Sixty-four percent of Americans are expected to retire with less than $10,000 in their retirement savings accounts. And in their 60s, 70s and beyond, as many as 539,000 will die of heart disease, somewhere around 550,000 will die of cancer and around 300,000 folks will die of diabetes (probably underreported) every year. Collectively, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes account for around two-thirds of all deaths in the U.S., and about $700 billion in direct and indirect costs annually.
The good news: A new international study published in the journal Circulation makes it clear how you can dodge pocketbook-draining health woes and live longer and healthier.
The bottom line: If you adopt at least four of these five lifestyle habits — you never smoke, have a healthy BMI of 18.5-24.9, get 30 or more minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day, moderately consume alcohol and eat a diet that’s low in sat fats and ultraprocessed foods but high in plant-based nutrients — you have a good chance to reach age 50 free of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. If you do, your life expectancy while continuing to be free of those conditions is around another 31 years for men and 34 years for women. That’s seven to 10 years longer than for 50-year-old men and women who have adopted none of those positive lifestyle habits. It’s never too late to make your move.
No smoking and drinking moderately have immediate benefits:
Ex-smokers have more genetically healthy lung cells than active smokers. And 24 hours after your last cigarette you’ve significantly reduced your risk for a heart attack. In two weeks, your lung function may rebound 30%.
If you keep alcohol intake to 3-6 ounces daily (less or none is best), you’ll lower your blood pressure and triglyceride levels, repair your liver, lose weight, improve sleep and reduce your risk of breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and colon cancers.
Improve your diet by making it plant-based:
A plant-based diet can lower your lousy LDL cholesterol levels by 15% to 30%, according to a study published in Nutrition Reviews. If you focus on foods that have super cholesterol-lowering powers, such as steel cut oats, beans and barley; walnuts and almonds; cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts; and soy protein, a University of Toronto study says you can slash your LDL by almost 30% in four weeks. Check out recipes in Dr. Mike’s “What to Eat When Cookbook.”
A plant-based diet also reduces the risk of gastrointestinal, colorectal and liver cancers.
Achieve and maintain a healthy BMI for far-reaching benefits:
Losing 10% of your body weight will reduce high blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces your risk of stroke, atrial fibrillation, blood clots and heart failure.
If you’re overweight or obese and lose 5% to 10% of your body weight, you’ll lower your risk of diabetes by 58%.
Overweight women who lose 20 pounds after age 50 and keep it off have a 26% lower risk of breast cancer than women who don’t, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Achieving a healthy weight also reduces the risk of endometrial cancer, and male kidney and colon cancers.
Eating the “WhenWay” plant-based diet plus walking 10,000 steps daily will help you achieve your desired waist circumference and weight.
Get that sweet sweat with regular physical activity:
A University of Sydney study found that strength training twice weekly reduces the likelihood of dying from cancer by 31%. In combo with cardio workouts, it’s even more protective.
Moderate leisure-time physical activity significantly reduces the risk of 13 cancers and cuts the chances of cancers of the head and neck, rectum, bladder and lung (in current and former smokers) as well.
You can do a lot to assure that your health lasts. For more financial and physical health advice, check out Dr. Mike’s book, “Age-Proof: Living Longer without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip.”
