7 shocking things that shorten your life span

7 shocking things that shorten your life span

RealBuzz – Mon, 17 Dec, 2012

No sense of humor

You know how people always say “laughter is the best medicine?” Turns out they’re telling the truth. A study carried out by Sven Svebak at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, which covered 54,000 subjects, found that people with a high capacity for humor were 35 per cent more likely to be live longer than people who ranked at the bottom of the humor scale. If you are planning to go through life keeping laughter to a minimum, you’ll be missing out on health benefits such as stress reduction, immune system improvement, and increased blood flow, which could reduce your life expectancy when compared to your chuckling peers.

Flying

It’s been proven that taking regular holidays is a stress busting health booster, but it seems the way we travel to those holidays isn’t quite as healthy. In fact, flying can be downright bad for you. It’s already been proven by the Association of Flight Attendants that people who have careers in the aviation industry are more at risk of dying from cancer, and now it’s become apparent why. According to physicist Robert Parish, when you reach the average cruising altitude of 39,000 feet in a plane you are subject to 64 times more radiation than at sea level due to cosmic rays, which over time can seriously affect your wellbeing.  

Nasty co-workers

You know that person who you can’t stand at work? As if things weren’t bad enough already, they’re actually shortening your lifespan. Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that a person’s colleagues have a significant bearing on their wellbeing, with friendly and supportive co-workers leading to lowered stress levels and a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol. People at work who cause arguments and don’t share the workload equally have the opposite effect, causing stress and subsequently a higher risk of dying amongst their colleagues. These negative effects were most obvious in subjects between the ages of 38 and 43, so if you fall into that bracket it might be time to bury the hatchet with your work enemies.

Retiring

Retiring is often the light at the end of the tunnel for stressed workers, especially for those who have saved all of their life so that they can do it earlier. Sadly, that lifetime of financial sacrifice is leading to a shorter lifespan according to research carried out by Shell Health Services. The study discovered that people who retire at 55 on average died younger than those who waited until they were 65. John Rother, chief lobbyist of the American Association of Retired Persons, explained it rather bluntly by saying “you use it or you lose it” – by retiring early, your body misses out on its daily dose of activity and you gradually become more unhealthy.

Not drinking alcohol

We’re always told to cut back on how much alcohol we drink, and rightly so – excessive alcohol consumption can severely damage your health. However, go to the opposite end of the drinking spectrum and you could be in even more trouble than heavy drinkers. A study at the University of Texas found that non-drinkers have a lower life expectancy than people who drink a moderate amount, and in some cases even lower than heavy drinkers. This is partly due to missing out on the health benefits associated with alcohol. Alcohol (in sensible amounts) helps to protect against heart disease, and decreases the likelihood of Alzheimer’s and dementia through improved neuron function in the brain.

Sleeping too much

Getting enough sleep is important when it comes to good health, so surely the more shut-eye you get the better, right? Wrong. Consistently going too far over the recommended eight hours can negatively affect your health according to a study conducted by RealAge.com. The findings showed that participants who slept for more than nine and a half hours a night suffered from a staggering 60 per cent increase in heart disease, and a higher mortality rate when compared to people who stick to the recommended amount. As well as heart disease, over-sleeping has also been linked with a whole host of health issues, including obesity, diabetes, headaches and depression.

Not having sex

Sex is good for you. Is anyone still here? For those of you who haven’t frantically run off to tell a significant other the good news, we’ll explain why. The British Medical Journal conducted a sex survey and found that men who didn’t have sex at least once a month experienced twice the mortality rate of those who were getting lucky once a week. It’s not hard to see why this is the case – having sex burns kilojoules, lowers blood pressure, boosts the immune system, and much, much more. A study at Duke University also backed this up, finding that women who had enjoyable sex lives lived eight years longer than those who didn’t. 

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The Best Place to Retire Overseas on a Budget

By Kathleen Peddicord

If an affordable cost of living is your priority in choosing where to retire, take a look at Cuenca, Ecuador. This city is one of the world's best places to retire overseas on a budget.

Cuenca is a beautiful colonial city in an interesting and diverse country. The health care is high quality, honest, and inexpensive. The climate is spring-like and pleasant 12 months of the year. And Cuenca's large and growing expat community is one of Latin America's most diverse and well-blended. 

There are other colonial cities in Ecuador, but Cuenca is the cultural heart of the country. In this center of art and literature, you can attend the orchestra, a play, a tango show, or an art opening, and these activities are usually free.

Cuenca is also a popular destination for international tourists and language students, offering many super-affordable options to study Spanish. The tourists and students bring vitality to the city and help support Cuenca's developed infrastructure for amenities and services.

However, perhaps the biggest draw to Cuenca is its cost of living, which is extremely low, especially considering the quality of life that you find here. The falling dollar has caused prices to go up sharply for overseas retirees whose retirement incomes are denominated in U.S. dollars, but who are living in places where goods are priced in the local currency. But this exchange-rate concern does not exist in Cuenca, because Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar.

The $1 fixed-price lunch is still alive and well in Cuenca (although $2.50 is more common), and the city is awash with fresh tropical fruits and vegetables for pennies on the dollar. Fresh fish and shrimp arrive daily from the coast, and much of the local poultry is free-range. A bus trip through the city is a quarter, taxis start at about $1.50, and gas is only $1.48 per gallon.

You could rent a furnished apartment for as little as $400 per month, an unfurnished apartment from $300 per month, or buy a small condo outright for less than $40,000. Thanks to the comfortable year-round climate in Cuenca, you won't have to worry about heat or air conditioning, which is another important reason why retirement in this city is as affordable as it is.
Cuenca is very walkable and boasts an excellent public transit system, as does all of Ecuador. You could live easily without a car, which shaves even more costs from your monthly budget.

All that said, Cuenca is not the most affordable place to live in Ecuador. In small towns like Cotacachi or Vilcabamba, you could retire on an even more modest budget of as little as $650 or $700 a month. But the cost of living isn't the only factor you should consider when choosing a retirement spot. You want to balance the cost of your retirement against the quality of retirement life you'll be able to enjoy. Part of the reason the overall cost of living in places like Cotacachi is so low is because there's simply not much to do, meaning there's not much to spend money on. You could live quite frugally in Cotacachi, but also very simply.

Cuenca, on the other hand, is a fully developed city, where you could enjoy a rich and full life. To be able to enjoy all that the city has to offer, plan on a budget of $1,500 a month per couple if you're renting and $1,100 per month if you own your home. You could certainly live here for less, but these estimates will allow you to make the most of your new life in Cuenca.

Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group. With more than 25 years experience covering this beat, Kathleen reports daily on current opportunities for living, retiring, and investing overseas in her free e-letter. Her book, How To Retire Overseas--Everything You Need To Know To Live Well Abroad For Less, was recently released by Penguin Books.