Ten Tips on How to Live Longer and Happier

Living a healthy lifestyle does not only mean sweating it out in the treadmill and having salads and tofu for the rest of your life. There are a lot of fun and pleasurable activities that can help you live longer and happier.

1. Drink one or two glasses of red wine a day to help keep your body young. My friend and wine enthusiast, Shawn Umsted, says that drinking a glass or two of red wine gives him more than just relaxation. He believes that red wine is good medicine. Research shows that red wine is packed with resveratrol, an antioxidant that work to protect your body against the effects of aging.

2. Eat dark chocolates! They contain large amounts of antioxidants that protect your body from aging. Find good quality dark chocolate, learn to appreciate it, and have a bit of it each day. Eating chocolate may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol while providing an energy boost.

3. Start exercising those facial muscles and smile! Smiling is a great way to change your attitude, connect with people and give benefit to your body. Like relaxation, smiling can work to counteract the effects of stress. By forcing ourselves to smile, we "trick" our body into believing that everything is good, thereby reducing stress. Like a switch, smiling can actually change your mood. So put a smile on, even if you don't feel like it, and pretty soon you'll be smiling for real.

4. Have more sex! And don’t raise those eyebrows yet! Sex and touching are found to be essential parts of health. Sex releases an assortment of beneficial chemicals in the body. Sex and touching help us bond with others, strengthen relationships, and increase our own self-worth. Frequent sex may even extend your life by years, I’m not kidding!

5. Relax. Relaxation helps our bodies to rest, heal and function better. By practicing daily relaxation techniques, you can train yourself to turn off your stress and replace it with calm energy. This will improve your blood pressure, heart rate and ability to cope with life's challenges.

6. Make exercise fun. Physical games and sports are a great way to keep both your body and mind healthy. Simple exercise routines are great for maintaining balance, flexibility, endurance and strength. Group games and sports can give your mind a workout as well, as you anticipate other people's actions and how to work together. Find a game and activity that suits your level of physical ability and play often.

7. Get enough sleep. Sleep is an essential body function. Medications, stress, illness and poor sleep habits all can prevent you from getting between 7 and 9 hours a night. The health benefits of sleep include more energy, better immune function, and more.

8. Spend more time with loved ones. Relationships are an important part of health. Not only do strong bonds with other people mean you will have help when you need it, being connected also means protection from loneliness, depression, and mental illness. Spend time cultivating your relationships with friends and family to improve your health and your life.

9. Give your mind a workout by solving puzzles and playing brain games. Mind games are a great way to stay involved and engaged in the world. Games can exercise different parts of your mind and entice your curiosity. If possible, choose social games like chess or bridge that exercise your brain while keeping you connected with others.

10. Have a positive attitude. Research shows that having a positive attitude about aging can add more than seven years to your life. Avoid the cultural push to glorify youth and regret each passing year. Find ways to pleasure in your increasing age and enjoy greater learning, experience, and control in your life.