+1 Year - Eat chocolate

A bar of dark chocolate three times a month will provide you with flavonoids, which help thin the blood and prevent clots, say Harvard University researchers.

+2 Years - Have sex

Regular shags can add two years to your life, according to a report from the University of California. Chemicals released by orgasm can counteract the effects of stress.

+3 Years - Chew nuts

Eating nuts five days a week will earn you 2.9 years, say researchers at Loma Linda University, California. Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, which protect the heart and lower harmful cholesterol.

+4 Years - Drink wine

Dutch scientists say that half a glass of wine a day can add four years to your life. That's thanks to polyphenolic compounds, which prevent the build-up of fatty tissues in your arteries.

+5 Years - Play golf

Golf can prolong your life by up to five years, say Swedish researchers, who found that golfers usually walk more than 6km in an 18-hole round. Players with low handicaps were healthiest.

+6 Years - Eat a healthy diet

A Dutch study suggests that a diet rich in fish, olive oil and garlic can lengthen your life by six years, thanks to lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol. The risk of heart disease is cut by 76 per cent.

+7 Years - Lose fat

Scientists at Oxford University discovered that having a body mass index over 30 at age 40 reduces your life expectancy by seven years.

+8 Years - Have a laugh

A good belly laugh cuts levels of the stress hormone cortisone. US researchers say 15 minutes a day can be worth eight years.

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