TIPS ON HOW WOMEN CAN LIVE LONGER
same length as our lifespan. Ideally we’d be perfectly healthy until the day we die,” she added.
Maddy stressed that based on research, 90 percent of our health and wellness is under our control. Only 10 percent is genetic. That’s good news, especially to those who do not have a great genetic history.
“We live six years longer than men, but our healthspans are an average of 12 to 14 years less than our lifespans,” she noted. She would like to lessen that gap and hopes her book could help.
One of their biggest discoveries from AgeWave is the crucial role of purpose in our lives. Science shows that having a purpose can actually add years to your life and make you healthier. “What was interesting was that purpose doesn’t have to be something big like starting a non-profit or going back to work or starting your second or third or fourth career. It could be walking your dog, taking care of the grandchildren, anything that makes you feel needed,” Maddy clarified.
She likewise shared that the “positivity effect” studied in both Korea and the United States confirmed that“the attitude that you bring to your own aging and the aging of people around you can actually impact your healthspan and your lifespan.” This positivity can add another seven years to your life.
Exercise, she adds, is“a silver bullet. You can see changes and feel differently within weeks. Then you might be inspired and motivated in other areas. You might eat a little healthier and your sleep will be positively affected. You might start to take other steps to improve your health. It’s a process.”
She continues: “There’s a recent study showing that women gain more benefit from exercise than men, and they don’t need to exercise quite as long or as hard to get that same benefit. And I thought, that’s pretty awesome — because we know that exercise not only is good for our physical health, but it’s also great for our brain health.
“If you take steps to improve your healthspan and your brainspan, you can actually be energetic, vital and full of purpose in your third stage of life. Wherever you are in your journey, it’s never too late to invest in your well-being, or to reinvent yourself.”
She recently shared her top five recommendations to improve one’s brainspan:
Learn new things to stimulate your brain. And she is not referring to online games. She prefers learning a new language, or how to use a new software, or trying a new recipe. These stimulate your brain and foster neuroplasticity.
Fill your plate with the colors of the rainbow. Eat colorful fruits and vegetables.
Change your perspective on aging. Positive thoughts on aging reduce the risk of dementia and can add actual years to your life.
Keep on exercising. It’s the number-one thing people do to protect their brainspan.
Improve your gut health by taking a probiotic. Fermented food strengthens the good bacteria in your gut while sugar feeds the bad bacteria.