Live Longer and Better

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, beginning in the year 2012, 10,000 people a day will start turning 65. However, we are aging differently today  than in previous generations. Physically and mentally, the health of today’s 70-year-old now equals that of a 65-year-old in the 1970s. And while most older adults have at least one chronic health problem, overall disability has slowly and significantly declined.  It is interesting to note that the United States has been slipping in its longevity ratings compared to other countries. Israel, on the other hand has been climbing. 

When the numbers are crunched more carefully, though, there are obvious differences between men and women, as well as people of different races. A newborn boy born in 2004 or later can expect to live a bit more than 75 years, while his sister can expect to live to slightly more than 80.  As you grow older, your average life expectancy stretches. For example, while the life expectancy of a newborn in the United States is 78, a 65-year-old can expect to live 19 years longer, and a 75-year-old for another 12 years.  

Why did life expectancy increase so much in the 20th century in more developed nations? The onset of a particular disease is usually determined by three factors: lifestyle (including diet and exercise), environment (such as exposure to infectious microbes or toxins), and genes. Increased life span surely has nothing to do with genes; our genes today are the same as they were a century ago. Rather, the changes in lifestyle and environment are responsible. Changes in the environment such as better sanitation, the use of antibiotics, and many other improvements in medical care can claim much of the credit. As for lifestyle, in developed nations, nutritional deficiency diseases were largely eliminated in the last century.

Still, not all nutritional changes have been entirely for the better. In the United States, at the turn of the 20th century, most Americans lived on farms or in rural communities. We ate fresh, unprocessed food every day, and we worked hard physically. Today, our diets are less healthful in many ways, and we exercise less.  

Doctors can definitely help us live longer with all of the great advancements in medical care and drugs that are available today.  But there is so much that we can do for ourselves that will extend and enhance our lives.  And we all understand the value of every second of life.  So it is incumbent upon us to take our wellbeing into our own hands.  

So what are some practical measures we can take to both extend life and be enhance the quality of our lives?  Again, Harvard Medical School gives us some practical tips:

1. Don’t smoke.

2. Build physical and mental activities into every day.

3. Eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and substitute healthier

    monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats for unhealthy saturated fats and trans fats.

4. Take a daily multivitamin, and be sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D.

5. Maintain a healthy weight and body shape.

6. Challenge your mind.

7. Build a strong social network.

8. Protect your sight, hearing, and general health by following preventive care guidelines.

9. Floss, brush, and see a dentist regularly. Poor oral health may have many     repercussions, including poor nutrition, unnecessary pain, and possibly even a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

10. Discuss with your doctor whether you need any medication, - perhaps to control high blood pressure, treat osteoporosis, or lower cholesterol - to help you stay healthy. 

Most of your health and longevity is in your hands.  Be active, exercise, eat right, stay positive, manage and reduce your stress. And remember that with regard to most physiological aspects, the human body can improve well through our eighties.  Following these tips can “add hours to your day, days to your year and years to your life.”  


Alan Freishtat
co-director of Lose It! The Center for Weight Loss and Stress Management
www.loseit.co.il