Diet and Exercise keeps you healthy - not a surprise

Many studies have been published showing that proper diet and exercise programs not only keep you healthy, but can prolong life.

Some of you may have read about the recent increase rates of colon cancer in younger (under age 50) individuals in the United States. While rates have decreased in those over 50 (perhaps due to the colonoscopy screening removing pre-cancerous lesions), rates have increased by up to 3% for those in their 20's and 30's. (J Natl Cancer Inst (2017) 109 (8)). The authors speculate that diet and the increased rate of obesity, both of which have been shown to increase cancer risk are the cause.

In another study -JAMA 2017 Mar 7; 317:912 - researchers found that not eating healthy foods resulted in much higher risks of heart disease. Suboptimal intake of 10 dietary factors accounted for 45.4% of 702,308 cardiometabolic disease–related deaths in 2012; the largest contributors to these deaths were high sodium intake (9.5%), low consumption of nuts and seeds (8.5%), and high intake of processed meats (8.2%). Between 2002 and 2012, mortality fell by 25%, with the greatest effects coming from improved intakes of polyunsaturated fats and nuts and seeds and lower intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.

And finally, recent studies in the British Medical Journal of Sports Medicine have shown that interval training (95% of maximum capacity) improved many variables that are associated longevity - including better oxygen use and uptake. And the improvements were 50% better in those over the age of 50!

So eat well, exercise, and do those intervals if you want to have a long healthy life!!