It is sometimes said that health is not valued until sickness comes in. On the other hand, nature has its own way of shortening the lifespan of people who live negative lifestyles. It was a turning point for most people when a recent publication in the American Heart Association showed that people can extend their life expectancy by more than 10 years, just by following healthy lifestyles. Research has shown that by following good lifestyle habits during their adulthood, women and men can extend their lifespan by 14 and 12 years respectively. So, if you’d like to live a long healthy life, here are five great lifestyle choices to think about adopting.
Say No to Smoking
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking remains one of the greatest public health concerns throughout the entire world. Each year, the world loses about 8 million people to smoking. Out of that number, 7 million deaths are directly related to tobacco-smoking, while one million deaths are attributable to passive smokers. The dangers of smoking are very much understood today, that is why many smokers are taking it upon themselves to stop their habit.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Your body mass index (BMI) is one decisive factor that shows whether you may have an appropriate weight or not. In simple terms, BMI is a numeric quantification of a person’s mass-to-square-height ratio (measured in kg/m2).
- A BMI below 18.5 kg/m2 means that you’re underweight.
- An ideal BMI lies within 18.5–24.9 kg/m2
- Overweight means your BMI exceeds 30 kg/m2
Though BMI isn’t the only indicator of good body weight, it does give you a good idea about whether you need to do weight loss exercises or not.
Follow a Good Diet
It’s been said countless times that you are what you eat, yet it can be very difficult to understand what constitutes a good diet. If you want to be healthy, you must adhere to a healthy diet. Try your utmost to eat a well-balanced diet that includes fruit, veggies, and whole grains. Minimize your intake of salt, sugar, and overly processed food. Food labels in the grocery stores may not tell you that the products are natural, but if you familiarize yourself with healthy ingredients, you’ll know what’s best for you.
Exercise is Key
Many people want to live longer lives, but few are willing to bear the pains of physical exercises such as squats, sit-ups, and leg curls. Workouts provide a plethora of health benefits ranging from good skeletal, muscular, and cardiac health. Since the 1980s, scientific researches have consistently proved that aerobic exercises can help people to lengthen their lifespan.
To wrap things up, you only have one life to live on earth. and research has shown that Americans have a lower life expectancy when compared to Japanese and Norwegians. This wide disparity in life expectancy can be related to the different lifestyles of people across the globe. Why not add a decade to your lifespan just by following the healthy lifestyles discussed above.
