The secret to a long life: Strip naked and have a coffee!

  • Dr David Argus is one of the world’s top cancer specialists
  • He says ditching your heels and having children are key to a healthy life

By Dr David Argus

PUBLISHED: 17:07 EST, 16 March 2014 | UPDATED: 19:05 EST, 16 March 2014

Want to live a long and healthy life? Ditch those high heels, switch from fresh fruit to frozen — and take off all your clothes. 

According to a new book by one of the world’s top cancer specialists, these small changes could dramatically increase your longevity. Here we reveal some of Dr David Agus’s surprising tips . . .

Familiarise yourself with your body so that you will recognise if any thing appears out of the ordinary, such as a mole or rash

Familiarise yourself with your body so that you will recognise if any thing appears out of the ordinary, such as a mole or rash

Strip off and go naked

Take a good look at yourself naked in front of a mirror — front and back. This will help you  spot trouble on the horizon in the form of body oddities you didn’t have before and signs of skin cancer.

And once in a while, take a visual inventory of every square inch of yourself, including your hair, nails and the inside of your mouth.

 

More...

No airport scanners

Do we know what these machines do to us? Where’s the long-term data to show us they are harmless? Until science can prove their safety, I’ll request a pat-down massage at airports. So should you.

Bin your high heels

Inflammation has been linked to some of our most troubling degenerative diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, auto-immune diseases, diabetes and accelerated ageing.

Uncomfortable shoes cause unnecessary inflammation in your feet that can have an impact on your whole system. There’s no  easier way to reduce your overall inflammation than to simply wear comfortable shoes daily.

Drinking coffee in moderation not only wakes you up but could help you live longer

Drinking coffee in moderation not only wakes you up but could help you live longer

Wake up with a coffee

Drinking coffee or tea in moderation has long been shown to confer positive benefits on our health.

Though researchers have tried to link caffeine consumption with illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis and cancer, study after study has proven otherwise.

Eat at the same time

One of the best ways of reducing stress on your body is to maintain a regular routine 365 days a year.

If your body were deprived of its expected lunch at noon, apart from feeling hunger, it would experience a surge in the stress  hormone cortisol, which tells it to hold onto fat and conserve energy.

So, if you don’t eat when your body anticipates food, it will sabotage your efforts to lose or maintain an ideal weight.

Getting the flu can also put you at risk of other illnesses

Getting the flu can also put you at risk of other illnesses

Have a flu shot

Immunising yourself against flu isn’t just about beating the disease.

Just one to two weeks of an inflammatory storm, which is  what will take place if  you contract flu, can increase your lifetime risk for obesity, heart attack, stroke and cancer.

People still falsely think the vaccine has side effects, that it doesn’t work, can cause the flu or  even contains toxins or poisons. All this is rubbish!

Stand up

There is a profound link between more time sitting and   a greater incidence of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and early death.

Way back in the Fifties, a comparison of London’s double-decker bus drivers and conductors in the Fifties found that the ticket takers, who climbed stairs all day, had a much lower incidence of heart attacks than the drivers.

However, if you think you’re doing your body good with an hour-long workout before or after a long day at your desk, think again.

Even two hours of exercise a day will not compensate for spending 22 hours sitting on your derriere or lying in bed.

DID YOU KNOW?

Girls born today can expect to live to nearly 83, four years longer than boys

Stop slouching

Apart from neck and back problems, poor posture can also cause headaches, arthritis, poor circulation, muscle aches and pains, difficulty breathing, indigestion, constipation, joint stiffness, fatigue, neurological problems and poor physical function in general.

All roads to perfect posture start with a sturdy core. Try exercises such as pilates designed for this.

Take aspirin daily

Many high-quality research studies have confirmed that the use of aspirin not only substantially reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, but it can even ward off a medley of ailments through its anti-inflammatory powers.

A daily low-dose aspirin (75 milligrams) has even been shown to reduce the risk of developing common malignant cancers in the lungs, colon and prostate by a 46 per cent.

But make sure that you discuss it with your doctor first as there are side effects such as stomach bleeding.

Frozen fruit & veg

We may be able to access pretty much any type of food all year long, but it comes at a cost: nutrition.

By the time most of it reaches your supermarket, it doesn’t contain nearly the same amount of nutrients as when the crop was picked.

Unless you can buy truly fresh local produce that’s in season, opt for frozen fruits and vegetables.

They tend to be picked at their peak.

Avoid vitamins

Many studies on groups of more than a thousand people in the past few decades have shown that taking vitamin supplements is correlated with an increased risk of serious diseases such as cancer, and it produces little benefit to health.

The body likes to create free radicals to attack ‘bad’ cells, including cancerous ones.

If you block this by taking copious amounts of vitamins, especially those touted as antioxidants, you block your body’s natural ability to  control itself.

Running after your children keeps you active both physically and mentally

Running after your children keeps you active both physically and mentally

Have children

If you have children you’ll be more likely to live longer than your childless counterparts.

That’s because raising a child compels us to remain active and mentally challenged.

Sip a glass of wine

Moderate alcohol intake, especially red wine, can reduce the risk for heart disease.

Aim for no more than one drink a day if you’re a woman and two if you’re a man.

Give us a smile

Smiling will boost your mood. It will trigger the release of pain-killing, brain-happy endorphins and seratonin, which reduce harmful stress levels.

A Short Guide To A Long Life by Dr David Agus (Simon & Schuster, £12.99).

Comments (71)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Flu shots and asprin but no antioxidants???? Who's paying this guy?

1
13
 Click to rate

yay I should live to be about 200 then. At home i'm 95% of the time naked with a coffee in my hand. I may not have the body of a supermodel but I don't care, my hubby doesn't care and despite living in a 3rd floor flat the occupants in the flat opposite don't seem to care either. Though I have put nets up at my husband's request. I always have clothes to hand in case the doorbell rings but other than that....naked naked naked.

3
13
 Click to rate

Costa here I come.

2
6
 Click to rate

This is just a bunch of factoids cobbled together from common sense and other peoples findings.

1
4
 Click to rate

"Eat at the same time. One of the best ways of reducing stress on your body is to maintain a regular routine 365 days a year. " And yet doctors recommend the 5/2 diet regularly. Five days eat normally two days diet. Our ancestors did not eat regularly. Sometimes they went days or weeks without proper food (you try hunting a deer with a bow and arrow). So what are we supposed to do? I know. Ignore all advice from people promoting their new book.

0
5
 Click to rate

I was enjoying this article until I came to the part of the flu shot, no thanks I have seen the side effects 1st hand!

1
7
 Click to rate

Does this mean that smoking is okay after all? See the new vapour cigs are being questioned already. Must protect those taxes on cigarettes somehow!

0
5
 Click to rate

I am well into my 95 th year, The only time I strip naked is for my shower. As for that horrible concoction, coffee I never touch it My secret , almost 68 years ago I married the right woman. She is now 89 years old, and we still enjoy each others company. For a long and happy life, a successful marriage is at the top of my list

1
35
 Click to rate

Flu vaccine, this sounds like a bought and paid for article. Living in the present moment, being content with good nutrition, meditation and exercise is key to living a long healthy life. What I mean by nutrition is lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds that are not GMO and pesticide ridden junk.

1
8
 Click to rate

Just as long as you don't spill hot coffee on yourself.

0
5
 Click to rate

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now