While aging is inevitable, feeling older does not have to be. A few anti-aging strategies can hold back the hands of time and improve health and longevity for men.
The average life expectancy for men in North America is 77.8 years. Women outlive men by five years, possibly because potentially fatal conditions such as heart disease and cancer are more common in men, according to the National Institute on aging. It is unknown why cancer rates are higher in men, but preventative health care may play a role. Women are twice as likely as men to see a doctor for regular checkups and screenings.
The National Institute on Aging reported from sponsored study of longevity that men with healthy habits and no risk factors had a 69 % chance of living to age 85. Negative factors affecting longevity include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, being over weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and poor physical fitness.
So, here are six anti-aging strategies:
- 1. Maintain a healthy weight:
- Being overweight can take three years off your life, and obesity can slash several years off your life.
- 2. Watch your diet:
- Steer clear of fast foods. It is loaded with salt which increases risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Some studies also suggest that a healthy diet of 25 to 40 % fewer calories than normal may contribute to longevity. Eating a balanced diet with five or more daily servings of fruit and vegetables will also assist.
- 3. Exercise regularly:
- Aerobic workouts promote longevity by strengthening the heart and lungs. Resistance workouts or controlled resistance training is the only type of exercise that slows declines in muscle mass, bone density, and strength.
- 3. Exercise regularly:
- Aerobic workouts promote longevity by strengthening the heart and lungs. Resistance workouts or controlled resistance training is the only type of exercise that slows declines in muscle mass, bone density, and strength.
- 4. Drink moderately and avoid smoking:
- More that two alcoholic drinks per day can damage your liver and over time potentially cause fatal health problems. Smoking drastically increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease..
- 5. Manage stress:
- Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks, as well as to decreased immunity. Seek strategies such as soothing music, deep breathing, meditation, yoga and other things that work for you.
- 6. Get regular checkups and screenings:
- Seeing a doctor at least once a year and having recommended screenings for your age category can prevent minor health problems from developing into chronic or deadly diseases. Talk to your doctor about screening for colon cancer, the second most common cancer killer of men.
It is never to late to start taking healthy steps. A healthy lifestyle, not your genes, is the critical factor in determining how your health will fare as your grow older. Look forward to a long and healthy life.