Cheating death, by the numbers
Extending or diminishing your life expectancy
Life expectancy for the average American is up to 75 years for a man and 80 years for a woman. Most geneticists believe that about 30 % of longevity depends on our genetic make-up. That means that about 70% is linked to environmental and behavioral factors very much in our control. Here are a few things that could add or subtract years from your life:
- +5 — You take 81 mg of aspirin every day
- +5 — You are a married man
- +5 — You regularly play puzzles and games that stimulate the mind
- +3 — You eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
- +2 — You eat nuts on a regular basis
- +2 — You floss daily
- +1 — You go to church
- +0 — You are a married woman
- -1 — You get less than six or seven hours of sleep nightly
- -2 — You don’t wear sunscreen
- -5 — You are slowly putting on weight
- -5 — You are stressed out
- -5 — You engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners
- -15 — You smoke
- -15 — You use drugs
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