Investing in Your Health: Diet, Exercise, and Habits for Longevity

When planning for our later years, we dedicate a lot of time and money to our retirement investment accounts. But if the old proverb “health is wealth” is true, perhaps we should focus on another asset: our physical health. Let’s examine some important health-related investment portfolios: diet, exercise, stress, and social connections!

A Sustainable Diet: Fueling Your Body for Longevity

A sustainable eating pattern that will help fuel us for years to come includes limiting ultra-processed foods (UPFs), adding an abundance of plant foods, and adopting a mindfulness mindset. UPFs are linked with a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, depression, obesity, and diabetes. On the other hand, whole, minimally processed plant foods are linked with health benefits such as an improved gut microbiome and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. However, it wouldn’t be a life worth living without indulging in some food favorites. With mindful eating, we can nourish our bodies with nutrient-dense foods most of the time while leaving room for treats to sprinkle in a little joy. Mindfulness practices include avoiding eating while distracted, monitoring portion sizes, and listening to the body’s hunger and fullness cues to guide how much to consume.

The Importance of Exercise: Keeping Your Body Moving

It is well known that exercise can reduce mortality risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and cancer. Besides helping to extend our lives, movement improves the quality of our day-to-day lives by decreasing fatigue and anxiety, providing mental alertness, and fortifying the immune system. Remaining active as we age can improve balance, flexibility, and bone health. All 3 of these reduce our risk of falls and fractures later in life. Aim to incorporate a combination of cardio, strength training, and stretches for a minimum of 150 minutes weekly to reap all of these benefits. As a bonus, reduce total sedentary time and add in little movement breaks throughout the day.

Stress Management: A Cornerstone of Longevity

A fast-paced lifestyle isn’t always good if it leads to stress. Chronic stress can increase the rate of biological aging and accelerate some adverse health conditions. Therefore, it is important to manage our stressors. We can start by consistently getting enough sleep. Most adults should aim for a well-rested body for 7-9 hours each night.

Stress management doesn’t stop at night. Mind-body practices such as yoga, tai chi, prayer, and meditation can bring little moments of calm throughout the day. When time is limited, even taking just a few moments to focus on breathing can help to calm the mind and body. Stress management looks different for everyone. For some, it involves having solitary time to recharge, while for others, it may involve connecting with loved ones.

Social Connection: The Power of Human Bonds

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it seems it also takes a village to support that child well into adulthood and the later years of life. A defining characteristic of the world's areas with some of the longest lifespans is the values placed on social connections. And no, I’m not talking about social media connections! A thriving social life can look many different ways. It could include having multiple family generations under one roof, establishing a core friend group, or involvement in a religious organization. Nowadays, there are groups for everything from book clubs to pickleball leagues, providing ample opportunity to make new older friends. Giving back is another great way to strengthen your ties to your community. Taking an interest in local politics, humanitarian groups, and volunteer organizations can help you interact with others in a way that is meaningful to many.

Common advice for a financial investment portfolio is to start early and invest often. The same is true for investing in your health. However, if you feel you spent the first few (or perhaps many) decades of your life neglecting your health, the good news is that it is never too late. Start with small changes today, and enjoy many high-quality years to come.  

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