Regular exercise and a healthy diet help slow the development of age-related diseases. svetikd/Getty Images
A US study published on November 6 suggests that aging can be delayed by up to six years if you take good care of your heart and follow a few simple and effective healthy lifestyle rules.
Eat a balanced diet, sleep well and practice sufficient sports activities. These reflexes may seem simple, even trivial. However, they are essential for our health and even help slow down aging and the development of age-related diseases. This is the observation of a team of American scientists from Columbia University. Their preliminary work, published on November 6 and unveiled on November 11 at an American Heart Association conference, shows that by respecting specific health measures we strengthen our heart health, which can ultimately contribute to slowing the biological aging process by several years. , until exactly 6 years.
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A fit heart pushes back biological age
To achieve this result, scientists analyzed data from a sample of the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted between 2015 and 2018 and consisting of more than 6,500 adults with an average age of 47 years. To be precise, they compared their chronological age (their date of birth) with their biological age (that of their body), which is calculated based on an individual’s metabolism, the functioning of their organs and their level of inflammation. “This is a strong indicator of future risk of disease and death,” Nour Makarem, an epidemiologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, said in a news release.
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At the end of this analysis, it was noted that better cardiovascular health is associated with a slowdown in biological aging. It is clear that the study participants with good cardiovascular health were physiologically younger than expected, while the ‘poor students’ aged at this level. For example, a 41-year-old with a heart in excellent condition reached an average biological age of 36, while a 53-year-old with lower cardiovascular fitness reached an average biological age of 57.
Eight life parameters to follow
According to the researchers, the champions of cardiovascular health in this sample, who managed to reduce their biological age by six years, were actually the ones who most respected the eight essential rules of health and lifestyle.“Life is essential 8” in English) published by the American Heart Association, an American non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against cardiovascular disease and stroke. These habits are as follows: getting a good night’s sleep (7 to 9 hours per night), not smoking, exercising regularly (150 minutes of exercise per week), eating a healthy diet (rich in vegetables and proteins, low in alcohol, salt and sugar), ensure an appropriate body weight (a BMI between 18.5 and 25) and check your blood sugar level, cholesterol and blood pressure.
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“Better compliance with all parameters Life is essential 8 and improving your cardiovascular health can slow down your body’s aging process and provide many long-term benefits,” assures epidemiologist Nour Makarem in a press release. Before recalling: “Reduced biological aging is not only associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, it is also associated with longer life and a lower risk of death.”