Looking better, living longer Part 1: Never smoke; don't drink too much

By Julie Jordan
Published August 10, 2018

 

What if you could extend your life by a decade using five lifestyle tips? Would you stick to the advice?

A study was published indicating that never smoking, maintaining a healthy body mass index, keeping up moderate to vigorous exercise, not drinking too much alcohol and eating a healthy diet will all help you live 10 years longer. In the study as reported by CNN, following these five lifestyle factors at age 50, compared with not adhering to any of them, was associated with 14 additional years of life expectancy among women and 12.2 additional years among men.  

The top two killers in the U.S. are cardiovascular disease and cancer, and these five lifestyle factors reduce those risks significantly. 

Live Well Georgia reached out to health experts in each of these areas for advice on how to achieve longer life.

1. Never smoke.

“There are 7,000 chemicals and chemical compounds in tobacco smoke,” said Kenneth Ray, MPH, deputy director of the Office of Tobacco, Policy, System and Environmental Change. “Seventy of these compounds are known to cause cancer, and the nicotine causes addiction. Tobacco is the leading risk factor for chronic diseases. Secondhand smoke is equally deadly. In Georgia, approximately 1,500 citizens die annually due to exposure to secondhand smoke.” 

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Ray provides the following tips for those wishing to never smoke:

  • Resist the advertising that promotes smoking and tobacco use. These ads are deceiving and blatantly false.
  • Avoid public places that allow smoking and other tobacco use.
  • If smoking is occurring in venues that you must frequent, like your place of employment, request a no smoking policy from management.
  • If you are a smoker, vapor or e-cigarette user, and you want to quit, seek out proven cessation methods. Vaping and e-cigarettes are not scientifically proven to be safe alternatives to smoking. Call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line toll free at 1-877-270-7867, or visit the DPH Quit Line website at www.dph.georgia.gov/ready-quit.

2. Don't drink too much alcohol.

Excessive alcohol use is associated with increased risk for alcohol dependence, chronic disease, unsafe sexual activity, unintended pregnancy, injury and motor vehicle crashes. In 2014, 14.2 percent of Georgia adults engaged in binge drinking—consuming five or more drinks per occasion for men or four or more for women. Heavy drinking is defined as consuming more than two drinks per day for males and more than one drink per day for females. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol use is the third-leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the United States and has been associated with cirrhosis of the liver, high blood pressure, stroke and increased risk for motor vehicle accidents, injuries, violence and suicide.

Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:

  • High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
  • Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.
  • Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.
  • Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
  • Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment.
  • Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism.

To combat the negative effects of excessive alcohol use, the Dietary Guidelines recommend:

  • If alcohol is consumed, it should be in moderation:
    • up to 1 drink per day for women 
    • up to 2 drinks per day for men
  • It should only be consumed by adults of legal drinking age.
  • Those who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking.

For more information, visit the CDC.