Seven rules for a healthy life

Following seven simple rules can add years onto your life, researchers say.

Studies conducted at the Imperial College London found that the a few changes to diet and lifestyle can cut the risk of dying from cancer by 20 per cent and reduce the chances of suffering a heart attack by 44 per cent.

Initially the rules were devised by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research six years ago, but this latest research involved testing them out on more than 38,000 participants.

The rules are; be as lean as possible without being underweight, do at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day, limit consumption of foods which are high in fat and sugar, eat a variety of fruit and veg, limit intake of alcohol, and mothers should breast feed exclusively for up to six months.

Lead researcher Dr Teresa Norat said: “This large European study is the first that shows there is a strong association between following the recommendations and a reduced risk of dying from cancer, circulatory diseases and respiratory diseases."