep my vast social connections going and will prevent dementia.

Drinking alcohol to excess can imperil your health, whether you're 21 or 81. Experts define binge drinking as having four or more drinks on one occasion for women and five or more on one occasion for men. To stay healthy, experts recommend moderate drinking, meaning no more than one daily drink for women and two for men. 

8 Not Being Addicted To Opioids

Not for me.

Since 1999, more than a million people died from drug overdoses in America. In the last year, overdoses claimed 107,669 people, and the crisis is accelerating.

9 Having Positive Social Relationships

I have lots, three groups of people I travel internationally with.

In recent years, scientists have discovered that social isolation is a major health risk. Studies have found that loneliness seems to cause an inflammatory stress response throughout the body. Over time, that can wear down your heart, brain and immune system. According to a study published in the journal Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, "The resulting long-term inflammation may represent a key mechanism in the development of loneliness-associated chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, and neurodegeneration." Maintaining positive social relationships slashes those risks.RELATED: 20 Worst States in America for Healthcare