Do you want to live longer and healthier? If so, you might want to follow these five habits that can add more than a decade to your life expectancy, according to a Harvard study1.
What are the five habits?
The Harvard researchers analyzed data from more than 120,000 people and found that those who maintained these five healthy habits during adulthood were 82% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 65% less likely to die from cancer than those who did not1.
The five habits are:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly
- Keeping a healthy body weight
- Not drinking too much alcohol
- Not smoking
How can these habits extend your lifespan?
The study estimated that at age 50, women who followed all five habits could expect to live 43.1 years, and men could expect to live 37.6 years. In contrast, women who did not follow any of the habits could expect to live 29 years, and men could expect to live 25.5 years1.
The researchers explained that these habits can lower the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, which are the leading causes of death in the U.S. and many other countries1.
How can you adopt these habits in your daily life?
If you want to follow these five habits, here are some practical tips to help you get started:
- Eating a healthy diet: Choose foods that are rich in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean protein, and healthy fats. Avoid foods that are high in added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, such as processed foods, fast foods, sweets, and fried foods2.
- Exercising regularly: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services3. You can also do some strength training exercises at least twice a week to build your muscles and bones. Find an activity that you enjoy and that fits your schedule, such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, or playing sports.
- Keeping a healthy body weight: To maintain a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you consume and the calories you burn. You can use a calorie calculator to estimate how many calories you need per day based on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level4. You can also use a body mass index (BMI) calculator to check if your weight is within the healthy range for your height5. If you need to lose weight, you can do so by eating fewer calories and increasing your physical activity. Aim for a gradual and sustainable weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds per week6.
- Not drinking too much alcohol: Drinking alcohol can have some health benefits, such as lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, but only if you do so in moderation. Moderation means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men, as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans7. One drink is equivalent to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. Drinking more than that can increase the risk of liver disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and other health problems7.
- Not smoking: Smoking is one of the most harmful habits for your health, as it can cause lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke, and many other diseases8. The best thing you can do for your health is to quit smoking as soon as possible. If you need help, you can talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy, medication, counseling, or other smoking cessation methods8.
Conclusion
Following these five habits can help you live a longer and healthier life. However, you don’t have to be perfect or change everything at once. Start with one habit that you can easily implement and stick to it. Then, gradually add more habits as you feel comfortable. Remember, every small step counts towards your health and happiness.
I hope you found this blog post helpful, and I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions. Please leave a comment below, and share your thoughts and experiences with me. Thank you for reading my blog, and stay tuned for more posts on healthy living. Until next time, take care and be well!😊
Learn more
1 healthline.com 2 healthline.com 3 heart.org 4 wikihow.com 5 hsph.harvard.edu 6 ahrefs.com 7 backlinko.com 8 upwork.com
9 brafton.com 10 moz.com 11 news.harvard.edu 12 hsph.harvard.edu 13 bing.com 14 news.harvard.edu