5 Steps to Increase Your Longevity
Average life expectancy in the US took a significant hit in 2020 due to the large number of COVID-related deaths, including an uptick in suicides among young people. In 2019 men lived, on average, 76 years and women, 81. But since the COVID pandemic’s arrival (and persistence), life expectancy has dropped an astonishing 1.5 years across the board!
Never before in our history was it so important NOT to have a co-morbidity. For the past 10+ years, my MMHTs have been written and sent with the intention of assisting you and your loved ones to age well, live long, and serve strong. Today’s encouragement is laser-focused on the “live long” part.
STEP 1: Get Regular Check Ups
Beginning with your primary care physician and adding to that appointment your other specialists or age-related screenings, finding a problem in its infancy works in your favor.
STEP 2: Treat Food as Medicine
Healthy things going into the body breeds healthy years lived out by that body. Think along the lines of eating more plants, drinking more water, including a variety of healthy fats, and keeping any processed food intake to a minimum.
STEP 3: Get Moving, Keep Moving
A ten-year study of 640,000 persons aged 40 and over revealed some interesting correlation between exercise and longevity. When compared with a non-exercising individual, those who performed 150 minutes/week of moderate level exercise had these gains in longevity:
For an obese person—an increase of 3.1 years
For an overweight person—an increase of 3.9 years
For a person with a healthy BMI—an increase of 4.7 years
So, as you can see, moving on purpose can increase just about EVERYONE’S life span.
STEP 4: Kick Bad Habits
Excessive alcohol, sugar or simple carbohydrate intake and any amount of smoking works against longevity, plain and simple. So, take the opposite stance of the famous Nike® slogan and “JUST DON’T DO IT!”
STEP 5: Get a Good Night’s Sleep
This standard probably hasn’t changed since the Lord separated light from darkness: Make it your goal to clock 7-8 hours of shut eye per night, or one-third of the 24-hour day you’ve been given.