Seven secrets of a long and healthy life
The well-known American cardiologist Clyde Yancy, professor at Northwestern University and former president of the American Association of Cardiologists, states that following seven simple rules can significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and increase a person's healthy life expectancy by ten or more years.
He believes that strict adherence to the recommendations formulated below gives a person a 90 percent chance of living to 90-100 not only without heart disease and stroke, but also without other serious chronic diseases, including cancer.
1. LEAD A MOBILE LIFESTYLE. A sedentary lifestyle can reduce a person's life expectancy by almost 4 years. Lack of physical activity doubles the risk of heart disease and stroke.
2. CHECK AND MONITOR THE LEVEL OF CHOLESTEROL IN THE BLOOD. Many adults are characterized by high cholesterol levels in the blood. This can lead to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the inner surface of the artery walls and narrowing of the vascular lumen, which also increases the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
3. ADHERE TO THE RULES OF HEALTHY EATING. Healthy eating is one of the most important principles that can improve your health.
4. MEASURE AND MONITOR BLOOD PRESSURE. Due to the lack of symptoms, high blood pressure is often called the "silent killer". Regular measurement and monitoring of blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke by 40% and the risk of myocardial infarction by 25%.
5. ACHIEVE OPTIMAL BODY WEIGHT AND MAINTAIN IT. Overweight and obesity are extremely important risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Obesity potentially reduces life expectancy by almost 4 years.
6. CONTROL THE SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES. The incidence of diabetes has been steadily increasing in recent years. Diabetes, especially in the absence of control over blood sugar levels, increases the risk of arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and stroke.
7. GIVE UP SMOKING. A huge number of people around the world die prematurely every year due to active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke. The risk of developing heart disease and stroke begins to decrease immediately after quitting smoking and after 15 years almost reaches the indicator characteristic of a person who has never smoked.
According to Professor Yancy, today less than 10% of people adhere to these rules, but this figure demonstrates the enormous potential of these preventive measures in case of their widespread implementation.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada:
Simple lifestyle changes can add a decade or more healthy years to the average lifespan of Canadians, says international expert.
26.10.2011