Nutrition and lifestyle behaviours have a significant influence on the aging process. The quest to slow down or even reverse aging has been a topic of extensive research, and current literature suggests a multifaceted approach focusing on diet, activity, cognitive health, sleep and other lifestyle factors.

Here are the Top 10 Strategies to Increase your Health Span:

1. Adopt a Mediterranean Diet:
   This diet emphasizes vegetables and fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds, fish and olive oil.  It is a diet rich in antioxidants and healthy fats which help reduce inflammation and prevent oxidative damage by free radicals.

2. Regular Physical Activity: 
   Exercise is crucial for maintaining muscle mass, improving metabolism and promoting cardiovascular health.  A combination of cardio such as cycling or hiking, strength training and stretching is ideal.

3. Get Quality Sleep:
   Our bodies repair and regenerate when we sleep.  Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep.  Try to keep a regular sleep schedule, avoid screens before bed and ensure lights are out to help promote sleep.

4. Manage Stress:
   Chronic stress can accelerate aging on a cellular level.  Stress management techniques such as meditation, breathing, yoga and mindfulness, practiced daily or several times a week can significantly reduce stress and its effects on your body.

5. Hydration:
   Aim for 8-10 cups per day and more if you are active or sweat a lot.  Hydration is important not only for nutrient absorption and temperature regulation but also for cellular health and function.

6. Moderate Alcohol and Avoid Smoking:
   Smoking significantly accelerates aging and causes cellular damage leading to chronic disease.  Excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cancer and negatively affect brain function and cognition.

7. Achieve a Healthy Body Weight:
   Obesity is associated with several chronic diseases that compromise health and healthspan and shorten the lifespan.

8. Limit processed Foods and Sugar: 
   Processed foods with trans fats, excess salt and sugar can increase inflammation and oxidative damage, both accelerating the aging process.

9. Get Regular Health Check-Ups: 
   Stay up to date with your blood work, and manage your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugars.  Get regular screening for breast and colon cancer and check bone density.

10. Stay Social:  
    Not on social media but in person.  Engaging in community activities improves mental health, cognition and resilience, which are vital for healthy aging.

Remember, it’s about quality of life not just quantity.  Increasing the health span, the period of life in good health is dependent on many environmental and lifestyle factors.  We can’t change our DNA yet, but we can incorporate a healthy diet, improve sleep and manage our stress to lead a more vibrant and healthy life until we can.