All men wish to have a longer, healthier and better life. But there aren’t any magical ways like a fountain of youth that men can say that are tried and tested. The world of medicine warns us against hormone supplements, anti-aging pills and vitamin overdoses.

And the fact is that it is all within our control; long life is based on only about 25% of genes, the rest is up to us. Well, there’s the obvious and basic ways that were stated by specialists; avoid drinking, smoking and doing drugs, exercise regularly, eat healthy, and get an annual medical check-up done. But is that all really true?

Actually, you don’t have to live an ascetic’s life to extend your time here on earth. Recent surveys say that light to moderate drinking reduces your risk of cardiovascular death and elevates levels of good cholesterol. Maybe one to two drinks per day for men is good when you’re younger; but as you turn older, the impact of alcohol gets stronger. Always remember, alcohol consumed in moderation has quite a relaxing effect.

It’s now a proven scientific fact that wine, especially red wine, is a lot more beneficial than other kinds of alcoholic beverages like beer or spirits, since it has health benefits that protect men from strokes and heart attacks. Men who consumed red wine showed a life expectancy of two years longer than those who drank other alcoholic beverages.

Diet is another major part that we need to concentrate on. It’s important not to forget to eat fruits and vegetables, and follow a well-balanced diet with vitamins, proteins, carbs and fats which gives you all the necessary nutrition. It’s just a bad idea to try and balance your diet with hormone supplements, as there is no scientific basis to prove they contribute to life extension.

Something I’ve heard a lot on a famous TV advertisement lately is “Walk while you talk”. We might just shun this off as another ad-gimmick. But what we need to realize is that a balanced lifestyle of walking, talking, exercising, spending some time with friends and family, and actually trying to enjoy life reduce the stress and tension of our daily fast-paced lives. Eventually, this helps us in living a longer, healthier and better life.