At this point it is quite evident, as certified by science, that our longevity is determined mainly by our habits and lifestyle. Genetic load plays a relevant role, but it does not have as much weight as it was transmitted a few years ago. There is no winning or losing genetics but mainly behaviors and decisions that allow us to live longer in a healthy way.
It is estimated that the consequence of our actions influences approximately 80% percent of our life expectancy, so we have a lot of room for maneuver If what we want is to die young as late as possible. But to do this we must banish some erroneous ideas that are still very current today. And certainly outdated mentalities.
Marcos Vázquez, fitness expert, disseminator of topics related to nutrition and health, and creator of Revolutionary Fitness, has spoken about this. In his speech, the Asturian offers a key that is always on our minds and that should be the first stone of our action plan: we are all afraid of growing old.
“Why do people have so scared or is he reluctant to live many years? I realized that it is because when they project themselves into the future, they imagine themselves in a nursing home, they imagine themselves in a wheelchair or they imagine diapers and they say ‘I don’t want that,'” says Vázquez.
A fact that in the end makes the message prevail that it is preferable to live fewer years with good health. But the reality is that we can have it all. “We can reach 90, 95 or even 100 years old with health, with autonomy and with good quality of lifebut what we do has a lot of influence,” explains the expert, who explains “another misconception.”
“When we talk about longevity, many people think about starting to change habits at 60, 70 and 80… That’s a mistake because in the end your state at 80, 90 or the last decade of life, so to speak, depends a lot on whether you do it today, when you are 25, 30, 45 or 50 years old,” shares the creator of Revolutionary Fitness.
“If today you are able to increase your vitality and improve your muscle mass, your cardiorespiratory or functional capacity, and bone strength, that will make you reach 80 without sarcopenia or osteoporosis and therefore Those last years of life are not very different from the previous ones”concludes Vázquez.
Science backs the message
And, as we said at the beginning, what the expert comments on is a notion widely supported by science. For example, a work published a few years ago in the magazine Circulation concluded that if the 5 classic factors (tobacco consumption, alcohol intake, body weight, physical activity and healthy diet) were taken into account, the years of life could be considerably increased.
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Specifically, the Harvard University researchers who signed the study stated that not smoking, avoiding alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, adhering to a balanced diet and exercising at least 45 minutes a day could increase life expectancy. expected at age 50 an average of 14 years in women and 12 years in men.
Thus, the message that must prevail is that it’s never too late to start worrying about improving our habits with the aim of living healthier. In fact, the sooner we become aware of the situation, the better prepared we will be to reach the final stage of life with energy, vitality and good functional capacity.
Álvaro Piqueras is a sports expert and in the last five years he has specialized in fitness, nutrition and other health topics. Try to stay up to date with new research and trends in the fields you master to be able to rigorously share the training routine that can inspire a change in your habits, the properties of the foods that should be part of your diet or scientific findings that can improve the physical and mental well-being of people like you.
He began his career in local and regional media in the land of Don Quixote, specifically in Albacete. From there he made the leap to national media after an enriching stint at a wonderful independent advertising agency named after a Beatles song (GettingBetter), although he always kept his journalistic vocation intact.
Hence, he pursued his dream of working for one of the main publishing groups in the country such as Prisa, Vocento and now also Hearst. Perhaps you have read him in the digital version of Diario As, addressing countless topics, or in ABC and other newspapers and magazines of the group, preparing branded content reports for large brands, multinationals and institutions. And if you haven’t had the chance, now is the time to do it at Men’s Health and Runner’s World.
As it could not be otherwise, he confesses to being a lover of sports and from a very young age he has tried disciplines as diverse as athletics, football, basketball, tennis, cycling or swimming. Sometimes feeling the adrenaline of the competition, and other times simply enjoying the benefits of physical activity. Now he has taken up functional exercises and boxing because he is certain that the bag is incapable of hitting him back.
Graduated in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Alicante, he also has specific training in social media management and direction, strategic planning and graphic design. Lately he has delved into the universe of generative artificial intelligence applied to journalism, but he swears and perjures that he does not use it professionally because, among other considerations, he continues to enjoy every word he writes after 20 years of experience in the communication sector.