STARTING LATE TO A HEALTHY LIFE
Heart disease is the number one killer in Australia, and it's strongly linked to lifestyle. That means there's scope to prevent it if you do the right things. But what if you've been doing all the wrong things? If you've been a chain-smoking, junk-food addict for years, can you turn your life around and catch up with all those virtuous vegie-eating types?
A recent study of nearly 16,000 adults aged between 45 and 64 looked at this. It focused on four key healthy habits: eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, not smoking, exercising (at least walking) for two and a half hours or more a week, and keeping within the healthy weight range.
At the study's start, only eight per cent of people managed to do all four of these things. But six years later, the figure had doubled. Over time, more and more of the group decided off their own bat it was worth changing their ways. And boy did it pay off!
Picking up all four behaviours gave people in the study a 35 to 40 per cent drop in their risk of heart disease and death. Within just four years, incredibly, they'd caught up with people who'd been health conscious all along. And the improvement was regardless of whether or not there were pre-existing problems like high blood pressure or cholesterol. So even if you don't think you're especially at risk, changing your lifestyle will still improve your odds.
The more healthy habits you can adopt, the more you should benefit. But the research suggests if you can manage all four, you'll maximise the gains.
So a slovenly past is no longer an excuse. Get your walking shoes on, give the ciggies away, tuck into the fruit, and veg and keep an eye on your weight. Your heart will thank you for it
Comment from Online Personal Trainer Dean Piazza:
Its amazing how quickly people can turn their health and lives around by eating healthy and getting fit with less than 30 min exercise each day. Besides all the benefits listed above from living a healthy lifestyle one of the biggest benefits not mentioned is the positive attitude and improved self worth that comes from being fitter and healthier.
With a huge number of people on anti-depressants which are both costly, and can also lead to weight gain due to the medication , exercise and healthy food should be the first step to building confidence .
Dotn forget as we age we also need to look at stretching and building strength as flexiblity and strength is what we start to lose quickly over the age of 40.
If you are over the age of 40 and would like me to personalise a program for you based on your age, lifestyle, and equipment you have available me email me on
dean@getfit.com.au
Dean Piazza - Your Online Personal Trainer and Motivator
www.getfit.com.au