We used to think that living a long life was kind of a fluke, that if you made it to a ripe old age, it was part genetics and a lot of luck.

Now we know we have the ability to create a lot of our luck through the lifestyle we live and the choices we make — not when we’re old, but right now.

We know that because of the incredible work being done by people like Dr. Roger Landry. He’s a preventive medicine physician who specializes in empowering older adults to maximize their unique skills and talents. He is a lecturer, researcher, consultant and author. His latest book is called “Live Long, Die Short: A Guide for Authentic Health and Successful Aging.”

Dr. Landry says 70 percent of how we age is determined by the choices we make every day. That means only 30 percent is determined by genes and as we got older, that number drops even further.

He explains how our lifestyle impacts our long-term health and lays out some of the simple and yes, fun, things we should be doing every day to improve our health.

And what does he mean by “die short?” He explains why we should all hope for compressed morbidity.