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Power 9 - Keys to Living a Longer, Healthier Life

What do the world's longest-living people have in common? You may be surprised to know that the secret to a long life does not lie in diets or exercise programs. Author Dan Buettner and a team of scientists researched the common characteristics of people who lived well into their 100's. What they found is that longevity can be achieved by creating the right surroundings, known as Power 9--helping you add 12 good years to your life.
1 - Move Naturally
We can get more physical activity naturally if we live in walkable communitiies, de-convenience our homes and grow gardens.
2 - Know Your Purpose
People who know why they wake up in the morning live up to seven years longer than those who don't.
3 - Down Shift
To reverse inflammation related to every major age-related disease, find time each day to meditate, nap, pray or enjoy a happy hour.
4 - Eat Wisely
It takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain it is full, causing most people to accidentally overeat. Stop when you feel 80 percent full.
5 - Plant Slant
Eat mostly beans, nuts and green plants. This is consistent with the UsDA's MyPlate recommenddations to make fruits, vegetables and grains the majority of your intake.
6 - To Wine or Not to Wine?
Have a healthy relationship with alcohol. For people who do not have substance abuse disorders, an occasional glass of red wine is full of antioxidants. On the flip side, do not use illicit drugs as they are poisonous to your body.
7 - Family First
Living in a thriving family is worth six extra years of life expectancy. Invest time in your kids, nurture a monogamous relationship and make your aging parents a regular part of your life.
8 - Belong
Recommit or reconnect to your faith community, or explore a new one. No matter which faith, studies found that people who devote time to their faith community four times a month live an extra 4-14 years.
9 - Right Tribe
Your friends have a long-term impact on your health and longevity. Take stock in who your friends are and expand your social circle to include healthy-minded, supportive people. This might be te most powerful thing you can do to add years to your life.

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