(Note: We’re still in Europe and I’m re-publishing again a previous blog.)
Whether you’re a Baby Boomer or older adult, worried about your own health or that of your parents, here’s some very good news! Lifestyle factors–five specific healthy behaviors–can increase your longevity, adding up to 14 years of life for women, and 12.2 for men. And when you hear what these behaviors are, you shouldn’t be surprised (but you should be encouraged)!
And the Winners Are…
If you’ve read my blogs or book, these will definitely sound familiar. Those factors that made that huge improvement in longevity included:
- never smoking
- maintaining a healthy body-mass index (BMI)
- engaging in moderate to vigorous exercise
- eating a healthy diet
- not drinking too much alcohol
All of these choices help decrease the risk of dying from cardiovascular (heart) disease and cancer, which combined kill more than 1.2 million Americans each year. And they are all modifiable behaviors. That means we can control these, unlike risk factors like gender and family history. Unfortunately, only 8% of American adults adhere to all five behaviors.
Strength in Numbers
This study was published recently in the journal Circulation. Researchers culled data from two studies, from 1980 – 2014, and looked at the association between premature death and compliance with the five lifestyle factors. The final look at the distribution of these behaviors included 2,128 adults, aged 50 to 80.
Overall, those who complied with all five behaviors were 74% less likely to die during the study period compared to those who didn’t follow the healthy habits.
What You Can Do, Now
No matter your age, you have the power to increase your years of living.
- If you smoke, stop. And don’t pick up this habit in your later years. Check out smoking cessation programs through your health insurance company.
- Maintain a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 (considered to be “normal”; a BMI of more than 25 is considered overweight, above 30 is classified as obese). And remember, if you’re overweight or obese, aim to drop 5% – 7% of your weight, and hold that for 6 months before losing more.
- Engage in 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise most days (for example, brisk walking). That can be broken down to three 10-minute bouts, or two 15-minute ones.
- Consume a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, healthy fats, and lean protein sources.
- Consume moderate alcohol (defined as 2 drinks per day for men, 1 for women).
To explore ways to increase your healthy years of life, give me a call!
We can discuss some practical tips and discover if any of my programs or classes are a good fit for you.
If you’d like to schedule that call with me, just CLICK THIS LINK, and let me know in the message that you would like a 1-on-1 call with me right away and I will be in touch to schedule that – oh, and leave me your phone number in there too since email is not as reliable as it used to be! Thanks.