Avoid a slow death✳

Quitting smoking — the earlier, the better

On average, smokers live more than 10 years less than non-smokers. Quitting before age 40 wipes out about 90% of the extra death risk caused by continued smoking. The earlier you quit, the more years you gain.

Don’t smoke at home or in the car, and don’t let guests smoke indoors.

Around 600,000 people worldwide die each year from secondhand smoke exposure, nearly 30% of whom are children. Long-term exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke by roughly 30%. Smoke inhaled at home is even more harmful than smoke inhaled outside.

Quitting smoking isn’t just about willpower — medication can more than double success rates

Relying solely on willpower rarely works for most smokers. People taking varenicline are more than twice as likely to quit compared to those taking a placebo. Those using nicotine replacement products are about 50% more likely to succeed than those not using any medication at all. Combining patches with gum or lozenges can increase success rates by another 20% or so.

Pick a quit date and stop smoking on that day — don’t taper gradually

Many people plan to cut back a little each day until they reach zero. One randomized trial involving 697 participants compared these two approaches. After six months, 22% of those who stopped on a set quit date remained smoke‑free, compared with only 15.5% of those who tapered down gradually. Even people who initially preferred tapering did better when they switched to a single‑day quit plan.

Visit a smoking cessation clinic or call 12320 to find local services

Medications and regular follow-up from professionals are two separate but complementary tools — together they work far better than either alone. People who take medication while receiving dedicated follow-up are nearly twice as likely to quit compared to those who only receive brief advice. Phone support also helps: those who proactively call the cessation hotline have a 20–30% higher chance of quitting than people who only get printed materials or a single conversation.

Only consider e‑cigarettes if you’ve already tried quitting; non‑smokers should avoid them

Switching to nicotine‑containing e‑cigarettes does raise the odds of quitting compared to using nicotine patches — this finding comes from high‑quality randomized trials. Yet they’re not harmless: long‑term safety data remain limited. For people who’ve never smoked, there’s absolutely no benefit to using them.

Not drinking sugary drinks — switching to sugar-free versions doesn’t help either

People who drink more than two sugary drinks per day have a roughly 20% higher chance of dying during the same period compared to those who rarely drink them. Those who have one to two per day also face a more than 10% higher risk. Switching to sugar-free versions brings no benefit: people who consume two or more sugar-free drinks daily actually have a roughly 25% higher risk of death.

Not chewing betel nut

Compared to non-chewers, people who chew betel nut have a roughly 20% higher chance of dying during the same period. Their risk of developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome is nearly 50% higher. Additional risks of oral cancer and esophageal cancer also apply.

Switch household salt to low‑sodium (potassium‑rich) salt

In a randomized trial of 20,000 participants, those who switched to low‑sodium salt at home had a roughly 12% lower chance of dying within five years and a roughly 14% lower chance of having a stroke. Because the groups were randomly assigned, these numbers are more reliable than data from simple observational studies.

Brush teeth thoroughly and clean between teeth daily; replace missing teeth promptly

People who clean between their teeth daily have about a 10% lower risk of dying over time. For elderly individuals with no natural teeth, the risk is roughly 90% higher. Those with fewer than 20 natural teeth face double the risk compared to others.

Walking 7,000–8,000 steps per day

People who walk 5,800 steps daily have roughly a 40% lower chance of dying during the same period compared to those who walk only 3,500 steps. When they reach 7,800 steps, that risk drops by about 45%. Going beyond that still lowers the risk a bit, but only up to a certain point. For adults over 60, 6,000–8,000 steps per day is sufficient.

For people with hypertension or high cholesterol, follow your doctor’s instructions and take medication regularly — never stop on your own.

For every 10 mmHg drop in blood pressure, the risk of death falls by roughly 13%, and stroke risk drops by about 27%. Each 1 mmol/L reduction in LDL cholesterol thanks to statins lowers death risk by roughly 10%. People who take their meds as prescribed have a 30% to 45% lower chance of dying compared to those who often miss doses.

Getting roughly 7 hours of sleep each night and keeping a regular schedule

Individuals who regularly get less than 7 hours of sleep have a roughly 10% higher risk of death over time. This risk rises further with greater irregularity in sleep patterns. Those with the most consistent schedules have a 20%–50% lower risk compared to those with the least consistent habits. In other words, how regular your sleep schedule is matters more than the total number of hours you sleep when it comes to mortality risk.

150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking

People who walk briskly for 150–300 minutes each week have a mortality risk that is roughly 30% lower than those who don’t exercise at all. Even if they fall short of this target, their risk is still about 20% lower. When they reach 3–5 times this amount, the risk drops to its lowest level — roughly 40% lower. Exceeding this amount further won’t cut the risk any further, but it does no harm either.

Playing racket sports three times a week for 45 minutes each session

People who regularly play tennis, badminton, or table tennis have about half the risk of dying during the same period compared to non-players. Their risk of cardiovascular death is roughly 56% lower. Swimmers show a similar benefit, with a roughly 28% lower risk. No significant difference was observed between runners and football players in this dataset.

Accumulating brief bouts of strenuous activity like stair climbing or brisk walking to total 4–5 minutes per day

For individuals who normally do not exercise at all, engaging in three brief bouts of strenuous activity each day—each lasting one to two minutes—reduces their overall risk of death by roughly 40% compared to those who do none. Their risk of cardiovascular death drops by nearly half. Such strenuous activities include stair climbing and brisk walking.

Doing 30–60 minutes of strength training per week

People who perform 30–60 minutes of strength training each week have a 10–20% lower risk of dying during that period compared to those who don’t train at all. Training beyond this amount does not bring any extra benefit. Combining strength work with cardio yields the best results.

Don’t sit for too long at a time — get up and move every now and then

People who sit the longest have a 2.6 times higher chance of dying during the same period compared to those who sit the least. Sitting continuously for long stretches adds an extra layer of risk. However, if you get 60–75 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day, this extra risk from prolonged sitting is largely offset.

Eat less processed meat (ham, bacon, sausages, luncheon meat)

People who eat the most ham, bacon, sausages, and similar processed meats have a roughly 20% higher chance of dying during the same period compared to those who eat the least. For every extra serving of processed meat consumed daily, that risk rises by another 20%.

Drink less or no alcohol

After consuming 100 g of pure alcohol per week, the more you drink, the earlier you’re likely to die. 100 g of pure alcohol equals roughly 2.5 L of beer. At age 40, people who drink 100–200 g per week lose about half a year of life expectancy; those drinking 200–350 g lose 1–2 years; and those drinking over 350 g lose 4–5 years. Overall, the most beneficial amount is to drink none at all.

People who drink daily and experience tremors and anxiety when they stop should not try to quit on their own

Individuals who consume large amounts of alcohol every day can suffer from withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop. Mild cases involve tremors, sweating, anxiety, and insomnia; severe cases may lead to seizures or delirium tremens — a life-threatening emergency. A Norwegian study followed over 30,000 people and found that 8% of those who had experienced delirium tremens died each year thereafter. If you wish to quit, consult a doctor first and clearly describe how much you drink daily.

Want to drink less? First tally your weekly intake, then chat briefly with a doctor.

A doctor can spend a few minutes reviewing your drinking habits, explaining the risks, and helping you set a target. After a year, people typically cut their weekly intake of pure alcohol by 20 grams — roughly half a liter of beer. Longer consultations do not bring any extra benefits. For those already struggling to quit, two medications have proven effective abroad: on average, one extra person out of every 12 treated stops drinking excessively after taking them.

Eating a small handful of nuts each day

People who regularly eat nuts have about 20% lower chances of dying during the same period compared to those who don’t. Even eating nuts just once a week makes a difference — mortality risk drops by roughly 10%. The greatest benefit is seen when nuts are eaten daily.

Swapping some red meat for fish or poultry

Eating two extra servings of processed or red meat each week raises the risk of death by roughly 3% compared to eating the same amount of fish or poultry. This effect is relatively small within this section, so it’s an easy swap to make without much effort.

Swap some refined rice and flour for whole grains

People who consume an extra 90 g of whole grains daily have a roughly 17% lower risk of dying during the same period. That amount equals about three servings. The risk continues to drop when intake reaches around 200 g per day.

Drinking tea more than three times a week

People who regularly drink tea have a roughly 15% lower chance of dying during the same period. Starting at age 50, they can expect to live 1.26 years longer on average, and 1.41 extra years without suffering from cardiovascular disease.

Drinking three to four cups of coffee daily, without sugar or cream

People who drink three to four cups of coffee each day have a roughly 17% lower chance of dying during the same period compared to those who don’t drink coffee at all.

Eating 5 servings (about 400 g) of fruits and vegetables daily

Consuming an extra 200 g of fruits and vegetables daily lowers the chance of death by roughly 10% during the same period. People who eat 5 servings daily have a mortality risk that is about 13% lower than those who eat only 2 servings. Eating more than that does not bring any further reduction in risk.

Eat fewer ultra-processed foods (chips, instant noodles, pastries, ready meals)

People who consume the most ultra-processed foods have roughly a 20% higher risk of dying during the same period compared to those who eat the least. Their risk of cardiovascular-related death is about 50% higher. However, this evidence is rated as uncertain, so these figures should be interpreted with caution.

Switching from coal and wood to electricity or gas for cooking and heating

People who cook with coal or wood have a roughly 10% higher chance of dying during the same period; those who heat their homes with coal or wood have a roughly 14% higher risk. Those who have already switched to electricity or gas face a 13%–33% lower risk of death compared to those still using coal or wood.

Let hot drinks cool down before drinking; avoid tea, soup, and coffee that are piping hot

Drinking tea that is extremely hot raises your risk of esophageal cancer by 8 times compared to drinking lukewarm tea. Even drinking tea that is merely “hot” doubles this risk. If you drink tea less than two minutes after pouring it, your risk is 5 times higher than if you wait at least four minutes to drink it.

Getting some sun during the day instead of staying indoors all the time

Women who deliberately avoid sunlight can expect to live 0.6–2.1 years less than those who get the most sun exposure. The original text also notes that non-smokers who avoid sunlight tend to have similar life expectancies to smokers who get plenty of sun.

Keep your BMI between 20 and 25; lose weight if it’s higher.

The chance of dying is lowest when BMI stays in the 20–25 range. At BMI 27.5–30, the risk rises by roughly 20%; at 30–35 it goes up by about 45%; at 35–40 it nearly doubles. People of East Asian descent are more sensitive to being overweight — for every 5‑point increase in BMI, their risk climbs by roughly 39%.

Eating chili peppers more than four times a week

People who eat chili peppers more than four times a week have a roughly 23% lower chance of dying during the same period compared to those who rarely eat them; their risk of dying from cardiovascular causes is about one‑third lower.

Drinking one or two servings of milk or yogurt daily

People who consume two or more servings of milk or yogurt each day have a roughly 17% lower chance of dying during the same period compared to those who do not drink any.

Eggs don’t need to be avoided, but don’t eat three or four daily

Eating an extra half whole egg each day raises the overall risk of death by roughly 7% over time. Swapping that half egg for egg whites, fish, poultry, or nuts actually lowers the risk of death across all categories. There’s no need to cut eggs out entirely; just avoid consuming three or four every day.

Take baths when you can — don’t rely on showers alone

People who bathe almost daily have roughly 28% lower risk of cardiovascular events and about 46% lower risk of brain hemorrhage compared to those who bathe fewer than twice a week.

Keep naps under 30 minutes — no longer than an hour. If you need one or two hours to feel rested, it’s time to get checked out.

People who nap for less than an hour show no increase in death risk or chronic disease risk, and their mental clarity actually improves. Those who nap longer than an hour have a roughly 30% higher risk of coronary heart disease, and about a 20% higher risk of diabetes and obesity. So set an alarm and wake up after half an hour. If you regularly need a one- or two-hour nap just to function, that’s a clear sign you should see a doctor.

Catch up on sleep the night after a late night — don’t wait until the weekend

Over 80,000 people wore wristbands to track their daily sleep. Those who failed to make up for lost sleep the following night had a roughly 15% higher risk of death compared to people with regular sleep patterns. For those who lost far more sleep and still didn’t catch up, the risk rose by about 42%. In contrast, the two groups that did make up the lost sleep showed no elevated risk at all. So, if you stay up late, go to bed early the next night.

The longer you work night shifts, the higher your cardiovascular risk — consider switching jobs early if possible

People who work night shifts have roughly 13% more cardiovascular diseases and 27% more cardiovascular-related deaths than those who don’t. This risk rises the longer you work nights: for every additional 5 night shifts worked, the risk of cardiovascular disease goes up by about 7%. So, when calculating the long-term impact, it’s better to switch jobs as early as possible. As for claims linking night shifts to cancer, the evidence supporting them is far weaker than commonly believed.

买预包装、有 SC 编号的食用油，不买小作坊散装自榨花生油

English translation pending · Chinese original

花生受潮发霉会长黄曲霉毒素，它是明确的致癌物，主要伤肝。广州管住小作坊之后，常吃自榨油的居民肝功能异常少了约三成半。广西的孕妇吃自榨花生油，孩子出生体重偏低的风险高约九成，早产高约八成。

做饭用植物油代替猪油和黄油，不必为了健康换着买油，也别指望亚麻籽油护心

English translation pending · Chinese original

少吃猪油黄油这类饱和脂肪、换成植物油，心脏病和中风这类事少约一成七，但总的死亡风险没看出变化。大豆油、玉米油、菜籽油之间换来换去，没有证据说有什么区别。亚麻籽油吃多了，心脏病风险也没看出下降。