Healthy Living for a Longer Life

Posted 18 February 2009

It isn't rocket science - the healthier you are, the longer you'll live. Healthy living is achievable with a little help, advice and motivation.

Research undertaken at the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council in Norfolk shows that healthy living can add a staggering 14 years onto your lifespan. Healthy living is simple: not drinking too much alcohol; eating sufficient fruit and vegetables; not smoking, and taking exercise. The researchers followed 20,000 people over a decade and found those who smoked, had bad diets, didn't exercise enough and who drank too much were four times likely to have died. It's starkly clear that any of those four factors impinges on your lifespan. Healthy living however is something that evades many of us, proving that we all need a little help, guidance and motivation.

Healthy Living - Simple Changes

Healthy living is merely about embracing simple changes in your lifestyle. And the research backs up that large parts of the population could really feel the benefits of adopting these moderate changes in their lives, enhancing the length and quality of their lives. The research also highlights that it isn't just one factor that impacts on healthy living and well being. Just cutting out smoking is not sufficient if you eat a fatty diet and take no exercise. The research showed that combinations of poor lifestyle choices collude to boost the early mortality risk. Adopting a healthy living plan and making long-term lifestyle changes are all it takes. The research revealed a massive hike in deaths from heart disease in those that didn't adopt a healthy living lifestyle. As well as cardiovascular disease, deaths from cancer also rose significantly.

Healthy Living Can Prolong Life

The study has been embraced by those who advocate and campaign for healthy living. The research also highlights the importance of taking responsibility for your own health by actively pursuing healthy living by exercising, eating well and avoiding alcohol and nicotine. As well as ensuring a longer lifespan, healthy living also helps when it comes to our looks - sedentary lifestyles have been shown to speed up the ageing process. A study of twins found those that had a healthy lifestyle, with more physical activity, were biologically younger than their sedentary siblings. As well as being vulnerable to more disease, inactivity could speed up the ageing process itself - isn't it time you started a healthy living programme?

Discover Healthy Living with Fitbug

Fitbug is a little gadget that allows you to track your calories and steps. This online personal health and well-being coach is a unique system designed to help you achieve your weight, fitness and health goals within your everyday routine. Fitbug offers flexibility for you to do what exercise you can, when you can. Using the Fitbug pedometer you can get the right structure and motivation to keep you on the straight and narrow. Find out more, call: 0870 228 4949.