Steps to potentially reduce the aging process by approximately six years:
Heart Health: The Not-So-Secret Ingredient to a Long Life
The American Heart Association offers a list of crucial lifestyle choices and health factors called Life's Essential 8TM. This checklist, consisting of essential behaviors and factors, can vastly improve and maintain cardiovascular health. The consequences of following this advice are nothing short of life-changing.
In a recent study, researchers found that heart health in the United States is largely wanting, with 80 percent scoring low or moderately on the Life's Essential 8TM scale. But here's the good news—when you take control of your heart health, it could potentially slow down the aging process and ward off age-related diseases.
According to the research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023, optimizing cardiovascular health may slow down the pace of biological aging. In simpler terms, a high heart health score could stave off age-related diseases, possibly extending lifespan.
The researchers discovered that participants with the highest cardiovascular health scores were, on average, six years biologically younger than their actual age. More importantly, the researchers found a dose-dependent association—the higher your heart health, the slower your biological aging.
Mitochondria Matters
Every cell in the body depends on mitochondria for energy. While mitochondria are vital for life and health, like any piece of machinery, they wear out with age, leaving cells unable to produce the energy required for proper functioning.
So, if you're looking for a way to slow down biological aging and enjoy a healthier, longer life, adhering to Life's Essential 8TM might just be the answer.
Life's Essential 8: Your Roadmap to Healthy Aging
Life's Essential 8 includes eight crucial measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health:
- Eat Right (Healthy Choices)
- Move More (Physical Activity)
- Quit Smoking (Tobacco Cessation)
- Sleep Soundly (Quality Sleep)
- Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Control Cholesterol
- Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar
- Manage Blood Pressure
Print out this list and stick it on your fridge as a constant reminder of the steps you need to take towards a healthier and slower-aging future. Identify your weak spot and focus on improving it first. For many, that might mean getting more active.
Remember, it's not about making grand gestures—it's about making small, consistent changes that can lead to a healthier, slower-aging life. If you need support or advice on how to get started or maintain your progress, just check out their site. It's not about fancy regimes or complicated advice—just some guidance to help you stay on the path to a healthier, longer life!
A Healthier You: The Key to a Longer Life
By focusing on the foundations of heart health, you can exponentially reduce your risk for chronic diseases, improve your overall well-being, and add years to your life. And that's something everyone can get behind!
- Improving brain health by adhering to Life's Essential 8TM may potentially delay age-related cognitive decline, contributing to better wellness and longevity.
- The science behind Life's Essential 8TM suggests that optimizing heart health can lower inflammation in the body, contributing to overall health-and-wellness benefits.
- Regular fitness-and-exercise, one of the components of Life's Essential 8TM, helps maintain mitochondrial health, thereby slowing down the aging process and improving heart health.
- Following Life's Essential 8TM can not only enhance heart health but also boost brain health, ensuring a healthier, more active lifestyle in the later years of life.
