11 Keys And Habits To Live Longer And Better

Hypertension, smoking, a diet low in fruit and obesity top the list of the main risk factors that threaten our health. Knowing them will help us decide what aspects of our life we ​​are willing to change.

It seems that the fact that a date changes on the calendar gives us renewed energy to modify what we do not like in our life, and in December who else who least makes a list of good resolutions for the following year. But we know from experience that if we set ourselves many objectives at the same time, we will not achieve any. For this reason, it is important that each person who wishes to make a health plan for the next year chooses, according to their personal conditions, at most three objectives from which we are going to propose.

How to live longer and better

Looking through the scientific evidence, there are several proposals that have been shown to be related to the delay in mortality and the decrease in morbidity (disease) among the populations studied. Likewise, several studies warn of the differences between women and men in terms of mortality and the diseases they suffer: they are mainly influenced by the level of education, and in them, unemployment. In this sense, the empowerment of women can reduce inequalities, as established in 1992 by Dr. Richard Wilkinson, who demonstrated that their health can be affected, more than by social class, by physical and mental stress, low self-esteem and the loss of social relationships. They will therefore be aspects to consider in our health plan for the new year.

Doctors Majid Ezzati and Elio Riboli, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London (United Kingdom), recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine an excellent review on risk factors for mortality and disease burden throughout the world. world, and have been able to identify individual risk factors.

Prioritize health goals

On all continents, the risk factors related to early mortality are: high blood pressure, active and passive smoking, diet low in fruit, obesity and high blood sugar levels, sedentary lifestyle and low physical activity, diet high in salt, alcohol abuse, diets low in nuts and seeds, high cholesterol, diets low in vegetables, diets low in whole grains, and diets low in fish. More than 60% of global mortality is attributed to the first five. As for the factors that produce disease overload, they are the same ones related to mortality, with a variation: alcohol abuse, which rises to fourth place.

Following this classification, each person should identify their risk factors and, especially if they suffer from any of the first four, take the appropriate measures.

1. Control blood pressure

A normal blood pressure is considered to be between 140 and 80. Having the lowest minimum is not a serious problem, but having the highest maximum repeatedly requires monitoring. To measure blood pressure, you must have rested five minutes before and, although the time of day is not very important, it is good to know that blood pressure in the last hours of the day is slightly higher. The causes of hypertension are diverse and it is essential to consult a trusted doctor, who will indicate the appropriate treatment.

2. Give up tobacco

Smoking is responsible for 6.3 million deaths annually in the world. Tobacco is a cause of lung cancer, heart attacks, and respiratory diseases. Smoking begins as a social act or a way to release anxiety and ends up being an addiction. It can cause problems for pregnant women and intrauterine babies, and respiratory diseases in children. Passive smoking must be avoided.

3. Eat fruit

A correct consumption of fruit has been established as one of the most important prevention factors in mortality and morbidity related to nutrition. Fruits are high in vitamins and antioxidant factors, so their consumption helps reduce cardiovascular risks. The fruits of the forest – blueberries, raspberries, bilberries … – and red grapes are especially preventive of cardiovascular risks among women, according to recent studies, if they are taken from youth two or three times a week.

4. Get to a healthy weight

Excess weight is responsible for 3.4 million deaths annually worldwide. It is interesting to know the Body Mass Index (BMI) itself, which is calculated by dividing the weight in kilos by the square of the height in meters: obesity is defined as a body mass index greater than 30. An index above 25 it has already been associated in Asia with hemorrhagic vascular accidents. In any case, weight monitoring is recommended for people whose index ranges between 25 and 30.

5. Do away with excess sugar

The consumption of sugary drinks and an excess of refined sugars and carbohydrates contribute to the increase of glucose intolerance and type II diabetes in adulthood. Diabetes is predominantly female and a clear risk factor for alteration of the arteries throughout the body and myocardial infarction. Many cases of diabetes can also be caused by endocrine disruptors that come to us through our diet – such as bisphenol A in the plastic that lines the inside of some cans – but also from other sources, such as water. Whenever possible, it is advisable to eat organic food and cook it.

6. Perform regular physical exercise

Physical exercise has been associated with extensive health benefits since the 1950s. The most recommended and economical physical activity is brisk walking (not running) for about two and a half hours a week or half an hour a day. Only with this measure, in studies carried out in Norway a decrease in the incidence of breast cancer of 70% has been observed, since regular exercise increases the metabolization of estrogens and prevents them from going exclusively to the breasts.

7. Limit alcoholic beverages

Excess alcohol consumption is responsible for 3.7 million deaths annually and 3.9% of disease overload. The most important problems that it produces are chronic liver diseases (cirrhosis), neurological disorders, loss of vitamin B1 and cardiovascular diseases when there are repeated binges. On the contrary, a moderate consumption (for example, a glass of wine with meals) can be beneficial for the heart, especially red wine, due to its resveratrol content. It should be noted that women absorb twice as much alcohol in the intestine as men.

8. Eat to live, don’t live just to eat

In studies carried out with populations from different parts of the world, it has been proven that a diet high in vegetables, whole grains, seeds and nuts and low in fat corresponds to greater longevity and fewer diseases. Reducing salt intake is also healthy and reduces the risk of high blood pressure, although there is scientific controversy about its total elimination, since some authors think that it is a “sacrifice” that does not become a clear improvement in blood pressure. Finally, it is advisable to avoid trans fats in industrial fried foods and pastries.

9. Increase creative social relationships

Isolation and lack of social and friendship relationships can be a risk factor for physical and mental health. Studies carried out in the United States found that the factor that increased the population’s life expectancy the most –in three years and, in addition, with good quality– was the maintenance of a rich network of friends or collaborators with good internal relationships.

10. Reduce physical and mental stress

Both work addiction and a taste for perfectionism in household chores can lead to stressful situations that require skills and personal projects to set limits. This is a complicated challenge, but one that we have to face if we want to start a healthy year. We cannot and should not want to do everything, but rather know how to choose and prioritize our activities, reserve a few hours for leisure and, also, for the enjoyment of our inner life.

11. Increase self-esteem

This is another difficult challenge considering that our society and our culture have been dedicated for four thousand years to undervalue – or, directly, not to value – women and everything they do or say. The increase in self-esteem begins with having one’s own time and a room of one’s own, as demanded by the writer Virgina Woolf, but continues with the development of assertiveness (deciding and maintaining decisions until they are carried out). Participating in a mutual aid group or simply doing team activities with like-minded people can help us.

I advise you to set yourself three goals and develop them throughout the year, without obsessions or anguish, but with perseverance. You will gain health and life expectancy.