Can Your Name Predict Mortality? This Week on AOL Health

It's human nature to want to know when our time is going to be up. A new study seeks to help answer that question by linking the first letter of a person's name to his or her own mortality.

Researchers discovered that those with names that begin with the letter "D" were more likely to die earlier than those whose names begin with "A." They reviewed the lifespan of more than 10,000 athletes and professionals, focusing specifically on those whose names began with A, B, C or D -- letters associated with the grading system in American schools. To find out why this seems to be the case, read more about the study on Aol Health.

But all those Deborah's, Dennis's and Donna's out there don't need to worry. Certain diets have been found to promote longevity. The Mediterranean diet, for example, includes heart-healthy foods, such as nuts, fruits, vegetables and olive oil that all work to prolong your ticker and your life. Plus, daily exercise has been found to increase lifespan. Walking just 30 minutes per day can add close to five years onto your life.