HEALTH DISCOVERIES   Over the past 100 years scientists have done a great job of keeping us alive. Since the 1900s life expectancies have almost doubled in Australia to 80 years old, yet people are growing more and more obsessed with staying young for longer. Doctors can treat most diseases, but we now want to know how to avoid them all together. Research has made it very clear that there is plenty we can do to improve our health and fight old age with diet and lifestyle. Most of the advice is standard - eat plenty of colourful fruits and vegetables, don't smoke, stay out of the sun and maintain a healthy weight. But even if you think you know every healthy living trick, science is continually pulling rabbits out of hats and finding ways we can tweak our diet and lifestyles in order to live longer. And when I say longer, I mean alert, healthy and energetic for as long as possible - there’s no point surviving till 120 if you’re bed bound. So here are some of the latest tips from Australian researchers - incorporate them into your life and you might increase your chances of living long enough to see man walk on Mars and hover cars dominate the streets. 1. Eat soy The health benefits of soy have been debated for years, but in July this year scientists found that it can reduce the risk of both stroke AND lung disease. The team from Curtin University of Technology published the findings within a few weeks of each other - and added a lot of weight to the argument that soy can help you to live longer. The scientists found that even eating 50 grams of soy products a week can help you avoid stroke and respiratory problems, but eating 300 grams gives the best benefits.When most people think of soy products their first thought is tofu, and their second thought is 'yuck'. But the scientists found that tofu isn't actually the best soy product to cut disease risk - if you really want to reap the full effects, soybeans and soy milk are the best way to go. They're slightly more appetising too, I'd take a plate of edamame over tofu any day. 2. Drink alcohol - in moderation It’s true that binge drinking is bad for your body, mind and soul, but drinking a glass of alcohol a day, particularly later in life, can be good for your health. Research from Australian National University on over 10,000 people found that the elderly who drink moderately have almost 30 per cent less chance of developing Alzheimer’s.Further research is going to be done on how drinking when we’re young affects our health, and whether the type of drink makes a different. There is also a lot of research to prove that the antioxidants in red wine can help to keep us healthy, and scientists have also found that people who drink moderately are happier. Cheers! 3. Exercise for your brain, not just your body As we get older the number of neurons our brain produces slows down. Not only does this mean our thought process and memory gets sluggish, but our brain also struggles to heal from injury, disease and the effects of ageing (or a hard night on the town). University of Queensland neuroscientists have shown that moderate exercise can increase the production of these brain cells - helping to keep our brain healthy for longer. The study found that the production of neural stem cells can actually be increased in adults - something that no one thought was possible. So forget exercising for your body, do it to stay young in mind and spirit. 4. Take diet tips from the Greeks Eating a Mediterranean diet can help you avoid heart disease and stroke, research has found. Heart disease is the biggest killer of Australians every year, and therefore the main obstacle to living longer. We can reduce our risk by 30 per cent just by eating and drinking a lot of fish, wine and olives, according to Monash University research. That doesn't sound so bad does it?If you want to start taking lessons on heart health from the Mediterraneans look for 'good fats' and vegetables. "Foods frequently in the diet included garlic, cucumber, olive oil, salad greens, capsicum, legumes, tomato, feta and ricotta cheeses, olives, onion, watermelon, steamed fish and boiled chicken,” said PhD student Linton Harriss. Just don't copy their tan! 5. Stimulate your mind University of New South Wales scientists have found that people who don’t keep their minds active have double the ‘brain shrink’, compared to people who are getting a brain work out on a regular basis.If you engage in dancing, learning languages and travelling you'll have a larger hippocampus as you age, the scientists found. Keeping your brain busy socially is crucial to health too – scientists have shown that having a group of friends (even online ones) can be more valuable than exercise and diet. 6. Embrace spicy food The benefits of spicy food in purifying the blood and unblocking the sinuses have been known for years, but researchers have found chillies could also treat and reduce the risk of heart disease. The University of Tasmania researchers found that two of the active ingredients in chillies can lower blood glucose and insulin levels, reduce the formation of fatty deposits on artery walls and prevent blood clots. Even better, they taste good and their only side effects are burnt taste buds and sweating. 7. Don’t stress We all know stress makes you look “haggard”, as Cameron Diaz declares in 'The Holiday', but did you know it ages you internally as well? Chronic stress can actually change the chemistry of your body, with serious results.Monash University researchers found that stress leads to low levels of enzyme in chromosomes that are linked to ageing. The lack of this enzyme can also cause heart disease. What better reason to have a massage, go for a run, call in sick ("I'm sorry sir, my enzymes have been depleted by stress") or just block out the world for an hour or two? 8. Eat less protein Hear that? That’s the sound of a million Atkins devotees in outrage: "what? But protein is the God of foods!" While it’s true that protein can contribute to a slender waistline, reducing your intake of it can lead to longer life, according to University of Sydney scientists.Researchers have suspected for a while that limiting calorie intake could help us to extend our lives. “Animals that eat less live longer – up to a point,” said Professor Stephen Simpson who conducted the research. But this study found that it is specifically the protein-carb balance that is the key to longer life. But of course there’s a catch – it might also stop you having children. 9. Drink green tea Green tea is full of anti-oxidants and the perfect afternoon pick me up – but it can also greatly reduce your risk of stroke. Drinking one or two cups of green tea a day can cut your risk of having an ischemic stroke (the most common type) by 60 per cent, Curtin University of Technology researchers found. However, even having a cup a week has benefits. The same researchers also found a link between reduction of prostate and ovarian cancer and drinking green tea. Go and buy some now! 10. Stop snoring Not getting enough sleep can cause you to put on weight and suffer unnecessary stress. But even when you do sleep, there are problems that can arise. Sleep apnea (which causes snoring and can lead sufferers to stop breathing for periods during the night) can increase the risk of death through pretty much all avenues, according to scientists from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. More specifically, heavy snorers have an increased risk of stroke, according to University of Sydney scientists.  If this isn’t bad enough – people with sleep apnea can experience brain damage similar to that of someone who’s had a severe stroke or is dying. Yikes! Safe to say if you’re snoring heavily and finding that it interrupts your sleep – go and get it checked out.