STAMFORD, Conn. — It is staggering to realize that the number of people who live to 100 or beyond increased by 51 percent between 1990 and 2000. The average life expectancy in the United States is currently 78.8 years, which has increased significantly from 75.62 in 1995.
It’s not just about living to an older age, it’s about maintaining your health and vitality as well. In the Sept. 15 issue, Bottom Line Personal has some advice from Professor of Medicine, Henry S. Lodge, MD, FACP an internist, and the Robert Burch Family Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. There are some very simple steps you can take to stay mentally and physically fit to a ripe old age.
Some of these tips may seem quite obvious, but people simply aren’t living by these simple rules. If they did, it could mean living better, longer and healthier.
- Exercise more as you get older — all types of exercise. It is recommended to vary your exercise routine to keep it interesting and to provide both aerobic and muscle development. Try lifting weights a couple of days a week and then do some aerobic exercise four days a week. Join a gym and sign up for group classes because it’s more fun to work out with other people.
- Give up white foods. Strictly limit white potatoes, white rice, white bread and white pasta. Even though simple carbohydrates have only about half the calories of fat, they’re more likely to cause weight gain because they act like pure sugar in the body. White foods cause surges in insulin that trigger inflammation and increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Another important diet recommendation is to give up the processed junk food and replace it with natural foods that haven’t been processed.
- Stay connected. Make plans with friends and connect with other people. Make new friends. A few caring relationships can extend your life. Consider adopting a dog, cat or even a bird. Emotional connections formed with animals can rival, in terms of health benefits, those that we form with fellow humans. One study looked at dog ownership in heart attack patients. In the study, people who didn’t have a dog were six to eight times more likely to die of a second heart attack than those who did.
The things you need to do to live a longer, healthier life are simple, but they’re not easy. If they were, everyone would be living to 100. Surround yourself with friends and pets, eat well and keep exercising.