How to live a long and happy life

When working today I happened to be chatting with fellow of a similar age to me, about the sudden warm spell and sunshine, something that has been seriously lacking in Scotland over the summer months. He, it turns out is a GP of thirty five years standing.

He suggested some tips as we chatted that may contribute to longer life for someone of my age. I have condensed and played with the comments but this is essentially the advice he gave me and the sum of his experience. "When you hit fifty" (he is fifty two, I am fifty three) Stop smoking (no surprise there), Never climb a ladder; you are just asking for trouble. Pay someone to fix the washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge freezer(if you can afford it) as you are just asking for stress/strain/heart attack. Do not start running. You always read the story about the fellow/lady that is ninety and has just run a marathon or smokes sixty cigarettes or drinks their weight in cider. They are one in a million stories, that is why they make the papers. You are not the one in a million, you are the one that has to stop smoking, eat reasonably, look after yourself. Exercise, but don't run a marathon, the fools that do that will be in having hip replacements and knee surgery before they know it. Go for a nice walk or a swim instead. Twenty minutes or so. Better still if you are able to do it in the fresh air and walk quickly it will do your heart, Lymphatic system and muscles no end of good.

I have no idea oabout the wisdom of this information but it sounds and resounds sensible to me.