Our health is our most profitable asset, but we often only appreciate its value when it’s impaired. When you’re fit and well, you experience lower stress levels, less anxiety, self-esteem is boosted, your emotions are better regulated, you feel more positive and your relationships, with friends, family and work colleagues, all benefit.
The importance of investing in good health can be linked to the growth of functional medicine. Conventional medicine focuses on the endpoint, typically disease or illness requiring intervention such as medication or surgery.
Functional medicine takes an integrative approach by looking at the patient’s symptoms, analysing social and lifestyle factors, and providing a proactive programme to restore optimal health and prevent potential future health concerns.
Good health as a prescription for prosperity
On a national level, we know that health and wealth are inextricably linked as healthier populations live longer and have more productive lives, which leads to greater prosperity while at the same time being less of a burden on any state-funded health service.
A recent McKinsey study looked at the importance of prioritising health on a global scale [1]. Rather than the current focus on ageing, it found that ill health was having an adverse impact in what was considered our prime years and taking preventative steps could mean that in 2040 the average 65-year-old could be as healthy as a current 55-year-old.
The McKinsey study looked at the problem from a government-led level, but what steps can you take today to invest in your health?
5 healthy habits to adopt
1. Stay hydrated
Water is our life force, and our body and mental health start with proper hydration. The average human body is 72% water, and dehydration in the elderly is thought to be the root cause of many chronic degenerative diseases associated with ageing [2].
Water hydrates the brain and reduces risk of cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease; it prevents clogged arteries which reduces the risk of heart attacks or strokes; it boosts our immune system to prevent infections; it regulates our body temperature; it’s needed to produce hormones and keep our joints lubricated; it delivers nutrients where they need to go and clears away toxic waste from the body; and much more [3].
2. Get moving
Whether you’re into jogging, swimming, walking, yoga or even dancing, being active for at least 30 minutes daily is an essential foundation for good physical and mental health. One recent UK study linked regular exercise with increased longevity, and also discovered it was never too late to start. The large-scale study found that “regardless of past activity levels”, those that increased their activity levels, even later in life, were less likely to develop chronic diseases than those that were inactive. [4].
Beyond weight loss, exercise is good for building and maintaining your muscles and bones, increases energy levels, stimulates endorphin production, and increases brain sensitivity to hormones serotonin and norepinephrine that can help relieve feelings of depression and anxiety.
3. Sleep well
Sleep also plays a vital role in both your physical and mental health. While sleeping, the body undergoes critical repair processes that help you fight illness and recover from the stresses of everyday life, so practice good sleep hygiene if you find your sleep has been impaired recently [5].
A sleep deficiency can lead to many physical problems beyond feeling fatigued. It increases your risk of heart problems, causes your insulin levels to spike, impairs cognitive performance and lowers your immune response.
4. Disconnect
Rest is a fundamental part of health and unplugging from the digital world, even for a brief spell, can help decrease stress. For some of us, stress is a helpful stimulant, but for others, it can have an adverse effect on the body by suppressing the immune system and increasing the risk of developing chronic disease.
Left unchecked, stress is associated with an elevated risk of multiple types of cardiovascular disease. One recent study established that this link was particularly strong in those that develop heart conditions before the age of 50 [6].
5. Nourish yourself
Your physical and mental wellbeing is inextricably connected to how you fuel your body and mind. Eating a varied and well-balanced diet will give you the nutrients you need to function effectively, and it can prevent you from developing a life-limiting health condition. A 2019 study published in the British Medical Journal found that those with a higher intake of ultra-processed, high-sodium foods had a greater risk of developing heart disease [7].
A well-balanced diet can also aid in gut health, help prevent muscle loss as you age, balance blood sugar levels, and improve your mental health. It can also restore declining collagen levels. Collagen is found in all the connective tissues in the body, and its depletion is the cause of achy joints, muscle pains and increasing lines and wrinkles. A diet rich in vitamin C can help with collagen formation.
Thank Collagen has developed a collagen supplement that provides 10,000mg of hydrolysed fish collagen and includes a fusion of Hyaluronic acid, Biotin, Vitamin C, D, Thiamine and Niacin, within one serving sachet.