Discover the Five Healthy Habits That Can Improve Your Healthspan.

Want a Good Life? Improve Your Healthspan.

Health plays a huge role in how much we enjoy our lives. We often measure someone’s life by how long they live, but their healthspan is a better measurement of their quality of life.

What is healthspan?

When we talk about someone’s life, we usually talk about their lifespan, which is the total number of years a person lives. But their healthspan is an important part of their quality of life. Healthspan is the amount of time a person lives in good health, without chronic disease or disability.

When we’re healthy, we tend to take it for granted. But think about the times you’ve had the flu or a short-term illness, how miserable it felt. A long lifespan sounds great, but living in chronic pain or dealing with constant illness has a big effect on your enjoyment of life. Having a long healthspan is the key to living well.  

How to expand your healthspan

You might be thinking “A long healthspan sounds great, sign me up.” But what can you do to improve your healthspan? According to a study by Harvard University, five lifestyle practices can help increase your life expectancy by up to 10 years and keep you healthier in the long run. You’ve probably heard these basic health tips before:

-Eat a healthy diet. Concentrate on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Limit your intake of processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats.

-Exercise regularly. At least 30 minutes or more of moderate to intense exercise is recommended at least five days a week.

-Maintain a healthy body weight. A healthy weight can vary for different people, but having too much belly fat can increase your health issues.

-Drink alcohol in moderation. Try to drink just one glass a day for women and two for men. Keeping your drinking to three glasses of alcohol or less a week is best for optimal health.

–Avoid smoking. Smoking can lead to chronic inflammation, and it harms nearly every organ in the body. 

According to the study, women who practiced these five healthy habits lived an average of 14 years longer, while men lived 12 years longer, compared with those who didn’t practice healthy habits.

These five habits are a great place to start, but there are other things you can do to improve your health. Having purpose in life, lowering stress levels, getting enough sleep at night, maintaining healthy relationships and spending time outdoors can also be factors in living a healthier life.

Find providers focused on improving your healthspan

ilumed is here to help you improve your healthspan. Our value-based care model is designed so that doctors are rewarded for the quality of the care they provide, rather than being paid based on the number of services, which can affect your health outcomes.  

At ilumed, we can help provide you with the holistic care you need. ilumed’s concierge service can help you schedule appointments and manage your health goals. ilumed’s case managers are another resource outside your doctor’s office who can help you with lifestyle adjustments to meet your goals like eating a heart-healthy diet or exercising more.   

ilumed is focused on providing you value-based care, so you not only have a long lifespan, but a better healthspan. Living in good health is part of the value-based care model. Find even more health and wellness tips on our blog at ilumed.com/resources.