Beyond Genetics: How Lifestyle Choices & Supplements Impact Your Longevity
Genetics, lifestyle, and supplements: Do they hold the key to a longer life? Let's investigate the relationship.
Taking Care Of Your Health
M any people believe the key to a longer life is cultivating a healthy lifestyle. To achieve a healthy lifestyle, people should practice behaviors like eating a well-balanced diet, staying away from drugs and alcohol, exercising, and reducing stress. These factors would be considered lifestyle choices, and certain choices directly impact the quality of a person’s life. Furthermore, dietary supplements can be used to provide additional nutrients to patients that need extra vitamins and minerals.
The role of genetics in longevity
Scientists have conducted research on people from various backgrounds to determine how genetics affect a person’s overall health. Researchers studied patients aged 90 and older and found a few commonalities. First, many of these people were female. Furthermore, these patients did not smoke or struggle with obesity. Lastly, these patients were able to effectively manage stress levels. These patients are also less likely to suffer from chronic illnesses like diabetes or cancer.
What do supplements do for your health?
Dietary supplements are meant to replace or add nutrients to a person’s diet. These supplements contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, botanicals, or probiotics that are essential to a person’s health. Without these nutrients, patients can suffer from malnutrition or develop serious medical conditions. These supplements are available in pill, capsule, liquid, and other forms.
Negative lifestyle choices that affect longevity
Lifestyle choices include all the things people do and don’t do. For example, choosing not to exercise is a lifestyle choice, and this choice leads to consequences that negatively affect the patient’s health. Other negative choices like consuming too much alcohol, taking illicit drugs, smoking tobacco, and eating junk foods will also negatively impact health. Implementing positive choices will improve the patient’s overall health and limit the risk of disease.
How does Vitamin D improve longevity?
One of the best supplements for healthy aging is vitamin D. The human body absorbs vitamins from sunlight, dairy products, salmon, mackerel, and red meat. Vitamin D is one of the building blocks of muscle and bone mass, which is vital to health. For older populations struggling with degenerative diseases like osteoporosis, vitamin D supplements strengthen bones. Vitamin D is also known to support the immune system along with brain and cognitive health.
Additional supplements that increase lifespan
Creatine is another supplement that can increase a person’s lifespan. Most people associate creatine with bodybuilding and sports, but creatine is a natural amino acid that supports muscle mass. For older patients, creatine can reduce the risk of muscle sarcopenia. Other supplements like magnesium, folate, and B12 aid in improving brain health, including cognitive abilities and emotional regulation.
Should I discuss any lifestyle changes with my physician?
Yes, patients should discuss any major lifestyle or dietary changes with a medical professional. A primary care physician understands a patient’s medical history and will be able to advise patients on the appropriate supplements and lifestyle changes needed to improve the patient’s health. Speak with a doctor to learn more about the effects of dietary supplements and lifestyle choices on overall health.