Successful Aging

A study from University College London that included 5100 men and women has determined four healthy behaviors that are essential to aging successfully. In a world obsessed with anti-aging products and plastic surgery, this study revealed that successful aging has more to do with internal health and can be done without any expensive lotions, potions, treatments or medications.

Successful aging is defined as having good cognitive, respiratory, and cardiovascular functioning in addition to the absence of disability, mental health problems, and chronic disease.

Here are the four must have behaviors to age successfully.

  • Never Smoking
  • Moderate Alcohol Consumption
  • Physical Activity (2.5 hours or more per week of moderate physical activity or 1 hour or more per week of vigorous physical activity.)
  • Eating Fruits and Vegetables Daily

Here are a couple of tips to make these four behaviors routine in your life. If you find yourself drinking alcoholic beverages a little too quickly try drinking a glass of water between each alcoholic drink to slow yourself down and to remain hydrated. Exercising is difficult, especially when it is not part of your daily routine. Try finding a friend to work out with; sometimes that extra accountability gives you just the boost you need. To make sure you are consuming fruits and vegetables daily take a shot at making your own smoothies, they make veggies taste great but you still get all the nutrients! If you need help to stop smoking visit this website.

Although it is somewhat difficult to squeeze that physical activity into our busy schedules these behaviors are defiantly do-able, and a lot more economical than buying every medication on the market to keep yourself young.

 

 

Information provided in part by: http://www.worldhealth.net/news/anti-aging-lifestyle-promotes-independent-living/ Severine Sabia, Archana Singh-Manoux, Gareth Hagger-Johnson, Emmanuelle Cambois, Eric J. Brunner, Mika Kivimaki. “Influence of individual and combined healthy behaviours on successful aging.” CMAJ, October 22, 2012.