Will you live to be 100?
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That's the tricky question we could soon all be asking ourselves, according to new research carried out in the US.
A team from the Boston School of Medicine are attempting to create a test which will reveal if a person will live to be 100 years old.
They compared genetic markers from a group of 800 people with an average age of 104 with another group of people of different ages.
After examining the genes, the team said they could make a prediction of 71% accuracy about who lived longer than 102 years and with 85% accuracy for those living longer than 105 years.
The study's head author Professor Thomas Perls, associate professor of medicine, said: "Many of the genes we found have already been associated with Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and free radical damage which plays an important role in age-related diseases."
"That's very interesting because the evidence we have seen suggests that super-centenarians do not become disabled until they are in their 90s – they seem to delay or avoid age-related diseases."
"Environmental factors are very important in living a long life but beyond the 90s there is an increasingly important genetic component that takes these people above the average."
Are longevity tests a good idea or not? Let us know below...
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- Exercise regularly<p> Regular moderate exercise helps stimulate the lymphatic system which ensures the efficient removal of bodily toxins; in addition, exercise like cycling, jogging, walking or swimming can help you relax and reduces stress, which is also known to weaken your immunity. A study found that brisk walking for at least 20 minutes a day helped reduce chances of catching a cold. In addition to exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding high blood pressure are also beneficial for your immunity.</p> <div> </div>
- Wash your hands<p> So simple yet so effective, regular hand washing does play a role in reducing the spread of bacteria during cold and flu season (so it's important to keep it up even if your hands are <a href="http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/2011/12/16/winter-skin-bargain-buys/" target="_self">dry and flaky from winter winds</a>). A study found that soap and water (and alcohol-based hand sanitisers) reduced the germ count on health care workers' hands by 58 per cent after 30 seconds of washing. Just note that while hand sanitiser does kill many bugs, it isn't very effective against norovirus, that nasty winter vomiting bug.</p> <p> </p> <div> </div>
- Get some rays<p> Scientists have found that vitamin D can be crucial in boosting the immune system, particularly in helping the body to fight off serious infections. Get a daily dose from the sun (even on a cloudy day) or in vitamin D-rich foods like eggs, salmon and mackerel.</p>
- Stop smoking<p> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 12pt; ">If you're still not convinced it's time to stop smoking, cigarettes can also hinder your immunity because they affect the health of blood vessels, making it harder for the body to fight off infections. In addition, smoking puts you at a higher risk for respiratory infections.</span></p>
- Sleep well<p> The immune system is more vulnerable when the body is sleep-deprived since a good night's snooze allows time for our organs to replenish themselves. Aim for eight hours a night. Quality of sleep is also thought to be important for helping the immune system thrive, so reducing alcohol intake may help you achieve an optimal night of rest.</p>
