Do you believe that you can live for 100 years? Some people can actually do it! Meaning you can also live for one century and even go a little beyond that with the right practices and habits.
Some of the world’s popular centenarians that you can use as an inspiration are Kane Tanaka who died at her 119th year, Jeanne Calment who had 122 years of lifespan and Juan Vicente Mora who was the oldest validated living man in the world in 2022, but eventually died later that year at 113 years of age [1].
These centenarians have nearly the same secrets to living longer, which are eating properly, staying cheerful, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking the right beverages.
What is life expectancy today?
Life expectancy refers to the number of years you can expect to live. It is calculated based on an estimate of the average age when the members of a certain population group die. For example, if a group of people have a life expectancy at birth of 60 years, half of the group died before 70, and half survived beyond that. So, what is life expectancy today?
Data shows that life expectancy today is increasing by more than six years. This was shown in the years between 2000 and 2019 when the life expectancy of the world’s population was merely 66.8 years in 2000; then, in 2019, it jumped up to 73.4 years. On the other hand, the healthy life expectancy (HALE) has the same significant increase in the same years. From 58.3 years in 2000, it went up by 8% in 2019, which became 63.7 years. Experts say that this is because of the declining mortality instead of reduced years lived with disability [2].
Aside from identifying the life expectancy of the world’s population, it is important as well to know the life span of the human race; maybe you are one of the millions who can actually go beyond the life expectancy age?
Lifespan is the length of time you live in the world and survive between birth and death. There are many factors to determine lifespans, such as gender, genetics, diet and nutrition, hygiene, access to health care, exercise, lifestyle and crime rates. However, among these are two major aspects in identifying life span: genetics and lifestyle habits. These two major aspects can tell whether you will live longer or not. Typically the people’s lifespan can be around 97 years old if you happen to be part of the lucky population who live longer.
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Five drinks that will boost your longevity
As mentioned above, one of the secrets of centenarians is drinking the right beverages to boost their longevity. Some drinks can actually promote a longer lifespan that can make you live longer if taken regularly in the right amount. Here are the five drinks that will surely boost your longevity:
1. Green tea
This type of tea is originally produced in China and Japan and is made from unfermented leaves that are pale in colour and with slight bitter flavours. In fact, in the Blue Zone of Okinawa, people are filling up a 20-ounce jar of tea leaves and drinking it all day long. There are two reasons why Japanese drink so much green tea: first is because it has caffeine that helps in lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease, dementia and Parkinson’s disease; second is because green tea is high in flavanols, a type of antioxidant that is associated with reduction of bad cholesterol in our body. No wonder why Japan’s life expectancy in 2019 is 84.36 years in comparison to other countries [3].
Green tea is also rich in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a potent antioxidant that helps prevent oxidation and other diseases relative to oxidative stress.
2. Black tea
Black tea has similar benefits to green tea, such as containing caffeine and antioxidants (polyphenols, L-theanine and flavanols). Having these healthy substances make black tea a great source of boost in longevity. People who regularly drink black tea lower their risk of several chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Black tea drinkers also have better digestion and gut health compared with non-drinkers.
3. Coffee
Generally, coffee has caffeine that offers a wide range of health benefits to its drinkers. In the US, Americans have always been fond of drinking coffee day and night; hence, it has become part of their diet. With this, their primary source of antioxidants is in coffee.
Coffee can help in giving you longer life as it is rich in essential nutrients, like vitamin B5 (helps in red blood cells production), manganese (aids in bone development and metabolism), magnesium (primary for energy and sleep), potassium (helps in lowering blood pressure) and niacin (converts vitamins to become usable energy). Consuming coffee can lower your risk of cancer, depression, liver disease, neurodegenerative diseases and type 2 diabetes.
4. Red wine
Yes, red wine is not only a stress-reliever drink after a long day! Wine lovers can actually get scientifically-proven health benefits from drinking red wine. Experts suggest that drinking less than 4 ounces or a glass of red wine everyday can add to your quality of life. Drinking at least twice a day can lower the chance of dying than people who do not drink red wine at all.
Consequently, red wine is rich in antioxidants and nutrients that can lower your cortisol levels, protect you from cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. A glass of wine can boost longevity because of its resveratrol and flavonoids ingredients. Resveratrol slows down aging and fights free radicals to decrease cellular damage in your body that can cause mortality.
5. Cranberry juice
Research suggests that drinking low-calorie cranberry juice helps lower your risk of heart disease. This juice is filled with polyphenols and antioxidants that fight against inflammation and decrease your likelihood of having heart problems. It also contains essential nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin E that promote body wellness.
Cranberry juice is worth drinking to help you live longer. You just have to be sure to limit your drinking to at least 8 ounces per day; and you are drinking a sugar-free cranberry juice to get all its positive health benefits.
Other ways to help increase your longevity
Aside from drinking healthy beverages, there are other ways to help you live longer. You can add these ways as you drink the mentioned healthy beverages above [4]. Some of these are:
Don’t smoke: Smoking cigarettes can lead to a lot of health problems; hence, it is better to stop smoking or stay away from people who smoke since you might inhale their secondhand smoke. Smoking can badly affect your coronary arteries and lungs, and regular smokers are proven to have higher rates of cancer and risk of stroke.
Maintaining a healthy weight: You should also keep a body mass index (BMI) to become healthy. BMI is a rate of height and weight that measures your body mass. You can try to calculate your BMI if you are on the right track.
Work out and exercise regularly: Walking and jogging are the simplest exercises you can do to be healthy. Allot at least 30 minutes of your day to do these, and you will be surprised about their impacts on your body.
Eating healthy food: To live longer, you need to eat healthily. This means eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and less red meat. Stay away from eating junk food!
[1] https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2022/5/worlds-oldest-man-living-confirmed-as-juan-vicente-perez-aged-112
[2] https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates/ghe-life-expectancy-and-healthy-life-expectancy
[3] https://observatoireprevention.org/en/2021/03/09/why-do-the-japanese-have-the-highest-life-expectancy-in-the-world/
[4] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/4-top-ways-to-live-longer
