Healthy lifestyle according to the rules

Seven rules of protection against all diseases are named

RIA Novosti, Vladislav Strekopytov

Scientists have proved that the "seven simple rules of a healthy life" proposed by the American Heart Association minimize the risk of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, as well as senile dementia.

Rules of a healthy life

There are many recommendations to help maintain health. They usually relate to quitting smoking and alcohol consumption, rational nutrition and other behavioral factors.

Scientists from the American Heart Association (AKA) we have identified seven specific measurable indicators by which it is possible to understand how healthy a person leads a healthy lifestyle. And then — to assess the risk of his cardiovascular diseases. These criteria were called Life's Simple 7, or "seven simple rules of life". As it became clear later, they are also suitable for determining the likelihood of other ailments developing with age.

These are the rules: physical activity, proper nutrition, optimal weight, quitting smoking, maintaining normal blood pressure, controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels. According to experts, people with five or more ideal indicators of Life's Simple 7 have a 78 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular and neurological diseases compared to the rest.

Smoking cessation

AKA experts cite the facts: within 20 minutes after giving up a cigarette, the pulse and blood pressure are normalized, after 12 hours — the level of carbon monoxide in the blood, after two weeks, lung function and blood circulation improve, after a month the respiratory system is fully restored. A year later, the risk of acute heart failure is halved, and those who left a bad habit five or more years ago are no more likely to have a stroke than non-smokers.

Physical activity

To maintain the health of the heart and blood vessels, scientists recommend starting physical education three times a week for ten minutes and gradually bringing it up to twenty minutes five days a week. The simplest training option is regular brisk walking or running, supplemented with at least two sessions of strength exercises for seven days. Those who want to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels need a higher load — three to four times a week for 40 minutes.

Weight control and proper nutrition

The main parameter that allows us to judge whether a person's weight is normal, insufficient or excessive is the body mass index, in other words, the correspondence of weight to height. To bring the indicator back to normal, scientists advise to weigh yourself regularly and calculate the balance of calories consumed and consumed. To lose weight, you need to burn more than enters the body with food, reduce the size of portions and eat only when you really feel hungry.

AKA experts believe that on average a person needs two thousand calories a day — a little more or less, depending on gender, age and level of physical activity. And also from the task at hand — to lose or gain weight.

Sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure

A significant part of the food we eat is converted into glucose, which is necessary for energy. The hormone insulin is responsible for the utilization of glucose — it is produced by the cells of the pancreas. People with type 2 diabetes mellitus and predisposition to it have insulin resistance — a condition in which insulin is not used effectively. Blood sugar should be monitored: if it accumulates in excess, it can lead to damage to blood vessels, heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.

It is equally important to control cholesterol levels, which are considered the main risk factor for atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and stroke. This substance is synthesized in the liver and partially enters the body from the outside with animal fats. It is carried by blood lipoproteins, which come in two types — low and high density (LDL and HDL). The first contribute to the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels, and the second, on the contrary, prevent the formation of plaques.

For this reason, LDL is often called "bad cholesterol". It is found in margarine, mayonnaise, confectionery, smoked meats, semi-finished meat and red meat, hard cheeses, fatty dairy products. Most of it is in fast food and any fried dishes cooked with a lot of vegetable oil. Products with unsaturated fats are rich in "good cholesterol" HDL — fish, avocado, nuts and seeds, olive, linseed and sunflower oil, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, bran, oatmeal, green tea.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is considered bad, is also necessary for the body. It destroys bacterial toxins that are dangerous to health, helps strengthen the immune system. But the benefits of it outweigh the harm only if its level corresponds to the norm. Rospotrebnadzor believes that the upper limit of total cholesterol should not exceed 5.18 millimoles per liter for adults and 4.4 for children.

Another parameter for regular monitoring is blood pressure. The American Heart Association takes the value "117 by 76" as the norm. If the indicators are higher than "140 to 90", cardiologists diagnose hypertension. High blood pressure is the main risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Heredity is not a verdict

"Seven simple rules of a healthy life" are universal recommendations for all people. Meanwhile, predisposition to many cardiovascular, neurological diseases, as well as metabolic disorders is inherent at the genetic level. But it turns out that the principles of Life's Simple 7 will also apply here.

Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Center in Houston found that following the recommendations of the AKA significantly reduces the risk of coronary heart disease in any case, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can largely compensate for genetic risks.

Experts summarized the data of long-term observations of more than ten thousand patients over 45 years of age with poor heredity. And found out: those who did not follow any of the seven rules had a 67 percent chance of developing coronary heart disease during their lifetime. And those who followed all Life's Simple 7 — 24 percent.

"At the same time, it is most useful for people with the highest, polygenic risk to follow these rules," lead author Dr. Natalia Hasbani from the Center for Human Genetics at the University of Texas said in a press release.

According to the results of another American study, Life's Simple 7 almost halves the risk of dementia in people, even genetically predisposed to this disease.

To assess the effect of healthy habits on the inhibition of neurodegenerative processes, scientists from the University of Mississippi analyzed the medical records for three decades of almost 12 thousand patients who had changes in DNA associated with Alzheimer's disease.

At the beginning of the study, all of them were healthy, and the average age was 54 years. At the end of the follow-up, 2,234 people were diagnosed with dementia. The authors calculated that completing each Life's Simple 7 item reduces the risk of senile dementia by nine percent. For those who followed all the rules, it was lower by 43 percent.

Dementia is a general term to describe progressive neurological disorders that affect memory, thinking and behavior. The most common type is Alzheimer's disease. There are currently 5.5 million people with this diagnosis in the USA alone. And every year there are more and more of them.

It is impossible to cure dementia. Therefore, it is very important to prevent this serious disease or slow down its development in time, scientists believe. And the "seven simple rules of a healthy life" can play an important role here.

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