Among respected health experts, calls are growing for a shift from today’s pill-popping, symptom-solving culture to a more proactive system of ‘preventative healthcare’.
According to research, switching from reactively treating illnesses to proactively preventing them through daily lifestyle and dietary changes could save thousands of lives – and save the NHS £22 billion per year.
While anybody can be struck down by unexpected diseases or accidents, your risk of suffering from common health issues – such as heart disease, diabetes and dementia – can be hugely reduced by making positive health interventions.
A study by Harvard University found making changes when you’re aged 30–55 can add up to 10.7 years to your life, while a paper in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people aged 45-84 who make healthy changes slash their risk of an early death by a colossal 80%.
Here are 10 simple health upgrades to kickstart your own preventative health regime right now.
Exercise earlier to lower your blood pressure
A morning workout will give you a glorious endorphin high to power you through the day, but it will also help to lower your blood pressure, minimising your risk of heart disease in later life.
A study by Appalachian State University, published in Vascular Health and Risk Management, found that 7am morning jogs three times a week are 10% more effective at lowering blood pressure than 1pm lunchtime or 7pm post-work runs.
Morning jogs were also shown to be the most effective at supporting a good night’s sleep, which offers even more heart-protecting benefits, given that poor sleep is also linked to high blood pressure and heart problems.
So set your alarm clock earlier tomorrow. Your life depends on it…
Eat until you are 80% full to age better
Research suggests that cutting your daily food portions by 20% could lead to several life-extending benefits, primarily through improved weight management and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
But don’t waste your time weighing portions or counting calories. Simply adhere to the Japanese philosophy of “hara hachi bu", which translates as "eat until you are 80% full”.
This “80% full” philosophy – think satisfied but not stuffed – is one of the reasons Japanese people have one of the best life expectancies in the world. But there are scientific reasons behind its success.
When you eat, the digestive hormones secreted by your gastrointestinal tract take 15-20 minutes to inform your brain that your stomach is full.
As a result, we often eat more than we really need, before our brains figure it out. So, eating until you feel 80% full helps to prevent any unnecessary overeating.
One study in the journal Eating Behaviours found that overweight men who follow the “80% rule” typically eat around 500 fewer calories per day, helping to support a healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss.
Take 5-minute walks to protect your heart
Disturbing studies have shown that sedentary modern lifestyles, from desk jobs to Netflix binges, are catastrophic for human health. In fact, long periods of sitting are associated with a 90% increase in the risk of death from heart problems, and a 49% increase in the overall risk of dying.
But don’t quit your office job just yet. Research has shown there are easy ways to counteract the health risks of sedentary lifestyles.
A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found taking a five-minute walk every half an hour helps to counteract the harmful changes in blood sugar levels and blood pressure caused by sedentary lifestyles.
Many health gurus still promote the magic 10,000 steps mark, but research by Harvard Medical School found even 4,400 daily steps are associated with a huge 41% reduction in mortality.
However, it is worth picking up the pace on your outdoor walks. A UK Biobank Observational Study of 475,000 people found people who walk briskly, at over 4mph, enjoy a life-expectancy boost of up to 15-20 years over those who habitually walk at less than 3mph.
Double your fish suppers to beat dementia
Fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids – such as salmon, mackerel and sardines – can help to fend off dementia, which affects almost 1 million people in the UK.
A vital component of everyday brain health, Omega 3 is thought to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain, helping to lower the risk of dementia.
One study of 2,233 people found that eating fish twice a week can reduce dementia risk by 41%. Another paper, by the University of Bordeaux, found that adding a second portion of oily fish to your weekly diet slashes your dementia risk by another 7% compared to one portion alone.
Tidy your desk to cut your cholesterol
Tidying your desk every day could spare you from a host of serious health problems.
Research by Duke University found that people who are conscientious – such as those who stay in control of their daily chores – enjoy knock-on improvements in their diet and exercise, with 27% fewer health problems, lower cholesterol, and even less gum disease.
It is not that your messy desk is, in itself, is the problem, but being conscientious, by cleaning and tidying, leads to a cascade of other positive daily habits, such as choosing healthy food and cleaning your teeth, so you enjoy a healthier lifestyle overall.
Take vitamin D to beat bone breaks
You probably already knew that Vitamin D can help you to fight off infections and depression, but the ‘sunshine vitamin’ – which is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight – is also key for your skeletal strength.
Calcium is a major component of bone health, but the body can absorb calcium only if it has enough vitamin D to aid the process.
That is why research has shown that inadequate vitamin D intake can lead to bone demineralisation, increasing your risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
Sunlight is the body’s primary source of Vitamin D, so it is important to spend good time outdoors, and get into the habit of taking Vitamin D pills over the dark winter months.
According to the National Institutes of Health, daily vitamin D and calcium supplementation is associated with a 33% lower rate of bone fractures.
Tame your screen time to avoid back and neck pain
Around 3 million people in the UK suffer from back and neck pain, and your mobile phone doesn’t help.
Relentlessly peering down at your phone piles 27kg of force – the weight of an eight-year-old child – on your neck, according to Surgery Technology journal.
Get into the habit of raising your phone to your face instead, so you don’t spend your senior years in pain.
To avoid back pain in later life, add in two blasts of yoga per week. Just two sessions of yoga stretches every week cuts back pain by 42%, according to a research paper published in the journal Spine.
Calming yoga sessions also neutralise the kind of lingering anxiety that tightens your back muscles, too, for an extra dose of calm.
Eat the Mediterranean diet for 360-degree health
Diets can be tricky to follow, but one diet is consistently shown to deliver multiple life-extending benefits.
Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can cut your risk of cardiovascular disease by 28% and dementia by 20%, and add an astonishing 8-15 years to your life.
It has also been shown to protect against health issues such as cancer, diabetes and cognitive decline.
So what does this diet look like? The Mediterranean diet usually involves a ratio of 50% carbs, 15% protein and 35% healthy fats.
It focuses on lots of colourful vegetables, legumes, fruits and wholegrains; plenty of fish and lean meat; a low intake of saturated fats; and a high intake of unsaturated fats such as olive oil.
Crucially, it is also sustainable. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people who start following the Mediterranean diet remain 3.1kg lighter even six years after starting the diet – proof that this is one diet you really can stick to.
Meet your friends to neutralise stress
Even when work and family get in the way, never neglect your time with friends. Good friends can help to manage stress, stimulate your cognitive function through conversation, and provide a sense of purpose and belonging that are crucial to human longevity.
According to the Australian Longitudinal Study of Aging, close relationships with family actually have very little impact on how long you live, but the people with the most friends tend to outlive those with the fewest friends by 22%.
This research is backed up by a clinical review of 150 studies, which found that people with strong social connections have a 50% better life expectancy.
The World Health Organisation now suggests the health risks of loneliness are as bad as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. So make time for that catch-up, jog or video call with friends. It could save your life.
Chew away cravings to beat diabetes
Your 3pm sugar cravings may seem like an innocent indulgence, but they are boosting your risk of Type 2 diabetes by 11%, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The good news is that chewing gum will cut your cravings for sugary snacks. In fact, research published in the journal Appetite found that after chewing gum people typically had a 10% smaller weight of snack compared to people who hadn’t chewed any gum.
Expand that calorie deficit over a week, a month and a year, and that’s a lot fewer calories in your system. Plus, you’ll enjoy bonus benefits such as healthier teeth and fresher breath (with sugar-free versions), to keep your dentist and your work colleagues happy, too.