- Reviewed byHoward E. LeWine, MD,
Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Americans are far less healthy than they could be. Six out of every 10 live with at least one chronic disease, according to the CDC. Four in 10 people have two or more conditions. Chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes exact a heavy toll on our collective health and productivity.
Researchers from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from the CDC and two long-term population studies-the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They found that people who practiced five specific <a t adopt any of the habits lived on average to age 79, while those who did all five lived to 93. Similarly, men who did not practice these five habits lived to 75 on average, while those who did lived to nearly 88.
Self-care habits
These five habits fall in the realm of self-care-an evidence-based approach to disease prevention and treatment that focuses on <a t replace traditional medicine, but it is a powerful complement to it.
When it comes to self-care, habits that foster a healthy body are a good place to start. But one thing scientists have learned over time is that the mind and body are inextricably linked. Thoughts and emotions influence health in many ways. For example, stressful events can raise your blood pressure. Depression lowers your tolerance for pain, making pain feel worse. And loneliness now appears to be a cause of premature death. These are just three examples among many.
That means that any program for true self-care must go beyond these five habits, but they are the foundation of creating wellness.
For more information on self-care practices, check out Your Whole-Life Wellness Program, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD,
Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.
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