5 Powerful and Holistic Tips to Living a Longer and Healthier Life
PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE
There’s no getting around this truism in the realm of health and wellness. It’s important to find out what your vulnerabilities may be so that you can take proactive steps to prevent them from occurring or getting worse. Genetic predispositions and previous lifestyle choices may have created susceptibilities to a variety of physiological concerns.
We know that a lot of people take the “don’t want to know” approach but this contradicts any desire to live a longer and healthier life. Instead, receive holistic health assessments and nip risk factors in the bud. Proactive and preventative measures include the following:
Undergo genetic testing
Undergo hormone testing
Get a whole body MRI
Take an early cancer detection test
NUTRITION AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
You already know this one, but it demands reiteration. A wide body of research confirms that being overweight increases the risk of premature mortality. That being said, it’s important to not chase weight loss without taking a scientific approach. The magnitude of weight loss associated with changes in longevity is highly contingent upon the types of methods used to achieve it. Moreover, those of advanced age should also tread lightly when it comes to weight management. Studies have shown that stable weight increases the odds of longevity by 120-200% for ages 90 to 100. Excessive unintentional and intentional weight loss at such an advanced is linked to poorer survival, irrespective of the body mass index (BMI).
The moral of the story here, is that no weight management program should be initiated without the assistance of a qualified professional. Read more on physician-led weight management.
DEDICATION TO PHYSICAL FITNESS
This is another “known” precursor to living longer and healthier. Results of more than a dozen studies have confirmed that regular physical activity is associated with an increase of life expectancy of up to approximately 7 years. As with nutrition and weight management, fitness programs must consider where you stand with respect to preexisting health conditions. No exercise program should be initiated without consultation with a primary care provider.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH TOOLKIT
Make no bones about it, mental and behavioral health has a very real impact on how long you live. Anxiety, stress, depression, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, a number of process addictions, and more are associated with premature mortality. Intervention via disorder-specific counseling and therapy can help reverse this risk. As a part of your program to live longer, receive a mental and behavioral health assessment to identify whether or not disorders are present. Although, everyone can benefit from therapy even if it’s to help manage the mind-to-body connection from daily challenges and stresses.
LONGEVITY MEDICINE FROM A PROFESSIONAL
This is the most important component to what will help you live longer. It ties a bow around everything that we addressed above, and clarifies the fact that physician-led longevity medicine is the key to attaining your goal. Together with a specialist, you can explore health factors that may impact your lifespan, while receiving advanced screening and testing. You can be provided with a treatment program to address any underlying issues (as applicable) and more importantly, you can be provided with a health coach who will help you stay on track with your prevention, treatment, and nutritional management program. Learn more about all that is involved in effective longevity medicine.
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What will help me live longer, you ask? If located in the greater Chicago area, connect to our longevity clinic right away to discuss the necessary steps.