Are you looking for a reason to live a healthier lifestyle? If there isn’t enough evidence regarding the benefits of exercise, eating right, and otherwise taking care of yourself, a newly published study indicates that a healthy lifestyle can offset genetic risk when it comes to the risk of suffering from a stroke.
The team found that genetic risk of suffering a stroke could be reduced by 43 percent by living a lifestyle that was cardiovascularly healthy.
This research was conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. They published their findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study looked at the lifestyles of over 11,500 individuals and attempted to determine just how effective a healthy lifestyle could be when it comes to improving health outcomes. If this research hold true, it looks like living healthily is a lot more effective than many of us might think.
So, the big question is, if living in a healthy manner is so effective, why do people live otherwise?
I know I don’t always eat right and probably don’t get as much exercise as I should. My BMI is a little bit higher than it should be and I sometimes have a bit more dessert and fried food than I should. I might not be an expert on health, but I do a lot of research on how people can live healthier lives as they age, so I know that these things are not great for me. I can’t answer the above question for everyone, but I can answer it for myself.
Sometimes, we don’t do the right thing healthwise because of convenience. Sometimes, it’s easier to grab pizza and wings than it is to make yourself a salad. Exercise can be fun, but some days it isn’t easy to fit in. I love jogging, and would love to be able to spend 45 minutes a day jogging my favorite loops. But on a day like today where it’s above 90 degrees outside and I’m completely exhausted from a full day of work, getting out on the pavement isn’t easy. It’s a lot easier to sit in the cool air conditioning and drink cold water.
Or, sometimes I make unhealthy choices for entertainment. It’s a lot more fun to have a glass of wine when I go out to dinner with my wife than it is to drink water.
Now, these are examples that are specific to me. But you can probably think of your own situation and how the choices you might make lead to unhealthy behaviors. If we’re going to create better outcomes for ourselves, we need to be aware of our excuses and then be disciplined enough to overcome them. These things might not be bad by themselves, but if they happen often enough, they can add up and create a situation where health is sacrificed as a result.
Hopefully, this article is encouraging. There are things that each one of us can do now to lessen the likelihood of health problems as we age and reduce the need for future senior care. But, if you have a loved one that is in need now, having options for your loved one’s care is important. We can certainly help you with that. Please never hesitate to give us a call and ask your care questions. One of our trained professionals would be happy to talk with you and help get you connected to the resources that will be the most helpful for your family, whatever your unique situation might be.
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