Is there a secret to living a long and healthy life? According to Dr Gareth Nye, a Biomedical Science lecturer at the University of Salford, there might be
Reaching the grand age of 100 may seem like a far-fetched idea. Yet, one doctor suggests it’s not out of reach if you’re prepared to adhere to four crucial life rules.
Dr Gareth Nye, a Biomedical Science lecturer at the University of Salford, emphasised that while there are no guarantees or foolproof methods, following his advice could certainly steer you towards the right path. “In essence, a long life is down to luck, but you can improve your luck,” he told the Mirror in an exclusive interview.
“Genetics seems to play a role and influences between 20-30% of your total lifespan through a range of factors, like disease risk, hormone balance and cell replacement rates. But, it’s thought that about 40% of life expectancy is inherited among generations, meaning you are more likely to live longer if your parents and grandparents did.”
1. Don’t be inactive
Before you start envisioning punishing gym sessions and intense circuit training, don’t fret. Instead, Dr. Nye emphasised that we should shift our focus from ‘exercise’ to ‘activity’ when considering longevity.
“People who live longer tend to have a higher activity level in their day-to-day lives rather than focus on structured exercise programmes,” Dr Nye claimed. “The message here is that trying to incorporate more activity throughout the day is key and avoiding prolonged periods of sitting down. Those in offices could switch to standing desks, for example, or look at their commute to make changes.”
Dr Nye’s perspective is supported by research. A study last year found that taking up to 10,500 steps each day could reduce the risk of early death by 39% and the risk of heart attack or stroke by 21%.
Further research from earlier this month also suggests that small doses of high-intensity activity or brisk walking may cut the risk of dementia by as much as 40%. Dr Nye continued: “The issue with exercising at a high level is that consistency is often a problem… it is much better overall to work on whole activity levels.”
2. Rethink what you’re putting in your body
According to Dr Nye, reflecting on our daily diet and lifestyle choices is crucial for long-term well-being. He emphasised the importance of steering clear of alcohol, tobacco, and foods rich in saturated fats, all of which carry health risks.
“The less processing, the better,” Dr Nye said. “Meat and vegetables, as free range or organic as possible, will have the least chance of impacting the body negatively. The more processing involved, the more detrimental it is to the body, mainly due to preservative agents. [For instance], ham and bacon increase your risk of bowel cancer.
“Avoid added sugar or sugar that isn’t part of the required diet. Those from areas that live longer will consume similar amounts of sugar from their diet, but have drastically lower added sugar in foods and lower levels of sweet treats.
“Avoid the salt – the body needs 0.5g of sodium per day to function. Most people are consuming 8.5g of salt/sodium per day. Clearly, this excess salt is not good for the body and is linked to cardiovascular disease.”
Dr Nye’s comments are particularly pertinent given that heart and circulatory diseases cause over a quarter of all UK deaths. This equates to more than 170,000 deaths each year, or one every three minutes, as reported by the British Heart Foundation.
With this in mind, he also recommended the following tips:
- Up your daily fruit intake – a variety is preferable
- Eat more olive oil
- Eat less animal-based protein
Dr Nye added: “The idea is to try a variety of fruit and vegetables until you find ones that suit you and your preferences. It doesn’t always have to be fresh, either. Frozen fruit and vegetables can be just as beneficial and often easier to add to meals to get that content in.”
3. Get more rest
The perks of a good night’s sleep extend beyond merely feeling energised for the day. Previous research has indicated that seven to eight hours of rest are associated with the lowest risk of premature death.
A 2021 study found that people in their 50s and 60s face a higher risk of dementia when they sleep six hours or less each night. These results emerge as over 944,000 people in the UK are currently affected by dementia.
Dr Nye continued: “The recommendation is that seven to eight hours of interrupted sleep has the lowest risk of premature death. Shorter than seven hours of sleep daily is linked to a 12% increased [risk of] death, with those who sleep over eight hours being linked to a 30% increased chance of premature death.
“It seems that having regular sleep patterns may be the key to getting the most benefit and potentially living longer.”
4. Know your family’s history and get checked out
Finally, Dr Nye emphasised the significance of understanding your health risks and scheduling regular check-ups with a GP. It is estimated that genetic factors, such as the risk of diseases, may account for roughly 20 to 30% of your overall lifespan.
Current NHS advice regarding genetic testing states: “If the genetic test shows there are changes to your genes that cause a health condition, this may mean that other members of your family also have it. In this situation, your doctor may recommend that other members of your family also have a genetic test.
“There’s also a chance that the test gives you information about your relatives that you or they may not have known before. For example, it may show that you were adopted or that your biological father is not who you thought they were.”
