To begin with, the physical factors of a healthy lifestyle consist of healthy eating, enough exercise, limited alcohol intake and not smoking. Initially, good health harmonizes with rich nutrition and that means eating a balanced diet can provide the energy, vitamins and minerals which people necessitate (NHS Lothian, 2006). King et al (2009) explained that five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and eating fresh produce rather than processed food might guarantee a healthy diet everyday. Moreover, combined with a healthy diet, exercise also improves people’s health. It can help people prevent obesity, and regular physical activity is associated with a decreased risk of cancer (Vuori, 1998). In addition, limited alcohol intake is another physical factor of being healthy into old age. There is strong evidence which indicates that too much alcohol increases the risk of several cancers, it can also make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight (The Royal Marsden, n.d). Finally, not smoking is an effective way to prevent human bodies from diseases into old age. This is because cigarette smoke contains almost 4,000 compounds, some of which are known to be cancer-causing (NHS Lothian, 2006). As a consequence, the physical factors might be the basic reason for populations’ maintaining fit into old age.
However, there could be another aspect which can support the physical factors, it is the mental elements. It involves individual personality, attitude to the stress, socialising with others and positive thinking. Firstly, as Deacon (2004) claimed, a calm temper enhances successful ageing. Also according to Watkins (2006), “anger is one of the seven deadly sins and one of the most toxic emotions which can seriously impair our health.” Therefore, the individual character could connect with healthy condition into old age. Secondly, when people feel stressful, the attitude towards the pressure could be joined with their health. Some people may choose overeating or drinking alcohol or smoking to escape from the stress, and this could damage their health without a doubt (Steptoe, 1995). So optimistic attitudes to the stress could be effective for maintaining healthy. Furthermore, one problem with going into old age is that of isolation. Many people will eventually miss out on social interaction when they are getting older, however, socialising with others can help to keep mentally active (Medic8, n.d). The last element of keeping mental health is to have positive thinking towards life. Positive thinking could improve the mood and boost the immune system, keeping positive into old age could bring out regular daily life and avoid excessive drinking and smoking, which are widely accepted to slow aging process. On the contrary, as BBC (2002) reported, people who concern much about getting old accelerate the ageing process. The positive thinking could build the special contributions in curing diseases as well(World Health Organization, n.d). Overall, the mental elements might also play an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age, and they could develop a healthy lifestyle together with the physical factors. It can be considerably said that a calm temperament, optimistic attitudes to the stress, active social activities and positive thinking can give a supportive function to the physical factors for people’s health.
As is well-known that the physical reasons such as healthy eating, enough exercise, limited alcohol intake and not smoking are the foundation of keeping healthy into old age. However, the mental elements are likely to be forgotten by modern people. Therefore, this essay has listed and described both the physical and mental factors that enable people to maintain a healthy lifestyle into old age. It can be considerably said that a calm temperament, optimistic attitudes to the stress, active social activities and positive thinking can give a supportive function to the physical factors for people’s keeping healthy into old age. Consequently, the reasons people can maintain a healthy lifestyle into old age should be based on healthy eating, enough exercise, limited alcohol intake and not smoking, meanwhile develop a calm temperament, optimistic attitudes to the stress, active social activities and positive thinking to everything.
References
BBC (2002). Positive thinking 'extends life'. Retrieved November 25th, 2010, from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2158336.stm
Deacon, B. (2004). Kaplan International Colleges. (2010). Maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age. Skills for study: Level One, 176-178.
King, D. E. Mainous III, A. G. Carnemolla, M. and Everett, C. J. (2009). Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle Habits in US Adults, 1988-2006. The American Journal of Medicine, Vol 122, No 6, pp 528-533.
Medic8. (n.d). Healthy Lifestyle: A guide to Elderly Care. Retrieved November 25th, 2010, from:
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Steptoe, A. Wardle, J. Pollard T. M, Canaan, L. and Davies, G. J. (1995). Stress, Social Support and Health-Related Behavior: A Study of Smoking, Alcohol Consumption and Physical exercise. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Vol.41, No.2. pp 171-180, 1996.
The Royal Marsden, NHS Foundation Trust. (n.d). A healthy lifestyle. Retrieved November 25th, 2010, from:
Vuori, I. (1998). Does physical activity enhance health? Patient Education and Counseling 33, pp95 -103.
Watkins, A. (2006) How to temper your temper? Retrieved November 25th, 2010, from:
World Health Organization. (n.d). What is a healthy lifestyle? Copenhagen: World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe.
