It was not too long ago that living to 100 was considered a nearly impossible feat. Yet with more and more advancements in medicine and modern life, reaching 100 is not as far out of reach as we once thought. To make sure that your journey to 100 is one you can be healthy enough to enjoy, Dr. Oz has put together his favorite steps that you can add to your everyday routine.
Add Red Foods to Your Diet
Not only will adding red foods to your diet make your plate more colorful and aesthetically pleasing, it can also help keep you healthy enough to live to 100! Cruciferous veggies like red cabbage are known to help protect against cancer, while beet juice contains nitrates that relax blood vessels.
Drink Like a Brit: Have One Cup of Black Tea per Day
Oh how the British love their afternoon tea! This common British practice may actually be helping Queen Elizabeth stay healthy in her old age. Research shows that 1 cup of black tea a day can boost survival rate following a heart attack by 28%. So drink up!
Dial One Phone Number from Memory Every Day
Whether you own a smart phone or a regular "old fashioned" cell phone, these everyday devices have made the habit of memorizing phone numbers a thing of the past. While the convenience of programmed phone numbers can be quite handy, it's not doing much of a favor to your brain. A simple way to keep your mind alert and active is to dial at least one memorized phone number a day. This will help you practice your brain's chunking ability, the ability to group information together into "chunks," helping to keep your memory function strong.
Use the First Stall to Prevent Getting Sick
When you use a public restroom, do you tend to skip the first stall and choose one farther away from the entrance? If you do, you are not alone. Experts theorize that people tend to skip the first stall in favor of stalls further back in order to have a little more privacy. But because the first stall is used least often, it contains the lowest bacteria levels. Instead of skipping the first stall, choose it in order to help avoid possible infections.
Take Two Steps to Work Out
Choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator is already an excellent healthy living decision, but what if you could turn those stairs into your own gym? A very simple way to strengthen your butt, thighs, and other muscles you do not normally use is to take two steps at a time every time you walk up the stairs. If you cannot do two steps at a time, try walking up the stairs twice.
Stretch After a Hot Shower to Prevent Pain
Keeping your body flexible is vital to staying young. Stretching is best when muscles are warm, which is why stretching after a hot shower is so effective. Stretching improves posture and prevents muscle soreness, keeping you feeling young and healthy.
Trunk Twist: Reach hands up in the air and then slowly bend forward to the right, and then all the way around. Repeat in the opposite direction.
Hold Your Breath
This simple exercise can be done at any time during the day and will give your lungs a nice mini-workout to keep them healthy. Just take a deep breath in, hold it for 10 seconds, and then slowly let the air out through pursed lips. This helps to make sure that all the pockets in your lungs are opening up.
Do the Reverse Warrior
The benefits of yoga seem to be endless but not everyone has the time or dedication to practice it like a guru. Luckily, you can do one important yoga move to help you drop a few extra pounds a year.
Reverse Warrior: Take a large step with your right foot and turn it perpendicular to the left foot. Bend your right knee until your thigh is parallel with the floor (as if you were lunging). With your right palm facing up, lift your right arm over your head. Reach your right hand towards your left side while sliding your left hand down as low as possible on your left leg. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat on left side.
Chew Your Food 20 Times
Not only does scarfing down your food prevent you from truly enjoying the taste of your meal, new research links this habit to an increased risk of diabetes. Enjoy your food and prevent raising your risk of diabetes by eating each meal slowly and chewing each bite thoroughly, 20 times. Or, if chewing your food that many times becomes tiresome, at least put down your fork each time that you take a bite in order to slow yourself down and eat less.
Cut Your Cravings in Half to Cut Calories
Resisting those foods that you "have to have" is a battle often lost to that bag of potato chips or those double chocolate chip cookies. Instead of giving into temptation and eating a whole bag of chips or cookies, Dr. Oz wants you to "halve them." Can't resist a bowl of chips? Pour it out and then put half back in the bag. This way you cut half of the calories and lose weight faster.
Next: Dr. Oz's longevity grocery list
