The 7 Good Health Practices Related To Longevity
1. Adequate sleep, 7-8 hours per day
2. Eating breakfast daily
3. Regular meals, not snacking frequently
4. Moderate or no use of alcohol
5. Not smoking
6. Weight in a healthy range
7. Regular physical activity.
1. Adequate Sleep
Lack of sleep is a major stressor, affecting both physical and mental health. Fatigue has the following effects:
- Mental – memory is impaired
- Emotional – person is more easily upset or frustrated
- Social – person is more difficult to get along with.
- Productivity – shows less initiative and is less efficient.
- Safety – less alert, judgment impaired, more accidents.
- Health – immune system depressed.
Individuals who get 7-8 hours sleep daily have lower mortality rates than those who get less than this amount.
2. Breakfast
Provides nutrition to the body and mind when they need fuel. Enhances attention span and learning. People who eat breakfast have fewer accidents. Helps prevent midday “burn out”
Helps prevent snacking on less nutritious food. In this study, people who ate breakfast lived longer than those who didn’t eat breakfast.
“Your child has a nervous temperament, and her diet should be carefully guarded. . . . Never let her go from home to school without her breakfast. It is the custom and order of society to take a slight breakfast. But this is not the best way to treat the stomach. At breakfast time the stomach is in a better condition to take care of more food than at the second or third meal of the day. The habit of eating a sparing breakfast and a large dinner is wrong. Make your breakfast correspond more nearly to the heartiest meal of the day.” Ellen G. White, Child Guidance, p. 390
3. Regular Meals – Limit Typical Snacks
Snack foods are generally high in – fat, salt, sugar, and calories and are low in – fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Snacks often replace more nutritious foods generally eaten at meal times. Frequent snacking increases dental decay.
4. Alcohol
The World Health Organization does not recommend the use of alcohol.
“Although regular low to moderate consumption of alcohol is protective against coronary heart disease, other cardiovascular and health risks associated with alcohol do not favour a general recommendation for its use.” Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, WHO, 2003, p. 90
“Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.” Proverbs 23: 31, 32
People who shouldn’t drink :
• Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive
• Individuals planning to drive a car or operate equipment
• Individuals taking medicine
• Individuals who cannot keep their drinking moderate
• Children and adolescents
• Anyone who desires to keep his mind clear
5. Smoking and Health
“Smoking is the single greatest preventable cause of premature death.” – Surgeon General.
In 2002, 20% of all deaths in the U.S. were due to smoking – 430,000 premature deaths. A smoker loses one day of life for every eight days he or she smokes. Smoking increases the risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke, emphysema, high blood pressure, ulcers, and colds. In pregnancy, smoking causes low birth weight and birth defects (physical and mental).
To be Continued…
By Gerald Eaton
