I posted previously about living longer vs. living better and though most of us would like to live to a ripe old age, that desire comes with the stipulation that we also be in reasonably good health during those later years. I know I don’t want to be held prisoner within my own body just waiting for things to become finalized.

Some things regarding longevity are completely under our control while others have been predetermined long before we were conceived. I saw a news report on a recent study on life expectancy that found that Americans, both men and women, are living longer. The study attributed this to several factors including medical advances and certain lifestyle changes such as quiting smoking, but the primary factor in determining one’s life expectancy is genetics.

I suppose this shouldn’t come as earth-shattering news.

If your great great grandpa lived to 110 then hopefully some of that good stuff got passed down to you. This may explain why some centenarians proudly proclaim that they still smoke a pack a day and eat a diet high in animal fat and wash it all down with straight shots of vodka.

For the rest of us endowed with more modest genetic inheritances, we need to be much more diligent in our lifestyle habits if we want a fair shot at making a run at the century mark.

Below are some of the basics that should be “no-brainers” by now, but aren’t easy to pull off:

• Quit Smoking — yes an obvious one, but it’s surprising how many people over 40 still smoke. Smoking contributes not only to respiratory ailments such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, but is also a significant contributor to heart disease. Unfortunately, many smokers don’t quit until they’ve had a heart attack and have no choice, but to quit cold turkey.
• Reduce Stress — we’ve all heard how important it is to live a stress-free life and the harmful effects that stress can have on our health, but few of us take action to lower the stress in our lives. Let’s face it, stress is a natural part of being alive and having things like a career, a spouse and children, and even a home can makes things stressful. We should do everything we can to recognize stress in our lives and take appropriate steps to head it off. In addition, things that offer relaxation such as enjoying a relaxing hobby or taking a quiet walk can help to bring us back to a state of peace and relaxation and counteract the effects of stress.
• Lower Cholesterol — the debate concerning the connection between elevated cholesterol, especially LDL, and heart disease rages on, but there is now a sufficient body of evidence to suggest that the two are related. Therefore, it’s certainly a good idea to lower the concentration of saturated fat in our diets by limiting our consumption of red meat and dairy products, and increasing the amount of lean proteins and fiber that we eat.
• Exercise Regularly — this should go without saying, but
  we’ve probably become insensitive to it since we are constantly bombarded with it. it’s much like incessantly telling a child to eat his veggies if he wants to grow up big and strong. It seems that the most common excuse for not engaging in regular exercise is that we don’t have the time.

  All I can say to that excuse is BS! There’s time if you really want to do it and it doesn’t take that much. The key is consistency. Make exercise a habit so you feel like you’re missing something when you don’t exercise.

• Stay On Top of Your Health — regular visits to your doctor are important at any age, but become ever more so once you enter your 40’s and beyond. Establish a rapport with your doctor and consider switching doctors if you feel he/she is not listening to you. No one takes more interest in your health than you, but you also need your doctor to be your partner in guiding you along the path of health and wellness.

We all ultimately will live as long as we were destined to live. This takes into account our genetics and propensity for disease, our fortune, good or bad, regarding accidents and tragedy, and most importantly, what is directly under our own control.