Our real age is just a number. But our biological age tells us more about how long we might live.
The American Heart Association created a list called "Life's Essential 8." These are key steps for improving heart health. In 2023, the group released a report. It looked at over 6,500 adults. The report found that following these guidelines could reduce a person's "biological age" by up to five years.
Dr. Satyajit Reddy, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona, explained that chronological age is measured in years. Biological age, however, reflects genetics, lifestyle, and environment.
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Start Your News DetoxFor example, a 27-year-old who smokes and eats poorly might have a biological age of 32. On the other hand, a 49-year-old who sleeps well and eats healthy might have a biological age of 44.
Reddy noted that some factors affecting biological age, like genetics, cannot be changed. But many lifestyle choices can help lower it. Many of these are on the American Heart Association's list.
The American Heart Association stated that good heart health can slow biological aging. This may lower the risk of heart disease and other age-related illnesses, potentially extending life.
The Essential 8 Habits
What habits should you focus on? Here's what the American Heart Association suggests:
Eat foods that fuel you
Try to eat mostly whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, and seeds.
Reddy advises limiting processed foods, especially processed carbs and sugars. He noted that processed foods are often designed to make you overeat. Sugar is in many processed foods, so we need to be careful to avoid too much.
He also suggested paying attention to how you feel after a meal. If you feel hungry or tired within one to two hours, it might not have been an ideal meal.
Move your body
The American Heart Association has different exercise goals for adults and children. Adults should aim for 75 minutes of intense activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. Children should move for about 60 minutes a day, including structured activities and play.
Reddy said that planned exercise, like going to the gym, is great for health. But many people feel stressed about it, especially if they don't have much time.
His advice is to do what you can. He stressed finding an activity you enjoy to make it sustainable. This could be dance, yoga videos, or walking while listening to a podcast.
Overall, Reddy suggests avoiding being sedentary daily. This could mean parking further away, taking stairs instead of elevators, or walking with your kids instead of watching TV. You could also set a timer at work to move from your desk every hour.
Quit tobacco if you use it
Smoking harms heart health. The American Heart Association also warns that secondhand smoke and vaping are very dangerous. It's not just traditional cigarettes that are a problem.
Dr. Leslie Cho, a preventive cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic, noted that vaping is not better than smoking. She listed health issues like lung problems, cancer, and nicotine addiction linked to vaping.
Get healthy sleep
The American Heart Association recommends adults get seven to nine hours of sleep nightly. Studies show that too little or too much sleep is linked to heart disease.
Dr. Satyajit Reddy, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona, said, "Our bodies adapt to what we repeatedly do and are exposed to every day. Improving habits and health parameters lead to healthier bodies over a lifetime."
Manage weight
Experts and the American Heart Association say that maintaining a healthy weight for your body type can help you live longer and improve your biological age. This doesn't mean extreme dieting or focusing on how your body looks. Instead, focus on eating nourishing foods and moving your body in a way that feels good. Everyone's body is different.
Control cholesterol
High levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) are linked to heart disease and strokes. It's important to check your cholesterol at least once a year. How often you get tested depends on your history of high cholesterol and genetics.
Dr. David Samadi explained that the American Heart Association's checklist helps control cholesterol. This includes being active, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting smoking.
Samadi added that foods high in soluble fiber and phytosterols can help lower LDL cholesterol. These include nuts, avocado, olive oil, beans, soy, apples, grapes, strawberries, and citrus fruits. Fiber supplements like psyllium may also help.
Manage blood sugar
Our bodies turn almost everything we eat into glucose, or blood sugar, which is used for energy.
The American Heart Association states that high blood sugar levels can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves over time. Monitoring hemoglobin A1C can show long-term control for people with diabetes or prediabetes. The main way to manage blood sugar is to monitor levels and follow a healthy diet.
Manage blood pressure
The American Heart Association says optimal blood pressure is below 120 over 80 (120/80 mmHG). Staying within this range leads to better health.
Besides eating healthy and exercising, the Mayo Clinic suggests lowering sodium intake, limiting alcohol, and reducing stress.
It's also important to monitor your blood pressure at home and get regular check-ups.
What Else You Should Know
If you haven't been following these habits, don't worry. Reddy said it's never too late to make changes.
Reddy explained that long-term exposure to things like smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and excess weight causes harm. Following these eight guidelines helps reduce that exposure over time. He believes our bodies adapt to what we do and are exposed to daily. Improving habits leads to healthier bodies over a lifetime.
Genetics play a big role in things like weight and disease risk. This is why regular doctor visits are important.
Reddy used an analogy: "genetics load the gun but behaviors pull the trigger." He noted that lifestyle and behavior are crucial in whether a heart problem will appear, aside from specific heart disorders.
Following as many healthy lifestyle guidelines as you can, for as long as you can, will make a difference.
