85 seems old... for now

I was reading the newspaper this weekend, and there was an article about a website that could predict how long you would live by asking you some pretty simple questions. So I went to http://www.livingto100.com/ and took the quiz. They ask you questions about your family history, your eating, drinking and smoking habits, your stress level, etc. With a click of a button your mortality level is flashed on the screen. I was filling out my form thinking about every french fry I have ever eaten, or the days I just could not work out... I think I took 2 years off my life by just taking the crazy quiz!! Anyway, my final answer came out to be 85. Boy, I may live to 85, that's good news right?? I'm only 41, so I'm not even at mid-life yet!! Whoo-hoo!!

The web page then gave me tips on how to increase my life span even more. A couple of the biggies included:

• You have noted that you lead a fairly stressful life. Identifying and lessening the sources of your stress, if you can, could add one-two years to your life depending upon just how much of a change you are able to make. I get stressed out trying to find ways to lessen stress
• Increasing your exercise regimen to 4 days a week could add a year and a half, to 5 days a week could add 3 years, to 6 or 7 days a week could add 5 years to your life expectancy. I think working out 7 days a week would kill me!
• Minimizing or cutting out your caffeinated coffee consumption completely could provide you with about half a year more in life expectancy. A measly half a year for giving up caffeine... wheres the advantage there??
• Flossing regularly can add up to 4 years to your life. It's amazing that bleeding gums can actually kill you...

If I do everything they suggest, I would live to 98. Not sure I want to live that long anyway.... I've seen people at 98, and it does not look like much fun..

I came away from this quiz feeling a bit better about my mortality, and what I need to do to make my life longer and healthier. As I think about what I have to do today, knowing very well that my schedule is going to force me to have fast food for dinner, I can't help but thinking.. Boy, I should floss my teeth today.