One thing is for sure, we will all age and eventually die. As a Derby chiropractor, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. The average lifespan in the United States is now up to 79.3 years. That number will hit 80+ in a fairly short time. There is no doubt we are living longer as a society, but unfortunately, our healthspan is not necessarily keeping up with that. We are living longer, but are we living healthy and well into those later years?

What is Healthspan?

You may be confused about what health span is and how it differs from lifespan. You aren’t alone, let me explain. Growing old is inevitable, but there are a couple of ways you can get there. One takes you on a slow deterioration path littered with a number of age-related conditions including arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, memory issues, and ultimately being confined to a wheelchair for the remaining years of your life. Does this sound appealing? It doesn’t to me. So this brings us to the second way we can grow old, a road, unfortunately, less traveled, but one that involves healthy aging. Where you stay active late into life enjoying your hobbies, spending time with family, traveling, and maybe even working if you still enjoy that as well. More importantly, the choice is yours to do as you please because you are strong and healthy well into your 70s, 80s, and beyond…God willing.

How Do You Make This Happen?

First off, there is no magic pill or special gene you have to possess. Yes, very few minorities have struck the genetic lottery and it is easier for them to do this. But I would argue most of them probably still pay very close attention to their health. For the rest of us, we have to double down on ways to age gracefully. The simple things like avoiding sugar and processed foods, getting regular exercise, having a positive mental attitude, and of course maintaining a healthy spine and nervous system are of course very important. Every year, however, there is more and more research on new health “bio hacks” that can help us live healthier lives. When it comes to eating, it's not only about what you eat that matters, but also when and how much. Most people consume way more calories than they need to live the type of life they have. Caloric restriction has been shown to slow down cellular degrading throughout the body, along with both periodic fasting and/or intermittent fasting. This entails only consuming food during a roughly 8 hour time period followed by fasting for the remaining 16 hours of the day. Social and intellectual activities are also big healthspan determinants. Stay active in your social life, and keep your mind challenged with new activities along with ones that create a routine in your life.

Making small but consistent lifestyle changes can delay the onset of most, if not all serious chronic health problems. The time is now, don’t wait. More to come…

LIVE well. BE well.