The average life expectancy has crept up steadily over the last century and a person born today can expect to live twice as long as someone born in the late 1800s due to technological and medical advancements. An individual’s lifestyle choices can have a huge impact on whether or not a person lives longer and suffers from fewer afflictions we usually consider a burden of the elderly.
Here are some tips for tweaking your lifestyle in the hopes of living longer and aging gracefully.
1. Control your blood sugar. According to the CDC keeping consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars and eating more healthy fats like those found in fish and avocadoes can help keep your blood sugar levels low, helping you avoid diabetes and the need for insulin.
2. Quit smoking. Did you know that if you quit right now that in as little as 20 minutes, your blood pressure returns to a normal level? According to this Medical News Today article that’s just one of the immediate benefits. In one day, your risk of heart attack decreases and in one-month lung function begins to improve. At one year, risk of coronary artery disease is cut in half and will continue to decline. The benefits just keep piling up the longer you stay off cigarettes but at year twenty risk of dying from smoking related causes drops to that of someone who’s never smoked. Pretty amazing!
3. Move that body! Any movement that you enjoy and gets your heart rate up for at least five to ten hours a week is great. A good place to start is walking at a good clip for an hour per day and adding a couple hours of a more vigorous activity at least two additional days per week.
4. Get stress levels under control. Chronic stress can wreak havoc on our long-term health. According to the Mayo Clinic “long-term activation of the stress response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that follows can disrupt almost all your body's processes.” This activation can lead to many health problems, including anxiety, depression, digestive issues, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, weight gain and memory issues, none of which are great for happy and healthy aging. Finding a therapist, practicing mindfulness and regular exercise can all help with regulating stress.
We all want to live long, happy lives and while genetics play a large part in our longevity, certain lifestyle choices we make can influence the quality and quantity of our lives.
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https://www.bluezones.com/2018/01/what-exercise-best-happy-healthy-life/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037