Fact: The “stronger sex” is regularly outlived by the women in their lives.
Fiction: They live more stressful lives which is the main contributor to the early mortality rate amongst our men.

True, generally speaking, women live longer than men, with some studies suggesting that males have a mortality rate that’s up to 60% higher than females. This difference in life expectancy was previously blamed on the assumption that men are more prone to work in high risk jobs, as well as being more prone to being overweight or prone to illnesses, such as heart disease and cancers, linked to lifestyle choices.  Mmm … I don’t buy it! Men and women live equally adventurous lives; such a simple explanation no longer rings true.

Ok, so few people can expect to live as long as Misao Okawa of Osaka, Japan, who recently died at the age of 117. Good news though, life expectancy is at an all-time high according to a report released by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The fact that we’re now on average living to the ripe old age of 78 years isn’t that surprising, but there’s another stat that is. A girl born in 2012 can expect to live to 81.2 years – almost 5 years longer than a boy born in the same year, who is likely to live to the age of 76.4. Why is that?

Turns out, the significant disability for men in making it to retirement, is the Y-chromosome. Researchers from the Uppsala University in Sweden, say that the Y-chromosome, or specifically the loss thereof, may be to blame for men’s shortened lifespans. Who knew, it’s all in the chromosomes!

Only found in men, the Y-chromosome is present in every cell in their bodies. But in some men it starts to disappear as they get older. Research has shown that these men are more likely to die young and to suffer from a range of cancers.

Researchers therefore hypothesise that the loss of the Y-chromosome in blood cells leads them to lose part of their immune function. Since women don’t carry the Y-chromosome, the phenomenon may help to explain why we, “the weaker sex” have longer lives.

So, ladies, since we are the CEO’s of our family’s health, and – since they won’t know how to do it themselves anyway! – Let’s look at a few interesting life hacks to increase the lifespan of the men in our lives. Encourage him to:

• Eat less. Japan has the longest average lifespan in the world, and the longest lived of the Japanese – the natives of the Ryuky Islands – stop eating when they’re 80% full. Limiting calorie intake means lower overall stress on the body.
• Eat sweet potato and tofu. The Japanese believe that these two ingredients increase lifespan.
• Become a vegetarian. Studies suggest that vegetarians, on average, live 20% longer than meat eaters.
• Laugh often. This will reduce the levels of stress hormones, like cortisol, in the body.
• Meditate. Meditation leads to stress reduction and lowered blood pressure. Research suggests that it could also increase the activity of an enzyme associated with longevity.
• Drink coffee. Studies have found a link between coffee consumption and longer life. Coffee’s high levels of antioxidants may play a role.
• A 2010 study at Bigham Young University found that women have stronger social connections and have a 50% lower chance of dying than those with fewer social ties. Men tend to hold stress close to their chest while women tend to reach out to others.
• Watch less TV. A 2008 study found that people who watch six hours of TV per day will likely die an average of 4.8 years earlier than those who don’t! It is also found that, after the age of 25, every hour of television watched decreases life expectancy by 22 minutes!
• Drink in moderation. Recent research suggests that drinking one to three glasses of any type of alcohol may help to increase longevity. Heavy drinkers and abstainers have a higher risk of mortality than moderate drinkers. Interesting!
• Floss. Flossing helps to stave off gum disease, which is linked to an increased risk of cancer.
• Have sex. Sex burns calories, decreases stress, improves sleep and may even protect against heart disease – love long and prosper!

We all know the way to a man’s health is through a woman! Help your man to pave his path through a century by introducing these simple, yet fabulous life hacks.

Source: www.lifeadvancer.com, www.lifehack.org, www.dailymail.co.uk, health.com, www.netdoctor.co.uk, news.health.com, Stanford.edu, www.mh.co.za, www.cia.gov, www.msn.com, www.malehealthcenter.com, iheartintelligence.com

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.