Attitude, habit and daily life choices can make a difference in your health and longevity.

Dr. Michael Roizen, M.D., founder of the Reboot Your Age program, writes in the new book The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorow, 40 percent of premature deaths (premature meaning before you turn 75) are related to lifestyle choices.

According to Dr. Roizen, not enough people realize that their attitude, habits and daily life choices can make a difference in their long-term health and longevity. “The largest error is thinking that your choices do not make a difference, but making healthy choices early and consistently allows you to enjoy good health and a longer life,” says Roizen.

By the time you turn 60 years old, “75 percent of your health outcomes are determined by your habits (healthy or unhealthy) and choices”, submits Dr. Roizen.

Focus on 6 + 2

Roizen’s barometer for health success and healthy aging is “6 Normals + 2”. Here are the “Normals” and “Plus 2”, writes Jeff Haden, in Inc. Magazine.

1. Regain and maintain normal blood pressure. The target is 110/75.
2. Regain and maintain a healthy level of LDL cholesterol. The target is 100 mg per deciliter.
3. Regain and maintain a healthy fasting blood glucose level. The target is 100 mg/dL or below.
4. Maintain a healthy weight for your height. Here’s where it gets tricky. Most people use body mass index (BMI) to determine a “healthy” weight. But muscle, or lack of, matters. A 6′ tall NFL cornerback who weighs 215 pounds has a BMI of 29.2. That puts him at the high end of the “overweight” category, even though by any objective measure he’s incredibly fit. Your body fat percentage is probably a better indication of whether you’re maintaining a healthy weight.
5. Practice ongoing stress management. Roizen’s target is to “sleep well and feel at ease in your own skin.” But don’t just think of sleep in terms of longevity; a 2018 study found that lack of sleep correlates with tension, anxiety, and lower overall mood. Sleep is good for you later, and good for you now. Aim to get 7 to 9 hours a night. For the best rest, do it on schedule — turning in and waking up at about the same times every day.
6. Have no primary, secondary or tertiary smoke from tobacco in your body. If you aren’t familiar, tertiary smoke involves pollutants that settle indoors when tobacco is smoked. Think couches, curtains, bedspreads, etc. Your body repairs itself quickly once you quit smoking. As soon as 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. In other words, don’t smoke. And, if feasible, try to avoid being around people who smoke.

Now for the “Plus 2.”

1. Get a full body check up. You are what you measure, and you can’t know your numbers — and if necessary work to improve them — until you get your numbers.
2. Keep your vaccinations up to date. Roizen recommends that everyone get an annual flu shot since it can decrease flu and lung problems as well as reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. He also recommends people aged 50-plus get the shingles vaccine, and those 65 and over get the pneumonia vaccine.

The key is to consistently make healthy choices that help prevent chronic disease and set you up for a long life.

• Don’t smoke, and if you do smoke, quit today.
• Don’t drink alcohol beverages to excess, but drink plenty of water.
• Get a good night’s sleep and practice mindfulness.
• Eat a healthy, low refined carbohydrates, no processed food, high fiber diet.
• Exercise 150 minutes a week.

References:

1. https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/a-noted-physician-says-better-health-greater-longevity-comes-down-to-rule-of-6-plus-2.html
2. https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-binge-watch-risks

Stop focusing on how stressed you are and remember how blessed you are.