Increase Quality of Life and Longevity with Healthy Habits
7/12/2022
Five simple healthy habits could be the secret to a longer life. According to a study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, people who adopt these habits by age 50 may live seven or more years longer than those who don’t – and those years are less likely to be affected by cardiovascular disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
The study analyzed 34 years of data on more than 100,000 adults to look for a correlation between healthy habits and the three chronic conditions above.
The results: Women who maintained at least four of the five healthy habits by the age of 50 lived an average of 34.4 more years free of the chronic conditions, while women who did not adopt the healthy habits lived an average of only 23.7 additional years – a difference of more than a decade.
The findings were similar in men. Men who adopted at least four of the five healthy habits by age 50 lived an average of 31.1 more years without the chronic conditions while men who did not lived an average of only 23.5 years.
“We all have the power to help prevent chronic diseases across our lifetimes,” says Diana Lu, M.D., a family medicine physician with Northwest Healthcare’s Northwest Primary Care at Houghton. “Through the five simple lifestyle changes, we can live longer, disease-free lives.”
The habits:
- Limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol is associated with a variety of short and long term health risks like headache and nausea, as well as high blood pressure and some cancers. Women should limit alcohol to no more than one serving per day, while men should limit it to no more than two servings per day.
- Eat high quality foods: Incorporate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes into your diet. Limit red meat, sodium and sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas and juices (which are linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease).
- Exercise daily: 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise can help manage stress as well as prevent stroke and coronary heart disease. Try taking a brisk walk or riding a bike on a smooth path to help elevate your heart rate and break a sweat.
- Maintain a normal BMI: Experts recommend maintaining a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 to help avoid developing conditions linked to excess weight, like diabetes and arthritis.
- Never smoke: Over 16 million Americans live with diseases caused by smoking including cancer, COPD, and other types of lung disease. Smoking also hurts those exposed to the habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 41,000 nonsmoking adults and 400 infants die from second-hand smoke exposure each year. Protect yourself and loved ones from serious illness or death by totally abstaining.
“Small, simple changes adopted over time go a long way to increase our overall health as well as our lifespan – so we can enjoy all the years of our lives,” says Dr. Lu.
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