9 Numbers That Can Extend Your Life

Winning Numbers

En español l You won’t get a Powerball payout, but hit these digits and chances are you’ll gain something more valuable: lifelong health!

2.7: days you should stay home with the flu

Anything less and you risk infecting coworkers, a study finds. Sixty percent of workers go to the office when they’re sick.

2: hours of TV you can safely watch each day

Too much tube time increases the concentration of triglycerides in your blood and lowers HDL (“good”) cholesterol. That can harm your heart.

7+: ideal daily servings of fruits and veggies

That’s more than the five a day you’re used to, but the extra amount can reduce your risk of early death by 42 percent, says a British study.

60 to 100: heartbeats per minute at rest

A gain of just 10 beats per minute over normal increases your risk of dying from heart disease by 10 to 18 percent, a new study finds.

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7: hours of sleep per night you need to control weight

In a study of more than 21,000 healthy adults, those who slept five hours or less per night were 50 percent more likely to become obese, compared with those who logged a full night’s rest.

20: most miles you should drive to work — round trip — each day

Longer commutes are associated with higher blood pressure, more worrying and chronic stress, a study on commuting and health finds. (Did we really need a study?)

1,500: maximum amount of sodium, in milligrams, an average adult should consume daily

Three-quarters of the salt in your diet comes from processed foods, so sub in fresh whole foods to lower blood pressure.

1:2: healthiest ratio, waist to height

A bigger waist increases your risk of developing metabolic syndrome (a cluster of factors including high blood pressure and cholesterol), which in turn raises the chance of heart disease and stroke.

0: number of cans of sugar-laden soda you can safely drink

Just one 12-ounce can a day raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 18 percent, according to a recent study.

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