Now is an era where living a long and healthy life has become a hot topic rather than simply living a long life. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) also attaches great importance to the 'healthy lifespan' where people live healthy without being sick in body or mind. Learn how to improve your healthy lifespan to live longer, younger and healthier


Prioritize exercise over

Diet Exercising rather than dieting helps to improve health and lifespan. This is because exercise maintains muscle strength and metabolic health. In fact, according to Stephen Harridge, Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at King's College London, being overweight but physically healthy is better for a healthy lifespan than having a slim but unhealthy body by dieting. This is because exercise makes the blood vessels in the body flexible, promotes blood circulation, and grows more capillaries in the muscles to enrich them with oxygen. In addition, proper exercise stimulates the cardiopulmonary organs, skeletal muscles, ligaments, and nervous system, thereby helping to prevent chronic degenerative diseases.





 Regular exercise

To get out of breath Exercising for about 15 minutes every day will help extend your lifespan. This is because regular exercise boosts your metabolism and prevents your heart muscle from becoming stiff. A University of California study found that reducing sitting by one hour a day lowered your risk of heart disease by 26%. In addition, breath-taking exercise, such as aerobics, swimming, and jogging, raises levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and decreases levels of bad cholesterol (LDL).

As the elderly age, muscle mass decreases and the strength of individual muscle cells also decreases. After the 60th birthday, muscle mass decreases by 3% per year. In this case, the basal metabolic rate drops, making it easy to gain weight, and you get tired quickly. If your belly is convex and your legs are starting to get thinner, it's already a 'red signal for muscle loss'. Loss of muscle strength is natural, but exercise can slow it down.



Drink 2-3 cups of coffee

A day 2-3 cups of coffee a day is beneficial to health. Excessive caffeine intake can excrete calcium from the body and cause osteoporosis. However, according to a study by researchers in Budapest, Hungary, two to three cups of coffee a day lowered the risk of stroke and heart disease. In addition, polyphenols contained in coffee act as antioxidants. It helps prevent diabetes by preventing aging and lowering insulin resistance. According to Nutrition Reviews, for every cup of coffee per day, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was reduced by 6%. In addition, caffeine activates liver and kidney functions, thereby activating body metabolism. In addition, the antidepressant properties of coffee are effective in preventing depression by lowering the level of inflammation in the body. According to a Harvard University medical study, drinking coffee reduces the risk of depression by almost a third.



Skinship

With your spouse is an important secret of longevity. This is because physical contact improves symptoms of anxiety and depression, lowers blood pressure, and provides psychological stability. According to a study at the University of Pennsylvania in the US, physical contact promotes the expansion of arteries and thus the release of the brain chemicals oxytocin and vasopressin, which is beneficial for heart health. This is because oxytocin and vasopressin are brain hormones that induce stability and increase intimacy. A 2016 University of Michigan study found that regular sex reduced the risk of a heart attack in both women and men.



Protein intake

The older you get, the more you need to eat meat to get protein. This is because protein is an essential nutrient for the production of muscles, hormones, and antibodies in the elderly. There is a misconception that 'if you eat a lot of meat, you can easily get all kinds of diseases. However, while plant proteins like soy contain only half of the essential amino acids, meat contains all eight essential amino acids needed by the elderly.

The recommended intake of protein suggested by the Korean Society of Nutrition and the Korean Society of Geriatrics for the prevention of senescence is 1.2 g per 1 kg of body weight. According to this standard, it is desirable for an elderly person who weighs 60 kg to consume 72 g of protein per day. Beef, pork, fish, eggs, and black beans contain a lot of protein.






Hot water bath 

A hot water bath improves blood circulation and helps you sleep. This is because, when you get a good night's sleep, growth hormone is secreted well and the aging rate is slowed down. A study published in the British cardiovascular journal 'Heart' found that bathing habits and health records of 30,000 Japanese adults aged 40 to 59 years were followed for 20 years. The risk of stroke was 26% lower than those who took a bath. It is analyzed that the hot water bath helps people sleep by lowering the body temperature and increasing the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone.



Learning

New things Learning new things is beneficial to your mental and physical health. The researchers found that people who read books lived longer and those who spoke more than one language had better cognitive abilities. Learning knowledge and skills improves memory. In particular, learning art and music improves brain health by interacting with different areas of the brain. Learning new things also increases your ability to cope with stressful situations. Studies have shown that people who have studied a lot throughout their life have a lower risk of heart disease and obesity, and are more likely to have healthy lifestyle habits such as exercise, quitting smoking, and eating healthy foods.



 Stay away from cigarettes

Half of the long-term smokers die from tobacco. Smoking causes heart disease, stroke, female infertility, lung cancer, and many other diseases, and lung cancer has a higher mortality rate than breast cancer among women. That is why it is recommended that you reduce your risk of developing these diseases by quitting smoking or not getting into the habit at all.



 Stay connected

Research shows that social relationships increase your chances of overcoming physical health problems, increase your level of happiness and help you live longer. Another study found that connecting with others has the same positive effects on physical health as quitting smoking. Have a goal to strengthen your relationships and make new friends.



 Eat healthy food

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day, and preparing nutritious meals for yourself and your family can be challenging. However, eating too many unhealthy foods increases your chances of developing serious diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression. Unhealthy foods such as fast food and commercial baked goods increase the risk of depression, while vegetables such as omega-3 fatty acids and broccoli have been shown to lower the risk of depression and cancer.



Physical activity

Adequate physical activity reduces your chances of developing many diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast cancer, and depression. Exercise improves bone health, sleep, and quality of life. To achieve these health benefits, you need to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least two and a half hours each week. Moderate-intensity physical activity includes brisk walking, biking, and playing with children.






Helping others

Research shows that consistently helping others can lower blood pressure, reduce depression, lower stress levels, reduce the effects of chronic pain, and help you live longer. Volunteering gives you purpose and perspective, especially when your life isn't perfect, and also helps you make new friends. Help includes not only collecting donations for charities but also visiting the home of an elderly person living alone in the neighborhood for a cup of coffee.



Get some sleep

Sleep disturbances (insomnia and night pain) affect women more than men. Not getting enough sleep as we age can also lead to obesity, heart disease, depression, and diabetes. Sleeping 7 to 9 hours a day can improve mood, memory, stress levels, and the safety and performance of your body.



Practice Yoga and Meditation

Yoga has been around for thousands of years. Yoga reduces weight loss, lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and has numerous health benefits, such as disease resistance and relief from joint pain.


Habits are powerful. The way to a healthy and happy life is to develop the right things. Quitting smoking, maintaining good relationships, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep and exercise will keep you healthy and reduce stress. Take action to incorporate some of these healthy habits into your life.