Looks like I'm not going to age real well...

Sit Less In some medical circles, sitting is considered   the new smoking. In fact, two recent studies show that sitting for most of the   day ups your risk for health-related fatalities. Feeling smug about hour-long   gym workouts? Here’s another newsflash: A single exercise session makes little   difference to health and longevity when the rest of your day is sedentary. Speculation   is that prolonged time spent sitting negatively impacts cholesterol levels,   blood sugar, and blood pressure--setting the stage for chronic diseases.

Pump Some Iron Stronger bones. Lower blood sugar   levels. A better lipid profile that is good for the heart. These are just some   of the documented benefits of lifting weights. Also, a recent study found that   multiple sets of resistance exercise or high-intensity lifting (higher weight   amounts) helped improve blood sugar and insulin sensitivity in prediabetic young   adults. Prefer yoga? It has the same kind of impact on blood sugar and lowers   LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.

Downplay Saturated Fat Scientists discovered that   women eating higher amounts of saturated fat—the type of fat found in marbled   meats and premium ice creams—had more visible aging of skin (crow’s feet) than   women eating less of these fats. If that weren’t enough, a new report from the   American Heart Association is one in a long line of studies to confirm excess   saturated fat in the diet can create the kind of low-grade inflammation that   sets the stage for illnesses that age you, such as diabetes and cardiovascular   disease.

Pile on the Produce Participants in a Vanderbilt   University study who ate the most fruits and vegetables had a 15% lower risk   of dying compared to people who ate less produce. Other studies break it down   into produce’s specific disease-fighting benefits from nutrients, antioxidants,   and other natural compounds. Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, help fight   cancer. Eating black-eyed peas, lentils, and artichokes may decrease the risk   of stroke and heart attack. Sweet potatoes and beet greens (good sources of   potassium) help lower blood pressure. For best longevity benefits, take a painterly   approach, filling your plate with all the colors of the rainbow.

Fish Twice a Week Omega-3 fats found in fatty   fish like salmon help dampen inflammation, lower triglyceride levels, and slow   the growth of artery-clogging fat. Now, a new study suggests a broader health   benefit: It all revolves around telomeres, nifty little strands of tandem repeat   DNA, whose lengths correlate with longevity. Cardiologists found that heart   patients who survive the longest have high levels of omega-3 fats in their white   blood cells. Speculation: Omega-3s may protect against cellular aging.

Opt for Whole Grains Just five years ago, whole   grains became all the buzz in medical circles. This had to do with a study suggesting   a diet rich in whole grains helps arteries age well. Now, researchers are talking   about whole grains strengthening immune function--something that tends to weakens   with age. A study underway at the University of Reading is looking at “good”   and “bad” bacterial levels in the gut and how they influence different measures   of immune function. What they’re dishing up for volunteers: Brown rice instead   of white; whole grains instead of refined ones.

Sip Green Tea Japanese researchers continue to   uncover new and better benefits for people who drink this humble liquid. Initial   studies link green tea drinking to a reduced mortality risk and lower risk of   stroke, dementia, and bone fractures. Tea drinkers also have less psychological   distress. And the latest findings: Sipping on the green brew in later years--after   the age of 65--keeps people functioning at high levels during daily activities.   Antioxidants, including epigalloccatechin gallate, are the suspected protective   culprits.

Ditch Excess Sugar Too much sugar and refined   carbs make blood sugar levels skyrocket. The issue is quantity: Does eating   over 600 calories worth of added sugar (the U.S. daily average) sound like a   lot? It should. Researchers contend at these high levels, sugar, like alcohol,   damages the liver and creates negative changes to metabolism and blood pressure.   It’s not a little bit of sugar here and there that’s a problem, but a sweet   tooth on steroids that can slowly kill.