Health – Embracing healthy aging

With global life expectancy on the rise, there’s a growing emphasis on strategies to enhance health span – the period of good health and quality of life. However, a longer life does not necessarily equate to a healthier one. What is health span? Lifespan is the number of years someone lives from birth until death, while health span is the number of years someone is healthy without chronic and debilitating disease.

Here some top tips for improving your health span:

Plant-centric diet: Renowned epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector advises aiming for 30 different plants a week. “Eating a diverse range of plants can significantly improve gut health, boost antioxidant intake, and contribute to overall wellbeing,” he says.

Prioritise protein: Adequate protein intake is crucial for healthy aging as it supports muscle strength, bone health and immune function, helping to maintain overall vitality and resilience against age-related decline.

Nutrient-dense foods: Incorporating beans, legumes, wholegrain bread, sourdough, nuts, seeds, prebiotic and probiotic foods into daily meals amplifies the nutritional arsenal against age-related ailments.

Nuts for longevity: Studies link nut consumption to extended life expectancy. Researchers tracked 34,000 Seventh-Day Adventists in California starting in the 1980s. After 12 years, they linked the subjects’ consumption of nuts five to six times a week to a longer-than-average life expectancy.

Dried fruits: Nature’s candy, dried fruits like figs and dates, are rich in fibre, potassium and antioxidants, crucial for regulating blood pressure and reducing the risk of age-related maculopathy. A 2004 Harvard study showed that eating three or more servings of high-antioxidant fruit a day lowered the risk of age-related maculopathy by 36% in people aged 50 and older.

Spice it up: Ginger, sage, oregano, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and aid in blood sugar control, contributing to prolonged health.

Fish consumption: Myriad studies have focused on the beneficial effects of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. These fats help reduce inflammation and protect the integrity of cell membranes from free radical damage. Omega-3 fatty acids may help protect people from age-related neurodegenerative disease, cognitive decline, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. For those who dislike fish or are vegetarians, other excellent sources of omega-3 fats include flaxseed and flax oil, canola oil, walnuts, soybeans, hemp seeds, and large amounts of leafy green vegetables.

Ditch the diets: Don’t follow restrictive diets or focus on weight loss (focusing on weight loss is the biggest predictor for weight gain and also causes additional stress that can have a negative effect on your health.) Instead, focus on health improving behaviours rather than focusing on restriction.

Other factors other than nutrition also play a part in maintaining our health as we age. Researchers looking at the blue zones worldwide where there are the highest concentrations of octogenarians with good health span outlined some other important factors:

Stay active: Include activity such as gardening, housekeeping and walking as part of your daily life.

Reduce stress: Find ways of being more mindful, bringing a sense of stillness and calm to your days

Have a purpose: People in blue zones tended to have a purpose that gave them a sense of value and contribution in society.