h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If you can fly by forgetting to hit the ground, can you live longer by forgetting to die?

Maybe not, but if you stop worrying about how to live longer and just do what you enjoy doing, then maybe you'll have more fun for the limited time you're actually here.

Eat more red meat.

Actually, eating more red meat is exactly what you should *not* do. The percentage of unhealthy fats is highest in red meat than in any other class of food.

Since eating unhealthy quantities of meat causes fatty deposits to built up in the arteries of the heart and the brain's blood vessels, and since this chain of events is known to cause heart attacks and strokes (which together form the leading cause of death), this is probably the worst advice you could give anybody.

The next worse advice would be to tell the person to start smoking for their "health." About one third of smokers die of a disease related to their habit. The health effects of smoking continue for years after you quit, so trying to quit after your first bout with cancer, lung disease, heart attack, or stroke is far less likely to keep you alive than quitting now.

So there you go. Cut down on meat (especially red meat and pork), and don't smoke. You will add an average of ten years to your life span by following this advice. Other good advice according to many scientific studies is:

* Drive safely, and never drink and drive. Nobody wants to die prematurely.
* Wear sunscreen when spending the day outside. Skin cancer can kill if untreated, and it's a pain in any case.
* Exercise. This should be done for at least half an hour three times a week.
* Eat more fruits and vegetables, and drink a decent amount of water.
* Remain socially involved into your elder years. Keep in touch with family and friends.

If you've got this down, you can expect an average of 15 to 20 years added to your life span. But here's the choker. The single biggest facter in longevity is *heredity*. Your DNA determines whether you are looking at a 60-80 year lifespan, or an 85-105 year one. Your gender also has a five-year influence, as women tend on the whole to live longer.

Following this advice will not guarantee that you'll live to 100. But it's still better advice that "eat more red meat."

PS Surprisingly, scientific studies do not show an increase in longevity for either happy or optimistic people.

screw all that stuff man....you´re gonna die anyway....it´s all about the quality of life not how long you live, so eat more red meat!!and enjoy!!

I thought I should explain why I responded to a short, whippy post about enjoying life with harsh condemnation and a lengthy list of factors for longevity.

My father operated under the "at least I will have lived a happy life" theory. He smoked, ate plenty of meat and junk food, refused to exercise, never worse sun screen, and even took poor care of his teeth. And yes, he was a jolly and optimistic man. Everyone loved being around him. He even claimed he was enjoying every minute of his life.

My father had two root canals, three bouts with skin cancer, and all manner of other small ailments. At age 55, his blood pressure was so high that he started to bleed from his ears, eyes, and other unmentionable places. He survived, and it was only then that he realized how much his body and his life had changed over the years due to his decision.

He couldn't ride on roller coasters because he was too fat to lock in the safety bar over his middle. He couldn't visit a museum because walking around for a couple of hours was too taxing for his underdeveloped muscles. He couldn't stay and listen to all of his daughter's concerts, because he had to go outside to smoke once an hour.

By the time my father understood, it was too late. It takes a long time to lose 250 pounds, especially when you must build up basic muscle function. And you will have health risks from smoking years after you quit. My dad had a heart attack at age 60. He told me how sorry he was that he might miss my college graduation, my wedding, and seeing his grandchildren. He died of another heart attack at 62.

True enjoyment of life has nothing to do with what you eat, inhale, or watch on television. Those are creature comforts, and shouldn't be confused with happiness. So please take care of yourself. If you can't do it out of selfishness, do it for the people you love. My mother remains angry at my father almost a year after he died. She feels his selfishness deprived them of years they could have spent together. As for me, I just miss him.

I'm sorry to hear about your father.

But I still maintain that as long as you enjoy life, it doesn't matter how long it is. One can only question whether smoking is enjoyable, and if it is, whether its consequences are. You have to weigh up the short term enjoyment with the long term, and make your decision on which you value more.

Enjoy Life. Ahh.. Theres the rub. Many say go for quality over quantity. Many suggest that if you have true quality then the long life will follow.

The most challenging aspect is figuring out what enjoying life is. Is it "Eat, Drink, and be Merry"? Or is it something more subtle as suggested by many Eastern (and VERY old) philosophies?

Or as a friend of mine suggests: Live, Love, Laugh (which I believe is based in Eastern philosophy).

???

For me, enjoying life has almost nothing to do with momentary pleasures. It has to do with:

* being in good company
* having new experiences
* learning life lessons
* developing a sense of accomplishment
* feeling at peace with yourself

The rest, to me, are mere distractions from what life is really about.

I also can't imagine using a cold cost-analysis to decide whether or not to ignore health concerns. The instant gratification will always weight heavier on the mind than the long-term benefits. But if you must manage life in such a manner, I would submit that the least you can do is include the benefits and losses to your friends and family along with those to yourself. But that's just my opinion.