You can do it
The astounding power (and savings) of prevention
Wouldn’t you love to sail into old age with few or no serious health issues? It might sound like a pipe dream in a country where around 115 million adults have prediabetes or diabetes, more than 162 million adults are overweight or obese, and fully 31 per cent are living with more than one chronic condition. But you can do it.
A new study published in the journal Hypertension found that you are likely to have the healthy blood vessels of a 30-year-old well into your 70s if you stay lean, have a low body mass index and avoid diabetes. People who achieve six out of seven of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 healthy heart goals (good blood pressure, controlled cholesterol, lower blood glucose, staying active, eating a balanced diet, not being overweight and not smoking) are 10 times more likely to see healthy vascular aging than those who do none to only one of those measures.
The benefits of vascular health? It protects your cardiovascular system, brain, skin (think no or fewer wrinkles), kidneys, eyes, sexual functioning and every other organ system. For the 28.4 million Americans who have diagnosed heart disease, we say: “You, too, can improve your heart health – in fact, all aspects of your health – enormously with smart self-care.”
Next steps
The health care profession and industry (and you) have to shift the present focus from treating preventable diseases to pre-empting them.
■ The cost of overlooking prevention: According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 75 per cent of our health care dollars are spent on preventable chronic conditions such as hypertension, elevated LDL cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, some forms of arthritis, gum disease and stroke. Treating these chronic/preventable diseases cost around $2.4 trillion in 2015. Out-of-pocket expenditures were $338.1 billion. That takes a heavy toll on society and every individual who is spending hard-to-come-by money, especially during retirement.
■ Powering prevention: Both Dr. Mike’s most recent book, co-authored with Jean Chatzky, “Age-Proof: Living longer without running out of money or breaking a hip,” and the Future Health Index – a newly published report by Philips Royal that interviewed almost 4,000 health care professionals and 30,000 adults in 19 countries – offer insights into how the idea of “investing” in your future by changing your lifestyle or habits is an essential first step to living better, longer and with less financial burden on yourself and society. (“Age Proof” also provides solid financial advice from Jean Chatzky on preparing for retirement and for potential medical expenses.)
The best way to do that is to enter into a joint health partnership with your health care providers. You need to get involved and find doctors who are committed to joining you in your quest. They’re out there. As Brian Donley, M.D., and chief of staff at Dr. Mike’s Cleveland Clinic says in the Future Health report, “Health care is a team sport that needs the medical team and the patient’s participation to produce positive outcomes.”
Your moves
To prevent costly, life-shortening, chronic conditions tomorrow, just upgrade your lifestyle today. The first moves may seem small, but you’ll build on them, and they’ll get you to the second level.
1. Add an additional serving of fruit or veggies to each meal, every day (one apple, a tossed salad or half a cup cooked broccoli). Level two: a total of seven to nine servings of produce daily.
2. Walk an extra 30 minutes every day: at lunchtime, after dinner or at the mall (no shopping). Level two: 10,000 steps a day.
3. Get aerobic and build muscles. In your walking routine, alternate two minutes of fast walking with five minutes of normal pace. It’s interval training. Level two: in addition to your 10,000 daily steps, throw in twice-a-week sweaty aerobics for 30 minutes and two 20-minute, strength-building sessions a week.
Alternate strength building with aerobic days, then it’s time to go shopping!