7 Simple Ways to Live a Long and Healthy Life

Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life, and there are steps you can take to increase your chances of living a long life. Making healthy choices is the key ingredient to living a long and healthy life. To a large extent, we have control over how healthy our bodies remain throughout our lifetime. Here is a list of 7 simple ways to stay healthy and add years to your life.

1. Breathe Fresh Air. Of course, this includes being a nonsmoker, but it is also important to get lots of fresh air outdoors. Many people spend their entire lives indoors, going from home to the car to the office, and back again. Getting fresh air outdoors is an important health benefit that is often overlooked. Try to spend at least a few minutes outdoors every day: take a walk or plan outdoor activities.  
2. Drink More Water. If you say you don't like drinking plain water, then chances are you spend much of your life in a state of dehydration, and that is unhealthy. Try to drink between 6-8 glasses of water every day, besides coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Chances are that adding more water to your daily regimen will help you feel better and have more energy.
3. Sleep Between 6-7 hours Every Night. Getting a good night's sleep is essential to good health, but it is also important to get the right amount of sleep. Researchers have found that those who sleep more than 8 hours or less than 4 hours a night are not as healthy as those who sleep 6-7 hours a night.
4. Eat Fruits and Vegetables. It is common in American society to eat an entire day's worth of meals and consume very little fruits and vegetables. This bad habit has an adverse effect on your health. Meals eaten at home contain more fruits and vegetables than those consumed in restaurants. So try eating more meals at home, and when on the go try to take some fruit with you.
5. Restrict Alcohol Consumption. If you drink alcohol, restrict it to one drink per day. Drinking more than 2 drinks daily has been shown to have an adverse effect on health. Some studies have shown that drinking red wine is beneficial, but you still should keep it to no more than one drink per day.
6. Eat High Fiber Foods Daily. Diets that are high in fiber have been shown to help reduce high blood pressure, avoid high blood sugar, and help with elimination. High fiber foods include whole grain breads and pasta, fruits, beans and legumes. 
7. Exercise Daily. Researchers are finding that exercise plays a huge part in overall health. Those who exercise regularly have been found to be much more likely to lead healthier lives and live longer than those who do not exercise.

These are simple life changes you can start to work on now to make big changes in health as you get older. You don't have to change everything at once. Try working on one item at a time and then once you have made it a habit, go on to another item. These simple life choices can pay big dividends over the years and add happy and healthy years to your life.

Visit http://www.livehealthyandlong.com for more information about how to make healthy choices for a long and healthy life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Hendrickson