Long life – that's how you do it

What is the goal of our existence? The majority will now probably answer to live a happy, fulfilling and, above all, long life. Understandable – after all, we do almost everything to stay young and fit as long as possible and to protect ourselves from aging and diseases. We detoxify our bodies with green smoothies and juice cures and in the gym we torture ourselves week after week to stay in shape.

In the meantime, we are even tracking all of our body data so that we can always keep an eye on our vital signs and calorie consumption. However, scientists are now saying that completely different values ​​keep us healthy and thus lead to a long life.

Today we show you what aspects we should focus on in the future and why the small, everyday things are the secret to a long life.

1. Good friendship

Attention – an early death can be reduced by 45 percent if you focus on your friends, neighbors and family and build up a large circle of friends. Being part of a community and being socially active promotes our self-esteem and prevents the feeling of loneliness and sadness – two factors that make a long, happy life difficult. Important here: not only have friendships, but also cultivate them. When you regularly meet up with good friends, happiness hormones are released, which in turn enable us to live a long life.

But it is an absolute no-go Phubbing – An English word for the friendship killer par excellence: look at your cell phone and prefer to surf on social media instead of paying attention to your counterpart.

Bonus tip: Conscientious and conscientious people also reduce the likelihood of leaving us early. Another reason to focus on new values.

2. I think I want marry you!

Being married brings with it many duties, but also some advantages. You still have doubts? Married people have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's. Since couples rarely get lonely, their immune and nervous systems work better.

3. Be careful while rolling your eyes

If you roll your eyes often, you will get fat.

Yes, you read that right – while this doesn't happen from one roller to the next, studies have shown that people who roll their eyes frequently during a dispute burn fewer calories than if they didn't.

If you can't believe this, you can get the explanation here: If we get very upset about our partner and constantly argue with him, the hormone insulin is increasingly released. Insulin is a hormone in our pancreas and has a crucial function in our body: it regulates blood sugar levels. With an increased release of the hormone, cravings are preprogrammed. Another flaw in the roll of eyes: the energy consumption goes down – together with the cravings so not a good starting point for the bikini body.

4. Look me in the eye – Puppy

If you have a dog, you should look it in the eye more often. He will not then turn into a prince, but will literally let you blossom inside. The hormone oxytocin is increasingly released. Oxytocin is a hormone produced in the brain, which plays a major role especially in pair bonding, orgasms and maternal bonding.

Of course, you don't necessarily need to buy a dog for this – the stimulated hormone release also works if you look your loved one in the eyes or squeeze them. So replace the time in the gym with cuddly units on the sofa more often!

5. Hot chocolate love

Warm drinks, especially hot chocolate, counteract feelings of loneliness and sadness. There is also a scientific explanation for this phenomenon: when we warm our hands on the cup and thereby heat our body, a signal is sent to the insula, one of the five cerebral lobes. Heat signals security to the body due to evolution and allows us to relax. By the way – the whole thing also works with other hot drinks, such as tea. The only advantage of chocolate is that Happiness hormone serotonin to pour out. So we achieve a double effect. If that's not an argument for the hot treat, then I don't know.

6. Positivity portfolio

Yes – the positivity trend is literally sprouting up on social media. This time we don't mean body positivity or positive thinking. A so-called "positivity portfolio" should promote your partnership and let you both grow old together. What is meant here is not a portfolio in the real sense, but small gestures and actions to show each other how much you like each other. That means taking photos together, planning surprises for others or writing a list of why the partner is something very special. Doesn't sound that difficult, does it?

7th order is half life

Who would not like to be organized, disciplined and orderly? You would write meal plans, never eat unhealthy again, exercise regularly and throw in the household. Sounds like a dream, but miles away?

Reprogramming yourself in terms of organization and planning is worth it until the end of your life (far away). The reason? Scientists are convinced that there is a direct connection between order in life and the immune and nervous system. This means that our disorder subconsciously stresses and weakens us.

If you already want to throw the shotgun in the grain, since planning and organization is simply not his strength, you should try to incorporate small changes into everyday life. For example, set a timer every 15 minutes every morning and evening, in which you tidy up as much as possible. Build small routines in your day, write to-do lists and be amazed at how quickly you develop into an organizational talent.

And what about…

… a fitness tracker?

Listen to your body. We often come across this phrase when it comes to health, nutrition and fitness. So-called fitness trackers are now there to take over the function of our clever body and announce all of our vital values. However, studies show that the information provided by the new companion is often incorrect and thus misleads us in our actions. Better – listen to your own intuition. The body tries to tell us practically everything: whether hunger, satiety, tiredness or the urge to move – sometimes we should just listen closely and trust ourselves.

… Food supplements?

The small pills seem essential for survival these days, but we already find all the important nutrients in our food. If we eat a balanced diet, we are actually well looked after and do not need the expensive helpers. Only vitamin D can be a useful addition, since in winter it can be difficult to cover your needs only with the sun's rays. It can also be beneficial for vegans to supplement vitamin B12 and iron, however, you should not start self-therapy, but discuss the use of such products with your family doctor. Vitamins such as vitamin E, vitamin A or beta-carotene in particular can be dangerous in too high a dosage and are more of a hindrance to your long life.

… botox?

Better put your fingers away. Firstly, botox treatment often goes wrong if it is performed improperly; secondly, restricting our facial expressions means that we are less happy. Happiness hormones are released by lifting the corners of our mouths. We also find the natural beauty a thousand times more charming than the artificial intervention using the neurotoxic poison. Incidentally, your fellow human beings see it this way: According to the study results, people with botox treatment tend to be less sympathetic to their surroundings.

Would you like to read more about the topic and exchange ideas with other women? Then check out the "Health Forum" of the BRIGITTE community!