I know it’s hard to believe, but yes, there are still issues beyond Covid-19 that affect each of us. And yes, we know our health matters. Today we’re going to consider some positive things—information that we can adapt to our individual lives, impact and improve our overall health, and do this with only a little effort. That should be positive.
First, since we’re talking about being “positive,” is there a connection between being optimistic and being healthier? Maybe even living longer? It turns out that there just very well may be an association between having a positive outlook and your chances of achieving “exceptional longevity.” For those who study this area, the definition of this longevity is survival to 85 years or older. There are a lot of factors in play here, including genetics, life-style choices, access to good healthcare, and now it seems, in having a positive outlook on life.
In a recent study including thousands of individuals, the evidence indicates that a positive attitude is significantly associated with an increased chance of living a long life. But what exactly is a “positive attitude” and can it be measured? Most of us know whether we are generally optimistic or pessimistic. If there is any doubt, ask your “significant other.” Fortunately, we have some guidance here. The LOT-R (Life Orientation Test-Revised) is a brief self-administered questionnaire that presents 12 statements, asking for our agreement or disagreement. Based on our answers, it is possible to score your relative optimism or pessimism. If interested, check out the LOT-R on the internet, or search https://positivepsychology.com/life-orientation-test-revised/. This is a pretty comprehensive site, allowing you to take the test and score yourself. The question remains as to what to do with this. If we know or learn that we’re basically pessimistic in nature, can that be changed? Can we alter our adaptive view of the world around us? Yes we can. (See, now that’s optimism!) And from recent data, becoming more optimistic will reward us with a longer and hopefully healthier life. Something to think about.
But before we get too excited about living to age 85 and beyond, here are a couple of sobering facts. First, of those Americans 85 years and older, one third of us will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. And one in three seniors will die with some form of dementia. As I said—sobering.
But here is a great opportunity to marshal some optimism as we consider this stark reality. While the risk of developing dementia is significant, we are learning that life-style choices can significantly reduce that risk. We all know that smoking, excessive alcohol, a sedentary life-style, and obesity are all risk factors for developing dementia, as well as a lot of other problems. But we now have a growing body of evidence that indicates our dietary choices can have a positive effect on our brains. Specifically, a group of substances—the flavonoids—when consumed on a regular basis, appear to slow the decline in cognitive function, potentially forestalling the development of full-blown dementia. Flavonoids are potent antioxidants, scavenging cellular break-down products that cause damage in critical areas of our body, including our brain. Foods rich in these flavonoids include citrus fruits, berries, pears, apples, strawberries, and red wine (in moderation). Pretty simple, right? These are good choices and should be a part of our everyday diet. It may require a change in our eating habits, but the evidence supporting this continues to grow. And remember, as someone in our clinic frequently reminds us: “If it comes in a can, in a bag, or through a fast-food window, it’s gonna get ya.” Words to live by.
And now, for those of you who are actively involved with measuring your daily step-counts, please raise your wrist-bands in the air. Hmm. That’s a lot of you. And the number of us who keep track of our daily physical activity is rapidly growing. But just what good does this activity do for us? And how are we to use it to impact our health if we can?
First, we know that increasing our physical activity produces a lot of positive outcomes—improved cardiovascular health, better control of blood pressure and blood sugar, less pain with osteoarthritis, better sleep. The list goes on. But how much physical activity is necessary to achieve these benefits? Most experts would recommend at least 20-30 minutes of brisk walking a day. Now with the advent of these “smart watches,” we are able to quantify just exactly how much physical activity (steps taken) we’re actually getting in a day. But how many steps is enough? And how fast should be walking?
A study published in JAMA gives us some guidance. Prior to this, a popular goal of 10,000 steps a day was the supposed “gold standard.” This wasn’t based on any research, just a number that seemed like a good target. Here’s what these authors found:
- Increasing our number of steps each day can decrease our risk of all-cause-mortality and some types of cancer.
- Greater than 12,000 steps a day affords the greatest benefit, with a 65% reduction in chance of death compared to those of us who only take 4,000 or less steps.
- Step intensity (speed) has no effect on these benefits. It looks like it’s only going to be the amount of activity we get. Good news for those of us who don’t move as fast as we used to.
Thanks to these researchers, we’re getting some clarity regarding our daily goals of physical activity. This is important stuff, and something we should pay attention to. So get moving! It’s a positive step in the right direction.
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