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Drop some pounds Being obese increases the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease, possibly shaving up to 12 years off your life, per an analysis in the journal Obesity. But being too thin can hike your risk of osteoporosis and poor immune function. So aim to stay at a weight that's healthy for you. Ease your stress Chronic stress makes us feel old�and actually ages us: In a 2012 study, Austrian researchers found that work-related tension harms DNA in our cells, speeding up the shortening of telomeres�which protect the ends of our chromosomes and which may indicate our life expectancy. Of course, it's impossible to completely obliterate stress. "What's important is how you manage it," says Thomas Perls, MD, associate professor at Boston University school of Medicine and creator of the Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator. Practice yoga, pray, meditate, relax in the shower or do whatever else chills you out. Keep learning Having more education lengthens your life span, according to a study in the journal Health Affairs, for a number of reasons. Extra schooling may help you become better informed about how to live a healthy life. And educated folks, as a group, have a higher income, which means greater access to good health care and insurance. Work out often Exercising regularly�ideally at least three days of cardio and two days of strength training a week�may help slow the aging process, Canadian doctors reported. "Being physically active is like keeping the car engine tuned," Dr. Fried says. "Even if there's decline with age, it's less severe." You were never an athlete? Don't worry: Starting to work out now can reduce your likelihood of becoming ill going forward, a 2014 study suggests. Reconsider your protein A diet rich in processed meat�including hot dogs, sausage, cured bacon and cured deli meats�has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer. Limit your intake as much as possible.