A Guide To A Healthy Lifestyle

In the simplest terms, a healthy lifestyle is a way of living that reduces your risk of becoming seriously ill or reduces your life expectancy. Although we cannot prevent all diseases, many serious illnesses can be prevented by adopting certain types of behavior and avoiding others.

Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, yet they are conclusively linked to lifestyle factors such as obesity, physical activity, smoking and poor diet. Heart disease, stroke and lung cancer together account for one-third of all deaths annually in high-income countries, with tobacco use cited as the greatest self-imposed risk to health.

One recent large meta-analysis showed that individuals who adopted an unhealthy lifestyle, including smoking, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and unhealthy diet, had a 66% higher risk of mortality than those who adopted at least four healthy behaviors.

However, a healthy lifestyle is not only concerned with the avoidance of illness and death. It is also about improving aspects of social, mental and physical well-being in order to enjoy more aspects of life for longer.

What are the essential features of a healthy lifestyle? One large-scale prospective cohort study conducted in the United States analyzed the health behaviors of approximately 120,000 adults across a thirty-year period. It used this information to understand how lifestyle factors affected lifespan and the risk of death from non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancers. They identified five healthy characteristics:

A healthy diet A healthy diet involves eating a variety of foods in the correct proportions and consuming a calorie intake that allows for the maintenance of healthy body weight. Although this varies for everyone, as a general guide, this should include:

At least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day should account for a third of your daily food intake. Evidence has shown that people who meet this requirement are at a lower risk of developing some cancers and heart disease. One meta-analysis found a dose-response relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and disease, with the risk of death from heart disease dropping by 8% per portion of fruit or vegetables consumed daily, up to ten portions, while cancer risk dropped by 3% per portion.

Starchy foods, particularly wholegrain varieties which contain more fiber and nutrients than white varieties. Whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of several cancers, type 2 diabetes and heart disease and promote healthy gut bacteria.

Lean proteins, especially fish, eggs, and white meat, are essential for cellular repair and provide a range of vitamins and minerals.

Dairy foods and their alternatives, which are a good source of protein and provide calcium. Limited amounts of unsaturated fats.