Have you ever wanted to know how long you will live? There are so many wonderful things in this world that we can enjoy. Almost everyone would like to live longer if they had the choice. Looking back, our ancestors lived relatively shorter lives, with only a few people living past the age of 40. However, since a century ago, human lifespan has increased significantly. Mortality rates among people over 80 have declined by approximately 1.5% per year since the 1960s (Vaupel, 2010). At the same time, the maximum lifespan, the greatest number of years lived by humanity, is expected to increase over the years. The truth is that living longer is no longer a pipe dream. However, a long and healthy life is no coincidence. The lengthening of humanity's life expectancy could be caused by a number of reasons, and there are several far-reaching consequences. First, the downside of living longer is the increased expense of better nutrition. Increased health care spending has burdened the elderly. People who live longer have a greater potential for developing health problems that older adults would face. The situation becomes even worse when they have to bear healthcare costs along with the rising cost of living. On the other hand, one of the main causes of increased lifespan is better food intake. People nowadays are more concerned about their health. There are numerous foods that can strengthen our body systems and maintain their functions. Having a better diet promotes good physical health which in turn extends your lifespan. It can prevent or delay the onset of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Al...... half of the article ......healthy years for your life, The Sun, 8 August page 29. Professor Haakon Meyer, 2009. Non-Smokers Live Longer And Have Healthier Hearts, 30-Year Study [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 September 2011]EMIS, 2011. Smoking – The Facts [online] Available at: [Accessed on 17 September 2011]Associated Newspapers Ltd, 2011. Exercise plan: Just 15 minutes of exercise a day 'increases your life expectancy by THREE YEARS' [online] Available at: [Accessed 17 September 2011]Jack Challem, 2009. Back back in time! [online] Available on: [Accessed 17 September 2011]