Healthspan Versus Lifespan
I have a friend (several, actually) who, despite being around my age, faces significant mobility issues and multiple chronic health problems that could have been prevented with better lifestyle choices. His suffering has persisted for over a decade, and it's likely to continue for several more. His ability to do the simple tasks required for living is compromised. I empathize with his situation. I suspect he may have been able to avoid their plight by eating less processed foods, sleeping better, not smoking, imbibing less alcohol, and minimizing stress. I will address why I think these things are important later in this post. His motto seems to have been, "Live fast and leave a good-looking corpse." The problem is that modern medicine has us surviving heart disease and cancer longer, so now we run the risk of living fast until we are incapable of the simple joys of life and then die a long, slow death.
Background
Modern medicine and sanitary conditions have more than doubled our lifespans in the last 100 years. But it's not just about extending life; we must also make sure that the additional years of life are spent in good health. For instance, orthopedic problems that started in our fifties when life expectancy was in the late 50s made lifespan and health span the same. Now, someone who gets arthritis in their fifties may expect three decades of pain. This disparity will require attention to chronic diseases and disabilities when we are younger, not just in older age. This shift to a healthspan-centric perspective is crucial in dealing with the complexities of an aging society.
Lifestyles Matter
The person I mentioned at the beginning of this post did not take care of themselves. This opinion is not just mine, but everyone who has known him. By any standard, smoking, drinking to excess, sleeping poorly, and eating a Western diet are unhealthy. Let's face the facts: making preventive healthcare and lifestyle choices is crucial for promoting a longer and healthier life. Encouraging healthy habits such as regular exercise, maintaining a whole-food, unprocessed diet, and avoiding harmful behaviors not only extends lifespan but also ensures that a higher percentage of those years are spent in good health. Promoting and supporting healthy behaviors is critical in fostering a gracefully aging population and reducing the burden on healthcare systems.
The idea of "compression of morbidity" implies that by delaying the onset of chronic diseases and disabilities, people can live more years in good health. The importance of reducing morbidity to increase healthspan by raising the age of onset is crucial. This approach also helps minimize the period of illness not only towards the end of life but in mid-life, ensuring that people can enjoy extended years of good health instead of prolonged suffering.
Challenges and Opportunities
As people age, they are more likely to develop chronic diseases, which can hinder their ability to live a long and healthy life. It is important to focus on preventing these diseases in order to promote longevity without health complications. My friend did not have a preventive mindset. I recommend that we all sleep fully (7-8 hours) regularly, avoid processed carbohydrates and industrial seed oils like soy and canola, avoid sedentary lives, get regular non-burning sun, spend time with quality friends and family that support us, and reduce our stress. I am aware that most of us do not “burn the candle”, but simply eating a Western diet full of processed carbohydrates and seed oils is enough to ruin most of us. For more on what to do, follow this quick guide.