Avoid These 10 Mistakes for a Longer and Healthier Life
A long and healthy life simply means being able to enjoy your life to the fullest for as long as possible. In other words, it means being equally focused on lifespan and healthspan.
It turns out that how you age has less to do with how many birthdays you’ve had, and more to do with how well you take care of your body and your mind.
Following are 10 mistakes that can negatively impact the aging process:
Mistake #1: A Poor Diet
As the cliche goes, you are what you eat.
A diet heavy in unhealthy fats and simple sugars causes oxidative stress, stimulates inflammation, and stresses your body’s metabolic system.
Better food choices include leafy green and cruciferous vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats like olive oil and coconut oil.
Mistake #2: A Lack of Exercise
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the fastest ways to aging poorly. In other words…don’t be a couch potato. Move your body as much as possible. Get cardiovascular exercise at least four or five days per week. And make sure you include resistance training in your exercise regimen so your muscles and bones stay strong.
Mistake #3: Too Much Alcohol
Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet, and it stresses your liver. Most experts recommend that alcohol consumption be limited to no more than one drink per day.
Mistake #4: Tobacco or Vape Use
It doesn’t matter whether it’s cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, or chewing tobacco…they all cause cancer and negatively affect your cardiovascular health. There is no minimum safe amount of tobacco you can consume.
And vaping products, although they are touted as being a “safe” tobacco alternative, still expose your body an unhealthy doses of the stimulant nicotine.
Mistake #5: Burning the Candle at Both Ends
Sleep is when your body repairs and rebuilds itself. Without enough sleep, your body is more vulnerable to the ravages of excess cortisol and oxidative stress. Your mind needs sleep, too. It’s during sleep that your brain sorts through your experiences and turns them into memories.
Most health experts recommend 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night for good health.
Mistake #6: Working Too Hard (or Too Long)
You know what they say…no one ever said “I wish I had spent more time at the office” during their final moments. Your body and your mind need time away from work to repair and recharge. Time off is essential for good health.
Mistake #7: Too Much Stress
Stress initiates your body’s “fight or flight” response…which results in your adrenal glands producing extra cortisol so can overcome the perceived “threat” (whether real or imagined).
This is fine in the short-term. But cortisol is toxic when produced in excess for pro-longed periods of time. The result can be high blood pressure, weight gain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
Mistake #8: Inappropriate Opioid Use
Excessive and unsupervised opioid use is a serious issue in the United States. One recent study identified opioid use, a lack of exercise, and tobacco use as three factors that are responsible for a 35-40% reduction in lifespan.
Mistake #9: Failure to See Your Primary Care Provider Regularly
An annual visit with your primary care provider can head off medical problems before they become serious. This includes screening for cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Mistake #10: Ignoring Your Hormones
Your hormones control every important system in your body. And yet, everyone will experience hormone decline as they get older.
Hormones that are out of balance can negatively impact quality of life and your overall health. Keeping hormones balanced to optimal levels via hormone replacement therapy, on the other hand, can promote good health and keep you feeling good.
Start Your Healthy Habits Now
It’s never too late to adopt good lifestyle habits. But…the sooner you get started, the better.
Renew Youth is here to help with doctor-supervised hormone replacement therapy. Call us today at 800-859-7511 or use our convenient contact form to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.
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