Life Skills for Your LifeSpan: Longevity: Is it in you? | Health, Medicine and Fitness
“It’s about the importance of community and being in service to others,’ says Catherine Johnson, M.D., founder and medical director of Precision Medical Care.
If my dad died young, will I? Genetics account for a small part of longevity. Yes, your DNA does have a say if you have a parent that lived past 70 with your chances going up. Here’s your caveat, what’s your lifestyle habits, did/do you smoke, what’s your environment?
These and other variables do impact your DNA, says Dr. Johnson. Researchers study a group of 123,000 people and found 5 lifestyle habits that mattered. In particular – maintaining a healthy weight, never smoking, exercising, healthy eating and drinking in moderation greatly increased life expectancy at 50.
Additionally, David Fein, M.D., medical director of the Princeton Longevity Center found that quality healthcare, clean air and water helped too. If you still want more information about your family history and risk, make use of health screenings.
Is aging the worst thing that can happen to you? Granted, some aspects of aging are not fun including your lack of climbing trees and maybe a flappy arm, but people who embrace their life live 7.5 years longer on average than those who dread aging. This could be part of the bleaker outlook on getting old and not being proactive about health care and addressing issues.
