Among the existing factors for longevity, several new elements have recently been added. The U.S. News Network has recently summarized survey data on longevity and concluded that there are two key elements to a long life: exercise and plain water.
Women who take a half-hour walk daily can reduce their risk of breast cancer. Researchers at the University of South Carolina found after a 30-year study that women who regularly engage in moderate-intensity physical exercise have a 33% lower risk of dying from breast cancer, and those who exercise the most can cut their risk in half. Moderate-intensity physical activity only requires taking a half-hour walk each day, and increasing the intensity of exercise within the same time frame can bring even more health benefits for women.
Men who exercise for three hours a week can reduce early death risk. Scholars at Uppsala University in Sweden found after a 35-year study that men who regularly engage in medium to high-intensity physical exercise have a 32% lower risk of premature death. Exercising for three hours a week at medium to high intensity (such as playing soccer, swimming, or strength training), or working just as hard in one’s garden or farmyard, can achieve this effect.
Drinking only plain water can activate longevity genes. Without engaging in any exercise, if you avoid all carbonated drinks and fruit juices for six months and drink only pure plain water, you can lose 3.5 kilograms in weight. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that simply drinking one less sugary drink per day allows the body to burn calories more efficiently. The human body’s functional precision is not yet at the level where slightly reducing sugary drinks would disrupt metabolic functions. Drinking only plain water can yield significant health benefits and activate the function of longevity genes.