Although more and more people are living to be 100 years old, longevity is not necessarily associated with a good quality of life. That is why more and more experts are trying to determine which factors contribute to healthy aging.

According to the latest European Union health report, life expectancy at birth in Romania is 74.2 years.

It is clear that we will live longer than the generation of our grandparents and even our parents, but that does not mean that we are healthier than them.

“We live four to eight years longer than our grandparents. But health doesn’t seem to be keeping up with life expectancy,” said Greg McPherson, a cellular health expert and founder of a biotech company.

The difference between life expectancy and “health expectancy”

Sometimes longevity can coincide with good health, but this is not a general rule. Until modern medicine was invented, life expectancy was usually equal to the duration of health.

“In the past, if you got seriously ill, you were more likely to die. But thanks to modern methods of treatment, we can support the lives of patients for decades,” said Daniel E. Lieberman, a professor at Harvard University. Today, the average life expectancy in the United States is 77 years, while the average healthy life expectancy is 63 years.

Life expectancy strictly refers to the number of years a person can live on average from birth to death. Whereas health expectancy is the period of time that a person can live without suffering from a disease that affects his quality of life.

“We are living longer, but we spend the last years, maybe 25% of our lives, suffering from various diseases. About 65% of people over the age of 60 have multiple health problems,” McPherson added.

In this context, here are methods that help improve the quality of life.

Move to prolong life and health

Physical activity can improve health in two main ways, both of which involve how people manage their energy. Our ancestors spent a lot of energy on activity. But the survival instinct also makes them avoid unnecessary activities. Thus, the extra energy was used to store fat, useful at a time when they could not get food, and to increase the level of sex hormones necessary for reproduction.

This deep-rooted instinct to conserve energy explains why it’s so hard to motivate yourself to exercise just for the sake of health. But in today’s environment, where most of us don’t make any physical effort to get the food we need and provide the basic conditions for survival, physical activity becomes even more important.

“Like our ancestors, unused energy turns into fat deposits and causes excessive production of hormones,” added the expert from Harvard.

Why physical activity is good for the heart

Physical activity has other benefits besides burning calories. When the lungs, heart and other muscles begin to strain, the resulting physiological stress temporarily affects tissues and cells. A healthy body responds by activating repair and maintenance mechanisms that heal these injuries.

“The repair process also makes the blood vessel walls more flexible and elastic, and over time the heart becomes bigger and stronger. At the molecular level, repair mechanisms help reduce inflammation and prevent blood clots from forming, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease,” explains Professor Daniel E. Lieberman.

The problem is that we don’t activate these repair and maintenance mechanisms as much if we’re not physically active.

Find a workout buddy

Still, it’s perfectly normal to avoid exercise as a voluntary, optional activity, he says. People who don’t like to exercise simply follow their natural instincts to conserve energy.

However, we can find motivation to exercise if we turn to activities that are enjoyable and help us connect with others.

“It turns physical activity into a social event. For example, I go for a run with a friend in the morning. In the evening, we send each other messages and set a time to meet, so I can’t retreat, knowing that he is waiting for me at the agreed place,” said Professor Lieberman.

Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to do strenuous exercise, 10 to 20 minutes of walking each day can have a significant impact on heart health and longevity, says the Harvard expert.

Other methods that can prolong the hope of health

Here are some practices that cellular health expert Greg McPherson recommends for good health.

• Have regular medical examinations. Routine blood tests can detect potential health problems in a timely manner.

• Follow a healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean or vegetable-based diet, and occasionally eat meat for extra protein. Avoid sugar as much as possible as it ages you prematurely. Make sure you get enough vitamin C and E.

• Don’t forget about hydration. In general, according to Harvard Health Publishing, healthy people should drink four to six glasses of water each day, but intake should be adjusted based on gender, weight and environmental conditions.

• Practice gratitude and mindfulness. “I think gratitude, mindfulness, and a circle of friends can add years, if not decades, to your life,” adds Greg McPherson.

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