Easy Does It 10 simple ways to add years to your life Have you ever wondered how you can live longer? Susan E. Davis explores the science of living longer and happier. Read below.

Sometimes the requirements for enjoying a longer, healthier life seem so hard – all those good habits you have to tak on, all the bad ones you have to give up. Sure, some of them are tough (quitting smoking, for example). But done consistently over time, relatively effortless lifestyle changes can deliver great benefits as well.

“A series of small wins does a lot more than just a couple of larger ones that you procrastinate,” says Ronald Nathan, PhD, professor of psychology at Albany Medical College in New York. With that in mind, we’ve come up with 10 suggestions you can easily incorporate into your normal routine. You may not even notice the difference until you’re still going strong long after your peers have settled into their rocking chairs.

Tip 1: Try one new fruit or vegetable every week.
The government tells us we should eat three to five servings of vegetables plus two to four servings of fruit per day, but the average American takes in only about 3.5 services of both combined. One reason is that many people think broccoli is boring. But there are hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables to choose from. Trying a new one every week will allow you to discover the kinds you like and expose you to a wider range of nutrients as well.

Trip 2: Eat breakfast every day.
You’re too busy, trying to lose weight, or just not hungry enough to eat breakfast? Toss those excuses and start getting some protein, carbohydrates, and even a little fat into your stomach every morning. Eating breakfast helps level out the peaks and valleys of energy during the day, which helps you eat healthier foods and keeps you from overeating. A few studies even suggest that missing this early meal increases the stickiness of blood platelets and the likelihood of clots, which can lead to heart attaches and strokes.

Tip 3: Eliminate or cut back on one type of fatty food.
The idea of a very low-fat diet (10 to 20 percent of total calories) can be daunting. But just getting rid of a little fat here and there can help a lot in the long run. Use one teaspoon less butter every day, and you avoid four grams of fat. Over the course of the eyar, that adds up to 7.5 cups of almost pure fat not cycling through your body. Over 10 years, that tiny step alone could help you lose 37 pounds. Substituting a cup of 1-percent-fat milk for a cup of whole milk every day lets you cut out 5.4 grams of fat, which adds up to almost 10 cups per year. Over 10 years, that could help you avoid putting on more than 50 pounds.

Tip 4: Relax for 15 minutes every day.
According to the American Institute on Stress, 75 to 90 percent of all visits to primary-care physicians are for stress-related complaints, andmost physicians believe that stress contributes to all the leading causes of death. You may believe you don’t have time to deal with your stress every day, but 15 minutes of quality relaxation is a great start. You don’t need to medication skills of a Zen monk, either: Just lie back in a darkened room, close your eyes and listen to the sound of your breath. Put on some soothing music. Or try some easy stretches in your living room. Not only will these little stress-breaks improve your health, they may also help you deal better with the unavoidable pressures of everday life.

Tip 5: Take a walk after dinner.
A brisk half-hour walk can burn about 200 calories; do that three times a week and you’ll burn enough calories to lose or avoid gaining 10 pounds a year. Taking a walk, either alone or with a friend, is also a great way to unwind and release some of the stresses of the day.

Tip 6: Exercise outdoors twice a week.
You can do a lot for your physical condition in the gym, but exercising outside helps your mental state. A University of West Virginia study found that athletes who ran outside had higher levels of the chemicals adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are associated with positive moods, than runners who excercised on a treadmill. The outdoor runners also had lower levels of the stress-realted hormone cortisol and reported feeling more invigorated and happier.

Tip 7: Spend time with an animal once a week.
A number of recent studies have shown that contact with animals helps adults develop a more positive mental attitude. But petting a pet has physical benefits too including lowering blood pressure. Not everyone has the ability or inclination to own an animal, but friends, family and even local animal shelters will probably appreciate an offer to walk a dog, feed a cat or talk to a bird.

Tip 8: Have a gripe session once a week.
Letting loose regularly with one or more friends will help you vent frustration and ease emotional pressures. Research has shown that men often need to spend time talking about innocuous topics such as sports, the weather, or politics before getting down to what’s bugging them, so give yourselves enough time for lengthy conversations.

Tip 9: Write a postcard to a friend or family member once a week.
Social support lends considerable health benefits, from alleviating stress and speeding healing to reducing risk of heart disease, arthritis and tuberculosis. Writing a short note may seem like a small step, but it can help you feel closer to people who are far away or with whom you’ve lost touch.

Tip 10: Wear your seatbelt.
It’s such a simple thing, yet only 67 percent of people regularly use their seatbelts. According to the National Safety Council, a fastened lap and shoulder belt reduces the risk of fatal injury to front-seat occupants by 45 to 60 percent. In 1994 alone, safety belts saved more than 9,100 lives and prevented 200,000 moderate-to-critical injuries. How’s that for an easy way to add year to your life?

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