Live Like a Vampire: Longevity Myths and Things to Be Wary Of (Part 2)

“Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me.” — William Shakespeare, “Antony and Cleopatra”

Welcome back, fellow future vampires. Last week we talked about the things you should be doing to increase your longevity. As usual, we cited science-backed sources which support the approaches. Though there is also the other side: Advice with no substantiated backing. These can be life hacks or straight up myths around how to improve your lifespan. Obviously, it’s good to know what to be wary of.

With any topic as big as immortal youth, there is going to be tons of hype around hacks and convincing short cut solutions. A perfect example is cutting your diet down to nothing and taking dozens of supplements per day. Or eating whatever you want and taking vitamins to stay healthy. Supplements are there to help, but no multivitamin is a substitute for an overall healthy diet1. Considering how expensive they are, your money is better spent elsewhere. Additionally, diet is not the only key to living longer; you need both a good diet and consistent exercise2.

Attitude certainly matters, but in a surprising way in regards to health. In a 80-year study, the most prudent and persistent individuals stayed the healthiest, and lived longer, compared to those who were most cheerful3. People with a more upbeat disposition tended to take more risks when it came to their health. Additionally, those with a conscientious, hard-working personality trait had a 20 to 30 percent decreased risk of early death4. So, taking it easy isn’t necessarily the key to a long life.

Time and again we hear that you’re too old to change and make a difference in your health. This is a super myth. People who stopped smoking when they were between ages 45 and 54 gained about six years of life compared with others who didn’t quit5. This is not just in regards to our lungs. Even if not used before, daily sunscreen use slowed skin aging even in middle age6. It’s never too late to make healthy choices. Stick to what is proven to work. Ignore what has no scientific backing and enjoy your path to immortal youth.

Action: Evaluate if you have fallen into the health myths being peddled. Move away from what doesn’t work and towards the approaches which are proven.

Further Reading:

  1. Daily multivitamins may not promote longevity, study finds
  2. Diet vs exercise: and the winner is…
  3. Keys to long life? Not what you might expect
  4. Hard-working and Prudent? You’ll Live Longer
  5. 21st-Century Hazards of Smoking and Benefits of Cessation in the United States
  6. Sunscreen and Prevention of Skin Aging: A Randomized Trial

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