Most of us look forward to long, healthy lives, yet often we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to health. However, the secret to a longer life could be easier to attain, thanks to a new John Hopkins study. Although it might seem there are no real surprises in their findings, one recommendation might surprise you: Harnessing the power of purple. Here are four ways to help increase lifespan and unleash the power of purple. (1,2)

1. Quit Smoking To Increase Lifespan

First and foremost, quitting smoking makes a big impact on bettering your health. This is not news, but instead further confirmation that you greatly increase your risk for cancer and stroke when you smoke. It negatively impacts your lungs and coronary arteries, making this one of the number one ways you can decrease your lifespan. (1,2)

2. Lose Weight To Increase Lifespan

Another common piece of advice for overall health is maintaining a healthy weight. According to the study, healthier people have a body mass index (BMI) below 25. Your BMI is the ratio of your height and weight. The higher your BMI, the less healthy you’ll tend to be. Losing weight should always be a top priority. However, you’ll need to embrace a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle, to help you achieve this goal. (1,2)

3. Be More Active To Increase Lifespan

It just takes exercising 30 minutes a day to help increase your lifespan. And it doesn’t have to be strenuous. A brisk walk is a wonderful way to remain active, get out and enjoy some fresh air and feel completely rejuvenated. However, you can choose any activity that brings you joy and gets you moving. Don’t forget to bring along a friend to keep each other motivated. You can even break up your half hour activity into three 10 minute stints to make it easier to manage. Walking morning, noon and evening is an excellent way to spread things out and also break up the monotony of your day.  (1,2)

4. Eat A Healthier Mediterranean Style Diet To Increase Lifespan

By now you’re probably thinking, well none of these ideas seem new! However, where it does get a little more interesting, is with the recommendations for the type of diet you should enjoy. According to the study, the healthiest participants ate a diet that is easy to follow because it includes a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, fish, and plenty of whole-grain carbohydrates. Known as a Mediterranean style diet, it casts aside butter for olive oil and also reduces the amount of red meat. Instead of being focused on what you can’t eat, however, it introduces endless possibilities, so you never run out of ideas, and also reduce cravings. And this is where the purple power comes in. In particular, the study recommends eating more purple vegetables and fruits as they contain anthocyanins. This antioxidant can help reduce cancer, and even help if you find you suffer from memory problems. (1,2,3)

As you can see, the new study confirms what we already knew: with a healthier diet and a smoke-free, active lifestyle, you can increase lifespan. (1,2,3) Add a few healthy recipes to help unleash the power of purple, or adopt some Mediterranean-style dishes into your diet, and you’ll have more chances, every day, of a living longer and healthier life.

Sources:

1. https://abc7.com/longevity-johns-hopkins-living-longer-study-research/10768412/
2. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/4-top-ways-to-live-longer#::text=A%20Johns%20Hopkins%2Dled%20study,by%20an%20astounding%2080%20percent.
3. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/take-your-diet-to-the-mediterranean