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1.
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Sleep
seven to eight hours a night. People whose sleep
cycle falls outside this range are more prone to
infection; it appears that proper sleep affects
bodily systems such as the immune system. |
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2.
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Control
weight. Excess weight paves the way for heart
disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, and more.
Losing just 10 pounds can decrease blood pressure
and cholesterol. |
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3.
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Exercise.
Exercise appears to make it easier for insulin
to get sugar out of the blood and into all the organs
and other tissues where it's used for energy. Exercise
also keeps the heart and bones strong and staves
off muscle wasting. |
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4.
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Limit
alcohol intake. People who drink more than the
recommended one drink a day for women and two drinks
a day for men increase their risk for cancer of
the esophagus, cirrhosis of the liver, and death
from accidents and suicides. |
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5.
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Don't
smoke. Smoking is responsible for one in every
five deaths. |
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6.
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Eat
breakfast. Although it's not exactly clear why
breakfast keeps people healthy (there may be a psychological
effect), people who eat breakfast live longer than
others. |
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7.
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Snack
seldomly. Every time you eat, insulin is released
to remove the sugar from your blood. Constant surges
of insulin are related to heart disease, but intermittent
spikes of insulin seem to be healthier. |
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8.
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Become
more educated. The numbers show that the more
years of schooling a person has, the lower your
mortality. |
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9.
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Stay
socially connected. Mortality rates in communities
where people watch out for each other are much lower
than other communities where social connections
aren't as strong. People who are not socially connected
"give up" and therefore are more prone to dying.
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10.
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Maintain
optimism and happiness. People who are severely
depressed don't live as long as others. They also
tend to ignore illnesses and lose or gain weight
without having their health checked. |