Making good decisions today will help us to live longer and have better health

Our lifestyle (exercise, food and even attitude) can be as important as genetics when it comes to ageing in a healthy way.

For this reason, here are some tips to stay in shape both physically and mentally:

1. Eat healthier foods. The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, whole grains and fish, helps with better ageing and to prevent heart attacks.
2. Not eating until full. Chronic excess eating (beyond feeling satisfied) may imply a shorter useful life, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
3. Doing regular exercise. We lose more muscle as we age. Strength training helps us to gain mass and prevent injury. Also, exercise reduces memory loss.
4. Protect your skin from the sun. Use sun screen every day, even if you’re inside. Too much time in the sun can cause wrinkles, without mentioning skin cancer.
5. Socialise and stay connected. It has been proven that women with strong social ties have 50% more possibilities of living longer than those with poor relationships.
6. See ageing as something positive. Elderly people who think of age as a means of knowledge are 40% more likely to recover from an injury.
7. Get enough rest. Chronic lack of sleep negatively affects the structure and function of the brain and can accelerate the ageing process. Try to sleep for 7 to 9 hours.

This post is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)