5 Science-Backed Steps for a Longer, Healthier Life

Most people want to live a healthy lifestyle. As many as 87 percent of Americans agree that they would like to take steps to live a healthier for longer, according to a study conducted by MDVIP and Ipsos. Unfortunately, most fall short — less than three percent of Americans live a healthy lifestyle, according to a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Why do so many people live an unhealthy lifestyle? For starters, bad habits are hard to break. Change can be difficult. And giving up vices that provide pleasure and relaxation, such as your favorite junk foods, cigarettes or alcohol, can take a toll on your happiness, making you wonder if achieving your wellness goals are worthwhile.  

Does living a healthy lifestyle have any tangible benefits? Yes — in a study of 720,000 veterans, those who adopted eight healthy lifestyle habits by middle age were expected to live 24 years longer than veterans who did not practice wellness.

The good news is that making changes to live healthier won’t just make you live longer. A healthier lifestyle can also extend your healthspan, the length of time we live without chronic conditions. The average lifespan of an American adult is 77 years, but the average healthspan is only 66 years old.

Here are five science-back healthy habits that contribute to living a healthier, longer life.

Physical Activity

Many Americans don’t love to exercise. However, regular exercise can make a significant difference in terms of your lifespan and healthspan.

Regular physical activity helps extend lifespan, according to a literature review published in the Journal of Aging Research. Additionally, all studies included in the review found that physically active adults may live as much as seven years longer than sedentary adults. Regular exercise also is the leading lifestyle intervention used to improve healthspan, particularly brain health, according to a study published in the journal Cells.

What do you need to do? Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, or about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Adults also need two days of a strength training activity each week, according to CDC.

Healthy Diet

An unhealthy diet has been shown to increase the risk of chronic diseases; conversely, eating a healthy diet that includes consuming more whole grains, nuts and fruits and less processed foods, may help extend a lifespan by as much as 10 years, according to a study published in Nature.  

The oils used in ultra-processed are known for triggering chronic inflammation, which has been linked to speeding up the aging process, according to Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare. Many ultra-processed foods also lack nutritional value. They’re high in calories, saturate fat, salt and/or sugar, while being low in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. A steady diet of processed foods raises the risk for a chronic condition, including heart attacks, strokes and cancer.  

What do you need to do? Work with your doctor to adopt a healthy diet that suits your needs. For example, if you’re goal is heart health, diabetes prevention/control and/or weight management, your doctor may suggest following a Mediterranean style of eating. If blood pressure is a concern, the DASH diet may be more appropriate for you. And of course, if you’re at risk for dementia, your doctor may encourage you to follow the MIND diet. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Certain foods also can help you stay hydrated.

Healthy Weight

Most people want a healthy weight, but it’s often difficult to achieve it, especially as you age. However, it’s an important to continue to manage your weight — being overweight or obese can affect the quality and length of your life. Extra weight raises your risk for debilitating and in some cases, life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, osteoarthritis and some cancers like endometrial, breast and colon, according to the World Health Organization.  

Weight management is a lifelong goal. Many people experience weight gain as they enter middle age. Unfortunately, middle age weight gain is linked to long-term health issues, a greater portion of your life being ill and higher health expenses compared to middle aged adults to maintain a healthier weight, according to a study published in JAMA Open Network.

Maintaining weight is healthier than losing weight, particularly over age 60. Older women who stabilized their body weight after 60 had a better chance of reaching 90 years old, according to a study published in Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

What do you need to do? Weight management is a complex process. A healthy approach is to work with your primary care physician. They can help you determine a health weight/body composition, guide your diet (or refer you to a dietician), advise you on exercise (or refer to you a personal trainer) and if necessary, may prescribe a weight loss drug.

Good Sleep

Getting quality sleep can be very difficult for some people; yet it’s imperative. Sleeping less than seven hours per night on a regular basis can affect your healthspan by raising the risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, obesity, immune system issues, endocrine conditions, nervous system problems, accidents/injuries, alcohol abuse and some types of cancer. Sleep disorders also affect your lifespan. Men who get good quality sleep can live five years longer than men who don’t; and for women, it’s two years, according to a study published in QJM: An International Journal of Medicine.    

What do you need to do? If you have a history of sleep issues, don’t go it alone. Talk to your primary care doctor. They may be able to get to the root of the problem. For instance, the problem might be sleep apnea, a treatment condition. If you’re dealing with occasional sleep issues, here are 23 tips that might help you sleep better.

Limit Substances 

It’s not news that tobacco can take years off your life. Researchers have figured out that for each cigarette you smoke, your life shortens by 11 minutes. For each pack of cigarettes smoked, your life shortens by 3 1/2 hours. And smokers who die of a tobacco-related disease(s) will average 14 less years of life.

However, many people still mistakenly think drinking alcohol may provide some health benefits, when in fact, it doesn’t. Alcohol consumption can decrease your lifespan overall, according to a study published in Nature. And Mayo Clinic reports that the risk for health issues is present, regardless of the amount.

Results from 118 studies found that light drinking increased breast cancer risk by 104 percent, moderate drinking by 123 percent and heavy drinking by 160 percent, compared with nondrinkers. Moderate drinking also raised the chances of colorectal cancer by 120 percent and heavy drinking raised it by 150 percent, according to University of Florida.

Alcohol’s effects on heart health are a little more complicated. Light to moderate drinking may have some heart health benefits. But light to moderate drinking can still raise blood pressure over time, a risk factor for heart disease. Meanwhile, heavy drinking can cause high blood pressure and weight gain, both linked with heart disease. It’s also associated with heart failure, stroke and cardiomyopathy.    

Heavy drinking also weakens your immune system, boosting the likelihood of infectious illnesses such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Studies also suggest that heavy drinking can age your body quicker, shortening your lifespan.

What do you need to do? Talk to your primary care doctor. They can assess if you’re using too much, determine if your usage is affecting your health and interfering with medications you’re taking. Your doctor also can refer you to local programs that can help you quit.  

Don’t have a primary care physician? Consider joining an MDVIP-affiliated practice. MDVIP-affiliated physicians have more time to help you in your pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Find a physician near you and begin your partnership in health »