Important healthy living practices linked to a healthy lifespan

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2008), many factors combine together to affect health of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not is determined by their circumstances and environment. Even before a child is born, the health of the child can be affected by the lifestyle and choice of the mother.

Healthy living refers to the practices of population group that are consistent with supporting, improving, maintaining and enhancing health. Also healthy living involves the practice of healthy behaviours living in healthy ways that is, the physical, mental and spiritual capacity to make healthy choices (WHO, 2008).

The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language (2012), says that healthy living is a way of life or lifestyle of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.

Lifestyle is defined by The Encyclopaedia of Public Health as a pattern of individual practices and personal behavioural choices, which are related, elevated or reduce health risk. Lifestyle also means the way a person lives this includes pattern of social relations, consumption, entertainment, typically reflects an individual’s attitudes and values.

Healthy living is generally characterized as a “balanced life which one makes wise choices” and consists of the physical aspect and the emotional aspect. The physical aspect includes good nutrition, eating right, getting physically fit, beneficial exercise, adequate rest and proper stress management. While the emotional aspect includes self-supportive attitudes, positive self image, positive thoughts and viewpoints.

Croft (2010) stated that many factors affect health and healthy living. Some of these factors cannot be controlled by an individual, such as your genetic makeup or age while others can be controlled by the individual such as making lifestyle changes. Taking steps toward healthy living can help and individual to reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and other serious diseases. Some of these steps to include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a variety of healthy foods, being physically active, controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol, avoiding smoking and moderate use of alcohol or do not drink at all.

Physical health and wellness is seemingly incredibly unstressed in many teachings. Healthy living as an institutional challenge has been one of the challenge in the healthcare sector and in the daily life activities of individuals today. This research will help guide the behaviours of individuals within a given community.

Conceptual framework

According to the International Encyclopaedia of Public Health (2012), living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight requires a combination of reliable access to healthy food and physical activities options, knowledge about nutrition and appropriate amount of physical activities. A coordinated effort by an entire community is needed and should include child nutrition, health professionals, school board members, family, students, school board administrators, teachers, agencies, healthcare administrators and others in the community. A healthy lifestyle is important for everyone. When we look after our physical health, we feel better, fitter, more relaxed and better able to cope with things. Increasing or adding a new healthy behaviour can make a big difference to one’s health.

In general, most would agree that a healthy person does not smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats a balanced healthy diet, thinks positively, feels relaxed, exercise regularly, and has good relationship and benefits for a good life balance (Kenfield, Stamfer and Rosner, 2008).

The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language (2012), says that healthy living is a way of life or lifestyle of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.

In The Encyclopaedia of Public Health, Lifestyle was defined as a pattern of individual practices and personal behavioural choices, which are related, elevated or reduce health risk.

The World Health Organisation in 1946 defined health as “a complete state of mental, physical and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Wikipedia, defines lifestyle as a way a person lives. This includes patterns of social relations, consumption, entertainment, typically reflects an individual’s attitude and values.

Healthy living means maintaining a healthy lifestyle and introducing habits that improves one’s health. It is about enjoying oneself without risking one’s health like sleeping well and managing stress, safe sex practices, being physically active and staying connected with others. It is about being aware of any health risk related to ones illness and treatment, and working with doctors, feeling physically, mentally and emotionally well (Croft, 2010).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2008), many factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. Even before a child is born, the health of the child can be affected by the lifestyle and choices of the mother. There are many life choices that threaten the life of an individual. The active aspect of life is one; most people find it difficult to practice physical exercise. Physical exercise is one way to protect oneself against heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis, several cancers and diabetes. It also helps to combat stress depression, fatigue and make one feel good.

Factors that influence healthy living

Grad (2012) highlighted that there are several factors and lifestyles which can improve or mitigates healthy living which include;

• Nutrition and healthy eating
• Smoking Habits
• Sexual health
• Stress management
• Weight management
• Birth control
• Fitness level

Nutrition and healthy eating

Croft (2010) stated that although it is true that what is known about nutrition and diet is evolving, there are some nutrition basics that can help you sort through the latest research and advice. Mastering nutrition basics comes down to understanding the roles that specific nutrients play in a healthy diet. He also stressed that proper attention must be paid to the following when making your dietary decision, make sure to look for one that:

• Includes a variety of foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein including beans and other legumes, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats
• Includes foods you can find in your local grocery store — rather than specialty or gourmet store items
• Fits your tastes, lifestyle and budget
• Also consider your health risks. For example, do you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure? If so, be sure to follow a diet that’s low in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.

Smoking habits

Kenfield et al. (2008) stressed that tobacco is a killer. Smokers and other tobacco users are more likely to develop disease and die earlier than are people who don’t use tobacco. According to them, if you smoke, you may worry about what it’s doing to your health. You probably worry, too, about how hard it might be to quit smoking. Nicotine is highly addictive, and to quit smoking – especially without help – can be difficult. In fact, most people don’t succeed the first time they try to quit smoking. It may take more than one try, but you can stop smoking. Take that first step: Decide to quit smoking. Set a stop date. And then take advantage of the multitude of resources available to help you successfully quit smoking which include;

• Getting support from family members, friends, your doctor, a counsellor, a support group or a telephone quit line.
• Support can also come from use of one or more of the medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for smoking cessation.
• Another key step in your quit-smoking action plan is planning for challenges. For example, make a list of high-risk places you’ll want to avoid when you start your quit-smoking plan. Think of other places to go where smoking isn’t allowed, such as a shopping mall, a museum or movie theatre.

Sexual health

According to Shifren and Johannes (2008), Sexuality is part of being human. Love, affection and intimacy all play a role in healthy relationships from childhood through old age.

One often hears about the importance of physical health, mental health and spiritual health, but feeling confident about your sexual health also is very important. Achieving sexual health allows for:

• Healthy relationships
• Planned pregnancies
• Disease prevention

That is why it is essential to be well-informed about all aspects of sexual health and what it takes to have a fulfilling sex life. Similarly, it’s important to be aware of factors that can complicate your sexual health. Don’t let embarrassment keep you from bringing up concerns or asking questions of your doctor or other health care providers (Grad, 2012).

Stress management

Anspaugh (2011) in his work on “Coping with and Managing Stress”, stated that stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever-increasing demands of life. Surveys show that many people experience challenges with stress at some point during the year.

In looking at the causes of stress, remember that your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection. When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones to fuel your capacity for a response. This has been labelled the “fight-or-flight” response.

Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop stress of modern life means that your alarm system rarely shuts off.

That is why stress management is so important. Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. Without stress management, all too often your body is always on high alert. Over time, high levels of stress lead to serious health problems. Don’t wait until stress has a negative impact on your health, relationships or quality of life. Start practicing a range of stress management techniques today (Haskel, 2007).

Weight management

Whitney and Rolfes (2011) stated that your weight is a balancing act, and calories are part of that equation. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off. But when it comes to weight loss, it’s calories that count. Weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you take in. You can do that by reducing extra calories from food and beverages, and increasing calories burned through physical activity.

Harris (2007) stated that once you understand that equation, you are ready to set your weight loss goals and make a plan for reaching them. Remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Talk to your doctor, family and friends for support. Ask yourself if now is a good time and if you’re ready to make some necessary changes. Also, plan smart: Anticipate how you will handle situations that challenge your resolve and the inevitable minor setbacks.

If you have serious health problems because of your weight, your doctor may suggest weight-loss surgery or medications for you. In this case, you and your doctor will need to thoroughly discuss the potential benefits and the possible risks.

But do not forget the bottom line: The key to successful weight loss is a commitment to making indefinite changes in your diet and exercise habits.

Birth control

Power, French and Cowan (2007) advised that if you are considering using birth control, you have many options — from natural family planning and over-the-counter birth control products to prescription contraceptives or sterilization.

They added that to help determine which birth control method would be best for you, consider your lifestyle, personal preferences and health status. How do you feel about planning for sex? Inserting birth control devices into your body? Taking a pill at the same time every day or tracking your fertile days? Permanently ending the ability to conceive or father a child?

It is also important to make an honest assessment of yourself, your partner and your relationship. You may have different birth control needs if you have sex often or you’re not in a monogamous relationship. Ideally, you and your partner will discuss the options and reach a mutually beneficial decision (Shifren & Johannes, 2008).

Fitness level

Grad (2012) stated that starting a fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health. After all, physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight, and even boost your self-esteem. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability.

The Department of American Health and Human Services recommends that healthy adults include aerobic exercise and strength training in their fitness plans, specifically:

• At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week
• Strength training exercises at least twice a week

Regular exercise can help you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, and strengthen your bones and muscles. But if you haven’t exercised for some time and you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor before starting a new fitness routine.

When you are designing your personal fitness program, consider your fitness goals. Think about your fitness likes and dislikes, and note your personal barriers to fitness. Then consider practical strategies for keeping your fitness program on track.

Starting a fitness program is an important decision, but it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one. By planning carefully and pacing yourself, you can make fitness a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime (Haskell, 2007).

Developing healthy practices that link to longevity

Evans and Creter (2007) stated the importance of lifestyle on health and longevity is clearly illustrated by an increasing number of research studies of large number of people.

According to Evans and Creter (20077), in an earlier study about good health practices, researchers documented the health practices of some 6,900 people living in Alameda country.  California researcher followed them for nine years and reported their findings. They followed people and their children for additional years. New findings are reported from time to time. To date researchers have found that strong predictors of health and longevity are;

• Not smoking
• Getting regular physical activities
• Eating breakfast each morning
• Keeping body weight within a healthy range
• Sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours each night
• Avoiding a high intake of alcohol.
• Being happy and having strong social support and interactions.

People who followed them reported that most or all of those who practice these good healthy practices lived on the average of 10 to 12 years longer than those who followed only three or fewer. People with poor health practices aged about 20 to 30 years sooner in the degree of health they enjoyed.

Men who followed six to seven of the good health practices has only one quarter the risk of dying during the nine-year study compared to men who followed only a few (0 to 3).

Clearly, a healthy lifestyle can add years to one’s life, it will also help you look better, feel better and enjoy better health all the years of one’s life.

More recently another very large study, the cancer prevention study of about people found four health practices strongly linked to long life. Among persons who do not smoke, maintained a healthy weight; and high intake of fruits and vegetables daily; and get regular physical activities.

Women cut their risk of dying mid-life by 3.7 times and men 4.3 times during the six-year study. This is a strong evidence that choosing a healthy lifestyle is linked to longevity.

People who chose the healthier lifestyle lived on the average 10-12 years longer than those who did not. There are four eating practices that are found to be strong predictors of good health. They are;

• Eating nuts regularly, at least 5 or more times per week.
• Eating primarily whole grain bread and cereals (at least three serving daily)
• Eating primarily a plant-based diet free of high saturated fats and cholesterol.
• Drinking plenty of water daily ( at least 5 to 8 glasses daily)

Benefits of healthy living habits

United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (2014) summed up the benefits of healthy living which include;

1. Energy: One of the biggest benefits of healthy living is energy. When your body is not burdened by having to digest food that is not really food, due to proper nutrition and good metabolism system, it gives you ample amounts of energy for other things, such as having fun, enjoying life, running around, and so on. This sometimes takes time, because if you have been eating an unhealthy diet and you start eating healthier, your body will take advantage of that and start getting rid of bad stuff. So do not be alarmed if at first you feel worse. Just eat healthy and stay with it.
2. Mood: Another benefit is mood. Yes, you can actually turn up your happiness by eating healthier. When you start eating more whole foods, fruits and vegetables, you’ll start getting more vitamins and minerals in your body, which is good news. If you eat nutritionally deficient food, it will affect everything you do from mood to brain function to overall health.
3. Fun: When you go into living a healthier lifestyle with the attitude that change is fun (not easy), you will find the journey easier. For example, one thing you can do is try out green smoothies. And yes, you can make them taste extremely good, and they will give you energy for the whole day. On top of that, they’ll fill your body up with nutritional goodness.
4. Charisma: Somehow, somewhere on a subconscious level, we know when people are healthy, and when they are not. Now obviously we cannot know 100% of the time, and we all have different tastes, but one of the big benefits of healthy living is attractiveness. Your weight, size, height, colour doesn’t matter, because you are perfect the way you are. But when you start living healthier, you will become irresistible to the right people, even more so than you were before.
5. Save money: The healthier you become, the more you reduce your risk of ending up in the hospital or with an illness. It is insurance for the future. This is a tough one though, because it’s hard to change your habits and to change your lifestyle. It feels easier and more rewarding to just stick with what you have always done.

In to the benefits stated above, National Academy of Sciences (2012) in highlighting the health benefits of healthy living stated that physical activities protect an individual against heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis, cervical cancer and diabetes. Any activity on do is beneficial and does not need to be strenuous to have health benefits.

Physical activities guidelines from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; and The American College of Sports Medicine state that every adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more moderate-intensity physical activities on most preferably all days of the week.

The more physically fit a person is, the lower the risk of death from any cause. In one study, the greatest drop on mortality is between being unfit (no regular exercise programme) and moderately fit.

As many as 250,000 premature deaths per year are due to lack of physical activities that is approximately 12% of all deaths. Exercise is protective against many of our nation’s most serious health problems.

Regular physical activities protect health in the following ways;

• Improves blood lipid profile, decreasing blood fats and increasing protective good cholesterol.
• Relax arteries, improving, resting blood pressure.
• Improve function of platelets and clothing mechanism to prevent unwanted blood clot
• Improves body composition (burning excess fats and building muscle tissue).
• Enhance glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.
• Improve bone density; helping to prevent fractures.
• Enhance immune system.
• Improve psychological function and mood.
• Maintain muscle mass
• Increases metabolism

Barriers to healthy living habits

Harris (2007) identifies some of the barriers of healthy living by stating that “Just as a concrete barrier would block your path while driving along a road, a variety of physical and mental barriers can block your path when you’re attempting to make healthy changes in your life”.

These barriers include:

1. Cost: It is a common misconception that a healthy lifestyle has to be expensive. While gym memberships and organic foods can quickly empty your pockets, there are plenty of inexpensive options available. Free exercise ideas include running or walking outdoors and developing an exercise routine to do at home. Many effective exercises – like squats, push-ups, jumping jacks and triceps dips – require no special equipment or training. Food is a different story, since you have to spend at least a little money to acquire it. If possible, grow a small garden at home. Save money at the grocery store by buying fruits and vegetables only when they are in season. During the off-season, rely on frozen varieties. Opt for eggs or plant-based protein sources like beans, which tend to be cheaper than most meats.
2. Time constraints: For many people, finding time to exercise and prepare healthy meals seems like an impossible challenge. But with a few simple tweaks, you can easily adjust your schedule to allow for healthy changes. Consider substituting 30 minutes of television or computer time with a quick exercise session. You can also squeeze 10- minute exercise sessions into your day — begin your day with a quick morning yoga routine, go for a walk after lunch or do lunges and squats while dinner is in the oven. Save time on meal preparation by prepping multiple meals at once and keeping them in the freezer or refrigerator for quick and convenient meal options. Soup, vegetable lasagna and turkey meatballs freeze well, while salads and fruit stay fresh in the fridge for days.
3. Temptation: Unhealthy temptation comes in many forms. Fast food restaurants are conveniently located and the food is cheap, making it ideal for people with busy schedules and bare-minimum paychecks. Social events and interactions often revolve around food, making it difficult to ignore the unhealthy treats your friends are enjoying. Eliminating temptation is an almost-impossible feat. Instead, develop diversions and alternatives to rely on when temptation strikes. If you tend to rely on fast food to fill your belly in the afternoon, pack a healthy to-go lunch the night before. If you always reach for ice cream when you’re feeling lonely, pop a stick of gum in your mouth and call a friend or go for a walk.
4. Knowledge deficit: The biggest barrier to a healthy lifestyle might boil down to one simple factor — a knowledge deficit. If you don’t know what types of changes you need to make to improve your lifestyle, you won’t even know where to start. Begin by talking to your doctor, who can clue you into areas of your health that might need improvement. As a general rule, plan to exercise at least 150 minutes per week. Overhaul your diet by choosing fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy and whole grains as often as possible. Avoid fried, fatty and sugary foods. Maintain a healthy body weight and stop using tobacco products. Get enough sleep, minimize stress and maintain a positive attitude.

Overcoming barriers to healthy living habits

Millions of people want to live a healthy lifestyle, but there are major barriers to doing this. Most people assumed that they do not have enough time, money or energy to make changes and start living a healthy lifestyle.

According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2007), in today’s society, most people are stressed out, time-starved and budget-challenged. It can be overwhelming to even think about making healthy life changes. Life transformation does not have to be such a long and involved process-it doesn’t have to take months or years to accomplish. Otherwise, it can get too frustrating and discouraging for most people to succeed.

Many people end up failing to achieve their goals even when they have good ideas and good intentions. Working harder, faster or longer to achieve goals is not enough to become successful. Overcoming barrier to healthy living most include;

• Working smarter can help in dealing with barriers to successfully living a healthy lifestyle. This involves finding creative solutions to problems and using shortcuts. However, knowledge is not enough. New knowledge is useless unless it’s implemented.
• Positive thinking is only half the battle — it can only go so far. It will take good ideas and practical steps to make things happen. In order to be successful, it’s absolutely necessary to start taking action.
• Continuing to take action, progress can be accelerated. How? Experiencing initial and continuing success can increase motivation to succeed. In turn, this can lead to increased activity that can effectively generate results.
• Learning about new ways of eating healthy or reducing stress will not effectively lead to long-term lifestyle changes. Instead, the new knowledge can be practiced repeatedly until it becomes a habit. Making a habit of health-promoting activities can more effectively increase the chances of overcoming barriers to a healthy lifestyle (Croft, 2010).
• More importantly, taking action can change the brain. Brain plasticity or neuroplasticity is the capacity of the brain to change its structure and function. The brain changes when new information is learned. The changes in the brain can become permanent when action gets repeated and when the activity becomes a habit. Brain plasticity is a good reason why consistently taking action can dramatically improve chances of success. The brain changes with increase in knowledge. However, dramatic changes will not take place unless the new information is applied repeatedly and the new skill is practiced. Anyone who wants to deal with barriers to living a healthy lifestyle and develop life-changing habits can apply the new findings in brain plasticity.

References

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