The World Health Organization states that at least 80 percent of all heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and up to 40 percent of cancer could be prevented if people ate better, engaged in more physical activity and quit using tobacco. This means that we have the ability to shift those staggering statistics with just a few simple lifestyle changes. The key though, is to start young.
Developing healthy lifestyle habits at an early age has several benefits: it’s generally easier to do, it gives time to solidify these new habits and there is a lifetime of health payouts for making these small lifestyle shifts (i.e. reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease). When implementing healthy habits during our youth, such as making wise food choices and incorporating more daily physical activity into our lives, these habits quickly become second nature to us. For instance, small changes can be made during the summer months when children have more free time on their hands. Increasing physical activity, for example, is more common during the summer months with outdoor activities such as swimming, cycling or organized sports. So, set these practices in place each day and keep them going once summer ends.
Just imagine the many years of newly acquired health credits that can be deposited into “The National Bank of Health” should we choose to begin early. The benefits of these health “savings” will compound over time, with minimal effort required other than consistent “deposits” such as daily exercise , reduced screen time, healthy eating and avoiding unhealthy substances such as tobacco and alcohol. So, if you desire a lifetime of heart health, set those optimal habits in place early on, and you will surely reap the benefits and enjoy a long and healthy life.
Do you realize that lifestyle guidelines are different for children and adults? The Safe and Healthy Children’s Coalition created “9-5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!!” to encourage children and families to develop healthy habits early in life in an effort to reduce childhood obesity and other associated chronic conditions. As for the meaning of the numbers:
9= daily hours of sleep
5= daily servings of fruits and vegetables
2= less than two hours of daily screen time
1= one hour of daily physical activity
0= no sugary beverages in a day
Adults, on the other hand, are encouraged to aim for 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins, minimize processed foods, sugar and salt intake, and avoid tobacco and limit or preferably consume no alcohol. Remember, although setting healthy lifestyle goals and putting these habits into practice early on, comes more naturally, it is NEVER TOO LATE to make small changes to shift your lifestyle in a positive direction, even when you are older. So why waste any more time? Start now, one small lifestyle habit at a time!
Northern Hearts Program Coordinator, Lana Ryder-Methot.