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Healthy Aging: 10 simple steps to a better life Sunday Feb 26, 2017 at 12:01 AM By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune I’m not suggesting your life is not good, but I have a few ideas to make it even better. In fact, maybe a whole lot better. If you’re already practicing these approaches, let’s emit a small hallelujah just for you. Reach around and pat yourself on the back — and accomplish a little arm-stretching; test your flexibility in the process. Increasingly more studies demonstrate 10 approaches that can be unexpectedly powerful in reducing the risk of disease as you age. A full report on this topic is found in the March 2017 issue of Consumer Reports on Health, with direct references to the specific studies, but here’s my take. The most vivid statement I encountered was, ”People who didn’t smoke, consumed a healthy diet (lots of color, not so many cookies), got sufficient physical activity and drank alcohol in moderation were 63 percent less likely to die over two decades.” That’s four of the 10 simple strategies right there. Even people with a genetic risk of something like coronary artery disease benefit from the right lifestyle. There are a couple recommended approaches to improved health you may not have thought about previously. For example, “stand when you can.” Several credible studies show women who spend too much time sitting are at a greater risk of developing cancer and diabetes. I recognize that for elders who are already chair- or bed-bound, that can be a challenge. So the answer may be to move what you can, more regularly. A few other smart approaches to disease-free well-being involve food (of course). Being overweight increases your risk of a variety of health conditions, including osteoarthritis, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and (are you ready?) age-related cataracts. Even a small weight loss has a substantial effect on blood pressure. In order to accomplish that, be sure you weigh yourself regularly and “make food swaps.” For example, swap three ounces of nuts for that serving of red meat, trade a plant-based protein like black beans for those noon-time cold cuts. Skip the soda. That’s right, eliminate it altogether. Drinking soda daily is like buying a ticket to a diagnosis of diabetes and decreased kidney function. Stay hydrated — just not with soda. (You save money that way, too). “Sleep enough, but not too much.” The “sweet spot” is apparently seven to eight hours a night. Doing that helps “keep the immune system humming and reduces the likelihood of illnesses, falls and car accidents.” Restorative rest also reduces the threat of stress (another factor in disease vulnerability). And one final approach to health and well-being: Avoid air pollution. It may be more difficult to stay away from “dirty air” in this changing political landscape, so this one could require extra effort. Become familiar with air-pollution levels in your area; spend time outside when they are the lowest. Use HEPA air filters in your home; change them regularly. If you have friends who visit and want to smoke, set ground rules. Educate them with your new knowledge. And for that, let’s offer yet another “Hallelujah!” — Sharon Johnson is a retired Oregon State University associate professor. Reach her at [email protected].