Start by Preventing Cancer and Heart Disease Now!
Do you want to live forever? I don’t think any of us really want to live forever (unless you’re addicted to one of those teenage vampire movies!). But we also don’t want to cut our time short on this glorious world. We have too much to do and too much to see before we head off to the afterlife.
According to the CDC, the leading causes of death in the US are Heart Disease and Cancer. A distant third is chronic lower respiratory diseases.
Important Note: Many mortality trackers actually consider the US Healthcare system (medical errors and infections contracted in hospitals) as the third highest cause of death. That right there is enough reason to stay healthy and out of the healthcare system!
So, if we start by preventing the top causes of death we should be able to not just extend our lives but extend the healthy, productive, enjoyable living part of our lives.
Apparently, it’s not all that difficult and it’s been spelled out in multiple studies. Unfortunately it’s not a magical pharmaceutical drug or a new app for your smartphone (I wish it was because I would be a very rich man!). But it’s actually the same information we learned as children…for the most part. The following studies show how to decrease your chances of getting heart disease and cancer. The top two leading causes of death.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways identified to cut your chances of dying from heart disease. The 2004 Interheart Study showed that 90% of heart disease was preventable by following 5 basic rules:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Be physically active (walk/bike 40 minutes per day and exercise 1 hour per week)
- Maintain a healthy waist circumference (<37.4 inches)
- Use moderate alcohol consumption (10-30 grams per day)
- No smoking
Those rules seem simple enough. I think we can all follow those…right? Unfortunately, no! The same study showed that even when people knew these rules, they still didn’t follow them. In fact, only 1% actually followed all five.
That sounds compelling, but it’s just one study…right?
Well, how about another.
A study listed in the American Journal of Cardiology identified 6 steps that can make you “heart attack proof”. By following all 6 steps you can reduce your chance of heart attack by 92%! They are:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Maintain a normal BMI (18.5 – 24.9)
- 5 hours of exercise per week
- Watch TV less than 7 hours per week
- Limit alcohol to 1 drink per day
- No smoking
Sounds similar to the recommendations as the first study, right. And, they sound reasonable. So, why don’t we follow them? Well, maybe you’re thinking that your heart is fine. What about cancer?
Well, lets take a look at another study, one that addresses cancer…the #2 cause of death. There are around 22,000 cancer deaths EVERY DAY in the world. And a study by the World Innovation Summit for health estimates there will be a 59.89% increase in cancer cases by 2030. We need to do something to change this statistc.
A study printed in the JAMA in May 2016 stated that men could cut cancer risk by 59%, and women can cut cancer risk by 67% by following some basic rules. The study clearly stated that a large majority of cancers are preventable. (They did exclude cancers of the skin, brain, lymphatic, blood and bone tissues which they believe have strong environmental causes…irradiation and carcinogenic substances. So, how can we prevent MOST cancers?
- Maintain a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 – 27.5)
- 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week
- Small amounts of alcohol consumption (1/day for women, 2/day for men)
- No smoking
Wow, I see a lot of the same factors. Just coincidence…nope. Like I said earlier, these are the same things our parents told us when we were kids (don’t tell me this is revolutionary information!)
Now, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I see a trend! Combining these major studies shows very simple way we can all significantly decrease our chances of dying. By following the consolidated checklist below, we can almost never worry about the top two causes of death…and probably the third (respiratory OR the healthcare system!). The simple list is:
- Eat healthy (this is probably the most complicated based on who you listen to, check out future posts for my recommendations)
- Try to walk 7,000-10,000 steps per day (a Fitbit or other tracker will help)
- Moderate exercise 3 times per week (I recommend weight training)
- Enjoy a glass of wine (or similar) per day
- Maintain a healthy waist-to-hip ratio (WTH) – I feel it’s more accurate for health than BMI
- Don’t smoke
We all know that these are things that we should do, but now you have scientific proof on how they can affect our lives. Follow this checklist for a healthy, extended life (even for teenage vampires).
Please, now that you know these rules, don’t be the 99% of the population that doesn’t follow them. Take charge of your health and your life by following these rules and be on your way to a Fitness Renewal!