1. Next Time You’re Asked “Soup or Salad?” Order the Salad
+2 years

Italian researchers found that eating as little as 1 cup of raw vegetables daily can add 2 years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants in vegetables.

To eat your quota, fill a ziplock sandwich bag with chopped red and green peppers, broccoli, and carrots. Toss the bag into your briefcase, along with a packet of dressing–the fat will boost your body’s absorption of certain nutrients.


2. Learn the Law of Lard: The Fat You Carry Today Could Kill You Tomorrow

+3 years

University of Alabama researchers discovered that maintaining a body-mass index of 25 to 35 can shorten your life by up to 3 years. (Excess body fat raises your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and colon cancer.)

If you’re allergic to exercise, sweat with your significant other. A Duke University study shows that sedentary men are 50 percent more likely to work out three times a week if their partners participate.

3. Crack Open a Fresh Can of Nuts and Extend Your Expiration Date

+3 years

When Loma Linda University researchers tracked the lifestyle habits of 34,000 Seventh-Day Adventists–a population famous for its longevity–they discovered that those who munched nuts 5 days a week, earned an extra 2.9 years on the planet.

Pick up the Planters NUT-rition Heart Healthy Mix: It contains all five key nuts, including walnuts, which are usually left out of nut mixes. Aim to eat 2 ounces a day.

4. Never Forget that Your Friends Have Your Back–Even When It’s Hunched Over from Osteoporosis

+7 years

In a study of seventysomethings, Australian researchers found that those with the largest network of friends had the longest lease on life. For the average man, this could add up to 7 additional years of existence.

Yes, some buddies may encourage risky behavior from time to time, but friendship ultimately provides more protection than peril. So try to learn a few new faces at work, trade lifting tips at the gym, or simply say “hey” to that neighbor you’ve never met. You can all thank each other later.

5. Repeat After Us: “There is Life After Retirement”

+7 ½ years

Or at least that’s what you’d better believe if you want to live that long. In a Yale University study of older adults, people with a positive outlook on the aging process lived more than 7 years longer than those who felt doomed to deteriorating mental and physical health.

Already envisioning decades of decrepitude? Volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about: Selfless actions can put a positive spin on life and distract from unhealthy obsessing, reports a study in Psychosomatic Medicine.

Research shows there’s lots you can do to avoid those “senior moments.” Some techniques worth trying:
5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp

1. Chill Out
The brain remembers better when it’s relaxed, say researchers at the California Institute of Technology. Take a few minutes each day to breathe deeply or meditate.

2. Focus on the Future
People who regularly made plans and looked forward to upcoming events had a 50 percent reduced risk of Alzheimer’s, according to a recent study. Don’t worry if your calendar isn’t overflowing with life-changing events: Setting a goal to have a weekly coffee date with a friend (and keeping it) will do.

3. Go for a Walk
Mildly elevated glucose levels (even if you don’t have diabetes) can harm the area of the brain that helps you form memories, say Columbia University researchers. Experts agree that physical activity can help get blood glucose down to normal.

4. Snack on Berries
Blueberries have compounds called anthocyanins that help communication between brain cells and appear to improve memory, says Robert Krikorian, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati.

5. Learn Something New
Take a Spanish class online, join a knitting club or learn to play poker. A UC Irvine study found that mental stimulation limits the debilitating effects of aging on memory and the mind.