Age can be a thorny topic of discussion. I’m sure I’m not the only one who pauses a moment when someone asks me how old I am. Slightly less controversial is the idea that we want to live long enough to fulfill everything we want to do.
At its most basic, longevity means life expectancy. It’s about how long an average person can expect to live, and about those people who live especially long for reasons that may or may not be obvious.
People in the olden days didn’t live as long as us not because of their biology, but because they lived before modern medicine, easy (relatively speaking) access to healthy food and those admittedly sometimes annoying health and safety regulations that nevertheless have dramatically decreased your chances of dying in an accident.
Historically, two of the biggest drivers of low life expectancy have been maternal and infant mortality. Giving birth is incredibly dangerous, and babies obviously aren’t as well equipped to deal with all the world’s dangers as adults. We understand the causes of mortality better now, and we have developed techniques to help deal with them. In recent years, however, America’s average life expectancy has dropped slightly.
A study of average life expectancies can reveal interesting statistics. Women tend to live longer than men. Black men in particular have shorter life expectancies (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2017/015.pdf). As for geography, it’s Japan that tops the table of life expectancy by country. When it comes to individuals, the oldest person to ever live is allegedly Jeanne Calment of France, who claimed to be 122 when she died.
Of course, just how effective these life-extending measures are depends on a host of other things, like where you live and your income level. There are still lots of things that can make it difficult to access good quality healthcare, while food deserts with poor nutrition are far too common.
There are lots of things that can affect life expectancy, and not all of them are under your control. It all starts with your genes, so you may want to blame your parents for that just like you do your eye color and tendency to forget things.
Luckily, it’s not all in the genes. You can still have a significant impact on your own longevity through lifestyle changes. So what should you do if you’re unlucky enough to be born with bad genes in an area lacking in basic amenities? There’s a lot of conflicting advice, but most experts agree that a diet with plenty of vegetables is a good start.
That may be difficult if you’re in a food desert, but there are other steps you can take. Exercise is important in any form; you don’t have to splash out for a gym membership or expensive equipment. Going for a jog or doing sit-ups at home can still have a positive impact.
If you’re stressed, you may be tempted into bad behaviors such as smoking or excess alcohol consumption, and one of the many problems they cause is a reduced life expectancy. Try to avoid these situations, make sure you get enough sleep and ensure you enjoy positive experiences such as time with loved ones. These should all help your longevity.
