Human longevity is not just affected by how well your genes are, but also how well you live your life. Researchers have found a way to eat, move and manage stress that determines how long people live.

A new study conducted on 20,000 people in the UK and has been published in the British Medical Journal, shows that one can reduce the risk of stroke by 50 percent. Just by doing four things, which is active for 30 minutes a day, eating fruits and vegetables, and avoiding excessive smoking and alcohol.

People can reach the age of 100 with a healthy lifestyle. However, Thomas Perls of Boston University School of Medicine, believes that with the assumption that puts genes aside, there’s nothing stopping you living up to the age of 90 years.

Here are 10 habits Perls used to calculate how long a person can survive, as reported by USNews, Tuesday (9/3/2010).

1. Do not retire.
Although already in the retirement age does not mean you can no longer work. “Evidence shows that in a society where people suddenly stopped working, the incidence of obesity and chronic disease increases after retirement,” says Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

2. Floss Teeth Every day
This can keep the arteries (blood vessels) remain healthy. Studies from New York University in 2008 showed that flossing every day can reduce the number of bacteria that cause gum disease in the mouth. These bacteria can enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation in the arteries, and increases the risk of heart disease.

3. Always move
“Sports is the only way to stay young,” said Jay Olshansky, a professor of medicine and aging researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Study after study has recommended that the benefits of exercise to improve mood, mental acuity, balance, muscle mass, and bone. No need to exercise at the gym, just by simply walking around the neighborhood for 30 minutes a day.

4. Eat high-fiber cereal for breakfast
Whole wheat benefited especially in the morning can help maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. According to a study conducted recently by Ferrucci and colleagues, people who do this can prevent  diabetes, which could accelerate aging.

5. Sleep at least 6 hours a day
“Sleeping is one of the most important functions for our bodies, our body regulates and heal cells when we are asleep,” Ferrucci said.

6. Consumption of whole foods, not supplements
Evidence strongly indicates that people who have blood that is rich in nutrients, like selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, has a longer life. But there is nothing to prove that taking supplements can provide anti-aging benefits.

“There are more than 200 different carotenoids and the 200 different flavonoids contained in a tomato,” Ferrucci said. This chemical is beneficial to the body other than known nutrients such as lycopene or vitamin C. Avoid white foods (nutrient-lacking white food) such as bread, flour and sugar. And switch to fruits, vegetables, and whole wheat bread.

7. Reduce the neurotic (nerve pressure)
A better way to cope with stress is yoga, exercise, meditation, tai chi (take a deep breath in for a while). While in the other hand daydreaming, eating chips in front of the TV, partying and drinking to much alcoholic is bad for the body.

8. Live like Seventh Day Adventist
Americans who define themselves as the Seventh Day Adventists, have a life expectancy average of 89 years, about a decade longer than the average American.

They appreciate the body by not smoking, consume alcohol or pamper your body with sweet foods. They are usually vegetarian and eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and do many sports. They are also very focused on families and communities.

9. Being a creature that used to it
According to Olshansky, people tend to live the old days with a strict routine, eating the same food and doing the same types of activities throughout their lives. Sleep and wake at the same time each day is one good habit to keep the body in a stable equilibrium.

10. Stay socially connected
Have social relationships with friends or loved ones is key to avoiding depression, which can lead to early death, particularly common to a widow and an elderly widower.

Some psychologists even think that one of the greatest benefits to be obtained from the parents exercise a strong social interaction, a walk with friends or join a training class.

Water is important for the body. If the water needs are met the body will rarely get sick. But an expert say that there are some habits which is considered as a “must be obeyed” in drinking water when in fact it is not necessarily true.

Kidney specialist, Dr Stanley Goldfarb from the University of Pennsylvania who has published research journal of the American Society of Nephrology was quoted as saying Thursday (4/3/2010) says there are false assumptions that circulate in the community about drinking water.

He saw there are five myths about drinking water that are so trusted by the people, namely:

1. Drink 8 glasses each day
Dr. Goldfarb claimed to not know where the standard advice about drinking 8 glasses of water a day.  “Nobody really knows,” said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb.

According him,  the drinking needs of each person is different, it could be enough for someone but not enough or over for others. The owner of the body is the one who exactly knows how much water his body needs.

2. Drink lots of water can help clean up toxic
Kidneys filter toxins from the bloodstream. Then the toxins goes out through urine. The question is, whether drinking more water can improve renal function? “No,” said Goldfarb. In fact, drinking large amounts of water will likely reduce the ability of the kidneys in filtering. Not much, but surely.

3. Drink a lot equals to healthy skin
Our bodies consist of 60 percent water. So, for people who weight 200 pounds, 120 pounds of it is water. Adding a few glasses of water each day has limited effect. “This is a small part of what is in the body,” said Goldfarb. So it is unlikely this can benefit the body.

A study published in 2007 about the benefits of water to a beauty show that 500 ml of water increases capillary blood flow in the skin. But it is not clear whether these changes are clinically significant.

4. Drink plenty of water to lose weight
“Water is a great strategy for people who want to diet because it contains no calories,” says Madeline Fernstrom of the University of Pittsburgh. So keep your mouth busy even without food and also get a sense of satisfaction. But according to Frenstrom, water is not magic. Other options for zero-calorie diet is to reduce the soda.

5. Easy to dehydrate during exercise
Dehydration will be felt when one loses 2 percent of your weight. In hot and dry places water needs will increase. Marathon runners, bikers and pedestrians need to recognize the signs of dehydration.

American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes drink 16 ounces of fluid several hours before starting exercise. But for people to walk in the park, do not need a bottle of water. Goldfarb also suggest, drink only when you are thirsty.

Professor Hiromi Shinya MD, an expert on enzymes who is also a professor of medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, U.S. stressed the importance of scheduling an ideal drinking water.

Like the plants, he said there was a good period for drinking because of excessive watering the plants would make plants become rotten and withered. So that there is an appropriate time period for the body to drink water.

The ideal way to meet the need of water for the body are:

1-3 glasses of waking in the morning
2-3 cups, 1 hour before lunch
2-3 cups, 1 hour before dinner.

Each person needs different drink but make it a habit to drink water 6-8 glasses per day (1.5-2 liters) for adults. If the weather is very hot as the person would need to drink more. Conversely people who have weak digestive systems may experience diarrhea if you drink too much.

Once again the number of water a person needs varies depending on the size of the person’s body and what is considered appropriate for the body.

The pancreas is a special gland that is essential in the process of digestion. Without the help of the pancreas, the food that you intake will be used by the body properly. This is because the enzymes secreted by the pancreas are the ones responsible in digesting the fats, the carbohydrates, and proteins into something that can be absorbed by the body. Moreover, the pancreas is also responsible in releasing glucagons as well as insulin to the bloodstream. But once the pancreas was inflamed you must have a pancreatitis diet in order to prevent further damage caused by the inflammation. If you have an acute pancreatitis or you have just recovered from pancreatitis, there are numerous pancreatitis diet you may take so that you no longer have to suffer the attacks from pancreatitis.

Most dieticians recommend vegetables for a pancreatitis diet. You may eat a fresh vegetable or make a vegetable juice that you may drink while you are on your way to the office. This is because vegetables are the richest source of enzymes, vitamins, as well as minerals that are needed in curing pancreatitis. Moreover, plant-based foods also act as antioxidants in the body. Not only that vegetables have positive benefits on the pancreas but in the whole body as well.

A pancreatitis diet must also have foods that are not rich in fats. The fats present in the food will make the pancreas work harder. As a result, there will be more attacks and more pain. Even if you have already recovered from your pancreatitis, you can still have some attacks if you eat fatty foods. So avoid those French fries that have been drenched from oil (even if it is vegetable oil) and try to eat baked potatoes instead. Burgers, even if it is grilled, are still not recommended if you have or you had pancreatitis.

Spicy foods are very mouth-watering especially if you are into it. However, if you have or had acute pancreatitis, you are not allowed to include spicy foods in your pancreatitis diet. Just like the fatty foods, foods that have strong spices can trigger an attack in your pancreas. The same goes for foods and drinks that are gas-forming such as sodas. Coffee and other drinks that have caffeine must be avoided as well.

If you really want to have a pancreatitis diet that works don’t forget to include rice in your meal every time you eat. Salads can also be a good part of your diet if your pancreas is inflamed. You can also eat cereals, oatmeals, and bread during breakfast or snack. Soy-based foods such as crèmes and milk can also be an excellent source of antioxidants which prevents further damage to the already damaged pancreas.

But no matter what pancreatitis diet should you follow, make sure that you will not take it in full meal. An excellent pancreatitis diet must be taken a little at a time. This helps the digestion process flow smoother and lesser work for the pancreas as well.

The most common type of heart attack is caused by a coronary thrombosis, which occurs when a clot (thrombus) blocks one or more of the blood vessels that nourish the heart muscle. As a result of the lack of blood, part of the muscle may be damaged, and its ability to contract may be lost. This is known as a myocardial infarction. If the infarct is small and the electrical impulses that control the heart’s contractions (beats) are not disturbed, chances for recovery are excellent.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary thrombosis is one of the manifestations of coronary artery disease. As we grow older, our blood vessels tend to lose their elasticity, a process known as arteriosclerosis. The arteries may also become narrowed or clogged with deposits of fatty material called atheromas, a condition called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is progressive and usually does not produce symptoms until there is significant blockage in the blood flow. Sometimes, in fact, the first symptom of this heart disease is a heart attack.

Although the specific cause of atherosclerosis is not known, it has been found that certain risk factors help in identifying population groups that are more likely to develop it. Three major risk factors are high levels of cholesterol and other blood fats, high blood pressure (hypertension) and cigarette smoking. Others include diabetes, obesity, a sedentary life style, aging, being male and heredity.

Atherosclerosis begins forming as a fatty streak on the inner wall of an artery, usually at its branching-out point, and disturbs the smooth flow of blood. As patches of fatty tissue build up, the inner wall becomes narrower, which inhibits blood flow in a more significant way. An artery continues to narrow as the tissue buildup progresses, and in time, the fatty deposit becomes a hard mass of fatty tissue with a tough outer lining of cells – a plaque. As plaques spread and thicken, they erode the wall of the artery, which interferes with blood flow and makes it increasingly turbulent. This turbulence may trigger the blood to form a clot (thrombus), partially or completely blocking the artery. Further, a fragment of the clot (embolus) may be carried by the bloodstream and block an artery at some distant, narrower point.

Heart attacks sometimes occur in people with little or no coronary artery disease. Some experts believe that a spasm or sudden constriction of the coronary artery may be the cause of these heart attacks. It appears that a spasm may occur in a coronary artery that is totally free of atherosclerosis (as well as in one that is heavily affected by that condition), and this would explain why many people suffer angina and other cardiac problems without any evidence of underlying blockage in the arteries.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack

A heart attack can come on gradually, preceded by several attacks of angina over days, weeks, months or even years. (Angina is the name given to the chest pain that arises when the muscular wall of the heart is temporarily deprived of sufficient oxygen.) But a heart attack may also occur without any apparent warning, and in people who have never previously experienced any chest pain.

Typically, the pain of a heart attack is a sensation of constriction in the central chest area; it may vary in intensity from a feeling of tightness to one of agonizing crushing or bursting. The pain may be continuous, or it may last a few minutes, fade and then recur. It commonly spreads to the back, jaw and left arm. Although a heart attack may be precipitated by physical or emotional stress, the pain, unlike that of angina, does not subside when the stress ceases.

Pain is commonly accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness and pallor. (Some people experience a heart attack without any of these symptoms. This is known as a “silent” infarct, which may be confirmed by changes in an electrocardiogram or certain other hospital tests.)

A Medical Emergency

Most deaths from heart attack occur within minutes to hours after the onset of symptoms. Therefore, when sudden and severe chest pain occurs, an ambulance should be called immediately and the individual taken to a hospital. Denying that these symptoms represent a life-threatening illness may cause a delay that could be fatal.

One of the major cause of death from coronary thrombosis is the development of abnormal heart rhythms in the hours immediately following the attack. Emergency treatment, therefore, concentrates on stabilizing the heart rhythm, as well as on relieving pain and preventing shock.

In the hospital’s intensive-care or cardiac-care unit, the rate and rhythm of the heart will be continuously monitored by an electrocardiograph machine. Blood tests to detect enzymes released from the heart aid in assessing the infarct further and various medications may be given. Mood changes and feelings of apprehension are very common following a heart attack, and a mild tranquilizer is often given to the patient.

Depending on the severity of the attack, the patient may be allowed out of bed within three or four days and be discharged after two weeks. Bed rest for more than a short time should be avoided, where possible, because it results in a rapid loss of the body’s muscle tone and in increased heart rate on exertion. Physical activity is gradually increased and most patients are able to return to their full range of normal activity within a few months.

Long-Term Treatment

Depending on such factors as the patient’s age and general physical condition, and the extent of the heart damage, a variety of different approaches may be taken to deal with the underlying coronary artery disease and to reduce the possibility of another heart attack.

Changes in life style. A number of steps can be taken to prevent or slow down the progression of heart disease. These include stopping smoking, exercising regularly and adopting a low-cholesterol diet.

Drug treatment. The use of drugs depends upon the nature of the heart attack and underlying coronary disease. Antihypertensive drugs may be prescribed to lower the blood pressure. Other drugs may be given to improve heart function, prevent chest pain or lower the level of blood cholesterol.

Other treatments A number of other treatments, including coronary bypass surgery, are available. Obviously, their use depends upon individual needs.

For an example you eat a simple carbohydrate, such as a piece of fruit or a candy bar. Eaten alone, it would enter your bloodstream in the form of glucose and raise your insulin level almost instantly. Proteins, such as lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and low-fat dairy products, take much longer to digest and are broken down into their smallest components, amino acids. Amino acids, for the most part, do not stimulate insulin secretion. Protein also requires the body to put forth a greater amount of effort for a longer period of time to digest it, which once again slows down the digestive process.

When a carbohydrate is eaten in together with a protein, it becomes a new source of energy on a molecular level. So when a simple carbohydrate is eaten in combination with a lean protein source, such as a piece of cheese or a slice of turkey, that combination of foods goes through a very different digestive process than if either is eaten alone. If you combine carbohydrates with proteins, less glucose enters the bloodstream, and it is released over a longer duration of time. This lowers your insulin level so your body can burn the carbohydrates as fuel as opposed to storing them as fit.

Another important factor to consider is those endless cravings for sugar or carbohydrates. Eating a little protein with each meal will reduce your cravings for such foods. Let me give you a brief explanation. When you eat sugar or a carbohydrate alone, it raises(spikes) your insulin levels, but what goes up must come down. So when your insulin level drops, it creates a craving for more sugar or carbohydrates for immediate energy and to get “high” again, because now you are feeling tired and lethargic. Sounds like an addiction, right? It’s something to think about. However, when you eat a little protein with each meal, which forces the secretion of glucagon(the hormone that stimulates insulin secretion), your insulin level balances out so your body doesn’t go through the insulin roller-coaster ride. The result is that you have a sustained, well-balanced energy level throughout the day instead of that tired, lethargic feeling you may usually experience around midafternoon.

The premise behind a higher-protein diet is that it’s not the protein or fat in our daily diet that is causing the obesity epidemic, it is the excess of high glycemic carbohydrates and carbohydrates eaten alone and in excess that create and store fat. In other words, lean sources of protein and good fats will not make your weight raise they are eaten in the right proportion. Fat does not induce a secretion of insulin. Do you remember the low-fat craze that swept through our country not so long ago? Every major food manufacturer jumped on the bandwagon and made low-fat versions of almost every food product. What happened? We got fatter, not thinner! We ended up eating more of those low fat foods because they didn’t fill us up due to the reduced fat content and the fact that they were high in sugar and carbohydrates. Consider this: an entire chicken breast has approximately 300 calories; a small Snickers bar has approximate 275 calories. The chicken breast does not require the secretion of insulin, but the Snickers bar does. As a consequence, when eating the Snickers bar there is a greater chance your body will store these calories in your fat cells; eating the chicken breast will not. So start to eat more protein to keep your weight down and of course it will make you healthier.