Live to 100: 10 Diet Tips to Live Longer

3. Raise a (Red) Glass

A daily cocktail can extend your life, research shows. Light drinking reduced women's risk of death by nearly 20 percent in a review of studies involving more than a million people. "All types of alcohol appear to have longevity benefits, but red wine is best," Dr. Flanigan says. That's because unlike beer and hard liquor, it contains resveratrol, a compound that has been shown to increase the life span of some animals, protect skin from signs of aging and, perhaps, help prevent skin cancer. But don't get too happy at happy hour. Women should have only one drink a day; more increases the risk for breast cancer. "You'll get the health perks from that amount without the negative effects of excessive alcohol," Dr. Flanigan says.

Boost the benefits: Act like a wine connoisseur and swish before swallowing. "Resveratrol is absorbed better through the mucous membranes in your mouth than through your stomach," Somer says.