Could It Be So Simple?

The average American is expected to live to 78. So says AARP. I think all of us would rather have quality versus quantity, no matter how long we live. We need to be taking the steps today to have a healthier and happier tomorrow. All this work raising out kids merits sticking around to see the productive and contributing adults they become.

On "The Early Show", Men's Health magazine Joel Weber showed us just how we can add years to our lives.

He shares we're succeeding at living longer, stronger and happier lives: Centenarians are one of the most rapidly growing segments of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute on Aging. The number of centenarians is growing at a rate of 4.1 percent per year; the numbers increased 51 percent between 1990 and 2000. This is no surprise. 100 year -olds are forming a line to be recognized by Willard Scott on national TV.

Here are five tips to live longer and to live better.

Eat Your Vegetables - Raw

Italian researchers have found that eating as little as one cup of raw vegetables daily can add two years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants in vegetables. That said, sauteing, steaming, or blanching them is far better than not eating them at all. If you consume more than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you have a 26 percent lower risk of stroke than people who eat fewer than three servings, according to one British study. Try to eat as many different colors of vegetables as you can, and keep in mind that darker greens tend to contain the most vitamins and nutrients. Spinach, Swiss chard, kale, and collard greens are all excellent choices. When making salads, experiment with flavorful greens that you're not too familiar with. Just go easy on the salad dressings, which tend to be high in calories and sodium. For a healthy, easy-to-make dressing, mix two parts extra-virgin olive oil with one part balsamic vinegar, and then add salt and pepper to taste. (I would throw in a couple of cloves of crushed garlic and a little lemon juice).

Crack Some Shells

When Loma Linda University researchers tracked the lifestyle habits of 34,000 Seventh-Day Adventists -a population famous for its longevity- they discovered that those who munched nuts five days a week earned an extra 2.9 years on the planet. Not surprisingly, nuts are one of the healthiest snacks you can have. High in monounsaturated fats and protein, they help keep your arteries clean and your stomach feeling full. Eat two handfuls a day as snacks between meals. Almonds are especially good for their high doses of vitamin E and magnesium, but walnuts are a good alternative because they contain more heart-healthy omega-3s and pack half as much protein as chicken. He also suggests Planters Heart Healthy Mix, which contains six key nuts, including almonds and walnuts. Just remember to always opt for raw, unsalted nuts. Smoking and salting increases the sodium content, which can have a negative impact on your blood pressure.

Check Your Belly

The fat you carry today could kill you tomorrow. University of Alabama researchers discovered that maintaining a body-mass index of 25 to 35 can shorten your life by up to three years. BMI is a simple calculation of a person's weight-to-height ratio that doctors often use to determine a person's health risk. According to the National Institute of Health, a BMI of 19-24.9 is normal, 25-29.9 is overweight, and 30 or greater is obese. Excess body fat raises your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and colon cancer. Calculate your BMI using an online calculator. To improve your score, try circuit training-a conditioning technique that combines the best aspects of strength training and cardio into a single activity by having you move from one weightlifting station to the next without rest. Then persuade your significant other to join. A Duke University study showed that sedentary people are 50 percent more likely to work out three times a week if their partners participate.

Invite Your Friends Over

Chronic stress weakens the immune system and ages cells more quickly -ultimately shortening life-spans - but friendships can act as a buffer against stresses of everyday life. When Australian researchers looked at seventy-somethings, for instance, they found that those with the largest network of friends had the longest lease on life. For the average person, this could add up to seven additional years. But acquaintances aren't friends; You need people you can openly confide in. In a survey conducted jointly by Duke University and the University of Arizona, however, sociologists learned that women today report having an average of only two close confidants, down from three in 1985; nearly a quarter of the women surveyed reported having no one at all in whom they could confide. So say "hello" to the neighbors, invite your closest friends over for game night, and then maintain rituals, whether it's as simple as a weekly Sunday night phone call or a yearly stay in a beach house with people you love.

Find a Happy Place

In a Yale University study of older adults, people with a positive outlook on the aging process lived more than seven years longer than those who felt doomed to deteriorating mental and physical health. If you're outlook has some room for improvement, give back to your community by volunteering or mentoring-selfless actions that distract from unhealthy obsessing. In addition to helping others, don't forget to care for yourself. Make yourself happy by doing the activities you enjoy most-whether it's going to the spa for a facial, quality time with family, or hitting the links. Maybe it's baking bread, joining a book club or climbing Mt. Everest. It's all up to each of us. Attitude goes a long way to keeping us healthy and happy. It's a choice. The key is finding what makes each of us happiest.

So, veggies, nuts, exercise, friends and positive outlooks. It's easy! See you on the Today show in 20__. chrissie