What are the chances you'll live well, well, well into your 90s?

New science shows it is possible to stamp longevity onto your story with seemingly trivial everyday habits. Identifying and applying the healthy turns to take in your long journey can ensure an exhilarating ride. Find out how you're naturally predisposed to a long, healthy life and what you can do to boost the length and lustre of your journey.

Don't just sit there! This is the message from The University of Queensland's new 'Stand Up For Your Health' program. "Our research shows that sitting for long periods of time is linked to weight gain, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes," says Paul Gardiner, a PhD candidate with the university's Cancer Prevention Research Centre. 'Fit' people—those who walk for about 30 minutes a day—are more likely to live longer than those who walk less, says a separate study of 2,603 men and women. On average, Aussies spend 9.4 hours sitting down on weekdays (and even more on weekends), which of course runs contrary to the national sporting image. It takes as little as 10 minutes of additional activity a day for overweight women to improve their heart health—everything on top of that is money in the longevity bank. Walk across the room, walk to the bus stop, walk to work; it all counts! Sit less, live longer.

A recent study of more than 300,000 Swedish golfers found that, compared with the rest of the Swedish population, golf nuts enjoyed a 40 per cent lower mortality rate, or a 5-year extension to their life expectancy.

Lower-body strength means better balance, flexibility and endurance. As you get older, these attributes are key to reducing your risk of falls and injuries—particularly hip fractures, which often lead to rapidly declining health. A study from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research found that hip fractures double the mortality risk for women. "Thigh-muscle weakness and having a subsequent fracture [are] important factors," says Jackie Center, an associate professor from the bone program at Garvan. To strengthen thighs, target your quadriceps with the 'phantom chair' move: stand with your back against a wall; walk your feet out and slide your back down until you're in a seated position. Hold until your thighs tell you, enough! Repeat five times daily.

"You're only as young as the woman you feel" is the cheap line of middle-aged men, but this time the line is all yours. In a survey of more than 500 healthy people aged 70 and older, respondents said that, on average, they feel 13 years younger than they are. "Feeling youthful is linked to better health and a longer life," says researcher Jacqui Smith (PhD), professor of psychology at the University of Michigan in the US. "It can improve optimism and motivation to overcome challenges, which helps reduce stress, boosts your immune system and lowers your risk of disease." And the glass is even more than half full: a study of almost 100,000 postmenopausal women found that optimistic, 'sunny side up' women have a decreased mortality rate and are 30 per cent less likely to develop coronary heart disease than pessimists are.

Just by vacuuming, mopping floors or washing windows for a little more than an hour, the average person can burn about 1,190 kJ (285 cal), lowering risk of death by 30 per cent, according to a study of more than 300 people in their 70s and 80s.

"Better to be deprived of food for 3 days, than tea for one," says the ancient Chinese proverb, and it may be good advice if longevity is on your agenda. Australian research has shown that green-tea tippling is associated with decreased risk of breast cancer, adult leukaemia, ovarian cancer and ischaemic stroke. "Drinking at least 1 cup a day can dramatically reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke, which accounts for 70 per cent of all strokes," says Colin Binns, professor of public health at Curtin University of Technology (WA). Black tea and its heart-friendly catechins have also been linked to reduced risk of ovarian cancer. It's all good news for Aussies, who collectively drink 22 million cups of tea a day. White with one? "Tea retains its activity with milk," says Binns, "but use skim or reduced-fat milk to avoid the extra kilojoules."

Dark grapes, blueberries, red wine: they all get that deep, rich colour from polyphenols—compounds that reduce heart-disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. Polyphenols help keep arteries and blood vessels flexible and healthy. "What's good for your heart is good for your brain," says Sue Radd, accredited practising dietitian and director of Sydney's Nutrition and Wellbeing Clinic. Further, researchers recently found that eating one or more cups of blueberries every day may improve communication between brain cells, enhancing memory. Then there's the wine. Red wine contains a complex mix of bioactive compounds with heaps of health benefits. Lindsay Brown, associate professor from the School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Queensland, says, "The breadth of benefits is remarkable: cancer prevention, protection of the heart and brain, and reduction of age-related diseases such as diabetes and obesity, plus many more."