Everyone seems to have a different theory about how to live longer.
Eating a healthier diet, practicing yoga, juice cleanses, walking in the park… people have tried it all.
But, could drinking a couple of glasses of beer or wine a night could be the secret that we’ve been looking for?
A recent study examined people who have lived beyond the age of 90 and found that modest consumption of alcohol is one of five key factors linked to a long life.
Professor Claudia Kawas from the University of California analysed 1,700 people between the ages of 90-99 to see how their everyday habits impacted their overall health. And the results were pretty surprising.
It found that those who drank around two glasses of beer or wine everyday had an 18 per cent reduced risk of premature death compared to those who didn’t.
‘I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,’ neurology specialist, Claudia revealed at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference.
In addition to drinking, the study found that those who had a hobby or interest lived longer. Spending just two hours a day on a hobby reduced their risk of early death by 21 per cent.
And, being slightly overweight, but not obese, reduced the risk of premature death by around 3 per cent. But, people who also exercised between 15 and 45 minutes a day had an 11 per cent lower risk.
What’s more, individuals who drank two cups of coffee a day were 10 per cent less likely to die early.
‘People should try to incorporate as many of these things into their day if they wish to give themselves the best chance of living to a ripe age,’ she said.
But don’t open the bubbly just yet.
Claudia said that while these tips could extend your life, they have no effect on the decline of cognitive function.
‘Our data shows none of these lifestyle factors make any difference to the likelihood you will develop dementia,’ Claudia revealed.
