Although living a long, quality life is something most people strive for, the life expectancy of Americans has decreased. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention“Life expectancy at birth in the United States decreased by almost a year from 2020 to 2021… That decline, from 77.0 to 76.1 years, brought life expectancy at birth in the United States to its lowest level ever.” low since 1996. The 0.9-year drop in life expectancy in 2021, coupled with a 1.8-year drop in 2020, was the largest two-year decline in life expectancy since 1921-1923.”
A new study of MDVIP reveals that more people want to live longer, but do not know how to extend their life expectancy. The study finds, “An encouraging 87% reported that they want to take steps to live healthier longer, with more than half wanting to live to age 100 or beyond (53%). However, 3 out of 4 people surveyed (74%) failed a basic 20-question test. longevity IQ questionnaire, indicating that most do not have sufficient knowledge about the lifestyle factors that influence aging and longevity.
“Despite Americans’ desire to age well, the MDVIP survey also reveals how managing their health is taking a backseat to other priorities: 54% admit they plan more for their financial future than their future health. This is especially true among men (60% vs. 47% of women) and adult ages. 18-44 (64% vs. 44% of adults over 45).” Achieving longevity is achievable with the right healthy habits and lifestyle choices and Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with experts who share their tips for living beyond the average age. Read on and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure signs you’ve already had COVID.
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, muscles, and immunity. While it’s something our bodies naturally produce when sunlight hits our skin or when certain foods we eat like salmon, tuna and dairy are fortified, many are deficient in the vital nutrient, which can potentially shorten their shelf life . Cleveland Clinic states, “Vitamin D deficiency is a common global problem. About a billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient, while 50% of the population is vitamin D insufficient. Approximately 35% of adults in the United States are deficient in vitamin D.
Dr. Jonathan M. Campos DAOM Functional Medicine, Acupuncture, Herbs, Stem Cells & PRP, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Sports Medicine, Primary Care explains: “While this topic can be controversial among medical professionals, there are many evidence to show the benefits of how vitamin D will increase your Life expectancy, immune function and help defend against a host of diseases. Most of us are supposed to get it from sunlight and, in part, from the diet, but vitamin D levels in the general population appear to be declining. No one knows exactly why, but the theory is that between all the environmental toxins, food, stress, and genetics, we may not be absorbing it. And even if we are absorbing it, we may not be converting it to D3, which is what the body ultimately needs. If you’re considering supplementation, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor to check your levels at least once a year.”
Dr. Jacob Hascalovici MD, PhD on Of course The medical director tells us: “Recent studies have highlighted a link between optimism and longevity. Optimism can train the mind to focus on more supportive and joyful thought patterns and behaviors, which can reduce unhelpful rumination and decrease awareness and sensitivity to pain. Optimism may also play a role in feeling a greater sense of autonomy and help with stress management. The more effectively stress is managed, the less likely it is to contribute to chronic disease. Experts who study happiness have shown that positivity and optimism can be learned and practiced.”
Being happy and having a good attitude can help you live longer, according to a study led by researchers at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health which said, “Higher levels of optimism were associated with longer life and life beyond age 90 in women of all racial and ethnic groups.” The study found that “although optimism itself can be affected by structural social factors, such as race and ethnicity, our research suggests that the benefits of optimism may be maintained across diverse groups,” said Hayami Koga, a doctoral student at the Graduate School of Arts. and Sciences studying in the Population Health Sciences program in association with Harvard Chan School and lead author of the study. “Much previous work has focused on deficits or risk factors that increase the risks of disease and premature death. Our findings suggest that it is worth focusing on positive psychological factors, such as optimism, as potential new ways to promote longevity and healthy aging around the world. various groups”.
Susan Gentile, nurse practitioner with pick point says, “Believe it or not, the more time you spend on social media, the less sleep you get. If you don’t have a proper sleep routine, you’ll always be exhausted and irritated. Sleep is essential for controlling cellular activity and for healing in the body. Normally , people should sleep 8 hours. But if your sleep is reduced to 4-5 hours, it means that the body does not have time to rejuvenate and rest. This will increase the aging process and shorten life expectancy. Also, it will cause depression , anxiety and inflammation in your body. You should reduce screen time by setting timers on your phone apps and going for a walk before bed. This will improve your sleep pattern.”
the New York Times reports, “a growing body of evidence suggests that the time we spend on our smartphones is interfering with our sleep, self-esteem, relationships, memory, attention span, creativity, productivity, and problem-solving and decision-making skills. But there is another reason for us to reconsider our relationships with our devices. By chronically raising levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, our phones can threaten our health and shorten our lives.
Until now, most discussions of the biochemical effects of phones have focused on dopamine, a brain chemical that helps us form habits and addictions. Like slot machines, smartphones and apps are explicitly designed to trigger the release of dopamine, with the goal of making our devices hard to put down. This manipulation of our dopamine systems is why many experts believe we are developing behavioral addictions to our phones. But the effects of our phones on cortisol are potentially even more alarming.”
Dr. Mahmoud KaraMD Internal Medicine tells us, “More than just a fun pizza topping, this mushroom has four key nutrients that can help protect your body from premature aging: vitamin D, selenium, ergothioneine, and glutathione. Overtime, oxidative stress, and free radical damage can lead to long-term health problems like cardiovascular disease, low energy, poor nutrient absorption, increased inflammation, and more. Along with their antioxidant properties, mushrooms also contain something called “aromatase inhibitors” that inhibit the production of estrogen, which can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. In addition, mushrooms have also been found to be powerful anti-inflammatory foods. Reducing inflammation is essential for longevity as chronic inflammation is the root of all evil. Chronic inflammation can lead to numerous health problems, including cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s or dementia, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, poor organ function, and more.”
Kent Probst, personal trainer, physical therapist and bodybuilder with Long Healthy Lifeadds, “According to a long term published study involving more than 15,000 Americans, people who ate mushrooms daily had a lower risk of death from all causes. Mushrooms contain a powerful antioxidant known as L-ergothioneine. L-ergothioneine has the ability to preserve telomere length, as well as lengthen telomeres. Telomeres, the caps on the ends of chromosomes, shorten each time a cell divides. Shortened telomeres are associated with age-related diseases. Oxidative stress is believed to be a cause of shortened telomeres. Mushrooms with the most health benefits include shiitake, maitake, chaga and reishi.”
Most of us have been guilty of skimping on sleep to do other things, but that harms our health and puts us at risk of serious problems later on. While a good night’s sleep is something that makes us feel better, it’s something our bodies desperately need. Just like good food, we need good sleep for brain health. Medicine John Hopkins state, “a healthy amount of sleep is vital for “brain plasticity,” or the brain’s ability to adapt to information. If we get too little sleep, we become unable to process what we have learned during the day. Y we have more trouble remembering it in the future.” Also, “When people don’t get enough sleep, health risks increase. Symptoms of depression, seizures, high blood pressure, and migraines get worse. Immunity is compromised, increasing the likelihood of disease and infection. Sleep also plays a role in metabolism: even one night of missed sleep can create a prediabetic state in a healthy person.”
Dr. Andrea KlemesBoard certified in internal medicine and endocrinology and MDVIP’s medical director says, “Sleep deprivation is linked to many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression, leading to reduced life expectancy and ‘lifespan’ (which is the number of years you live well and free from chronic disease.) REM, in particular, has been linked to brain health for years. Sleeping less than recommended increases the risk of dementiaAccording to a study published in Neurology. But it is also necessary for general health. For every 5% reduction in REM sleep, death rates increase by 13-17% among older and middle-aged adultsAccording to another study published in JAMA Neurology. In general, you should get 7-8 hours of sleep every day.”
