Under the fast pace of social life and the worsening of living environment, people are suffering from semi-health and disease such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. The excessive use of medicine and medical treatment is a facile solution, which cannot cure the fundamental problem. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age, however, is a fundamental solution.
This essay is aimed to outline and evaluate reasons that people can maintain a healthy lifestyle into old age. The essay firstly analyzes the unhealthy lifestyle to indicate importance of a healthy lifestyle; the essay will further outline the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age.
Problem in lifestyle
By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, people are able to minimize their stress and perform efficiently in their work as well as prevent a lot of diseases in every stage of life. Macqueen (1998) suggest that a healthy lifestyle should includes following elements: A nutritionally balanced diet, sufficient relaxation and sleep, regular exercise, only a moderate intake of alcohol, minimal use of non-prescription drugs including cigarettes, emotion support and social contact minimization of stress. However, a number of people still cannot see the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age.
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BBC News has reported a sharp increase in the “lifestyle cancer”, for example skin and liver cancer in Scotland. According to the statistics, the rates of malignant melanoma have increased by 68% in men and 71% in women with a rise of 51% of liver cancer in males from 1998 to 2008. As suggested by Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, it was strong evident that “lifestyle choice” would cause rises in cancer. (BBC, 2010)
According to the UK National Statistics on lifestyle and behavior, there are a high prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, drinking and obesity. It shows that 24% of adults (aged 16 or above) in England were classified as obese in 2006, which is a 9% of increase from 1993, with 3% of women and 1% of men were likely to suffer from morbidly obesity (NHS, 2008b). Similarly, 28% of adults aged 16 and above are reported smoking in 2008 in England. This figure is the same as that in 2007 (NHS, 2010). It is suggested there are close linkage between Smoking and dirking and heart disease. Different from smoking, which are considered as no potential health benefits to people, moderate drinking is regarded as help to protect people’ heart (Westcott, 2010). However, statistics also shows that 40% of males and 33% of females had drunk more than the daily recommended number of unite on at least one day in the week prior to interview. 23 % of men and 15% of women had drunk more than twice the recommended daily intake. (NHS, 2008a)
Benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle
The development of modern medical science makes people more aware of their bodies. The benefits of a healthy lifestyle are becoming increasingly apparent, which is beneficial to people of all ages, weights or social status. There are several benefits for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle into old age.
By maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age, people are able to attain good health and reduce the risks of illness and injuries. Frequent exercises can improve their stamina, strength and flexibility. A balanced and varied diet can provide people with needed nutrients and energy without getting weights. Besides, regular exercise and balanced diet are able to reduce blood pressure, lose weight and lower the risk of diabetes development and heart disease.
A healthy lifestyle can provide many benefits that medicine cannot. It is able to facilitate the effect of medical treatment. According to the study of Kelley, et. al. (2005), aerobic exercise and resistance training can effectively lower LDL-C of patients. Furthermore, this reduction will is enhanced by weight loss and diet, but mitigated by weight gain (Kelley, et. al. 2005).
By maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age, people are able to live a longer life. As people get aged, the physical conditions are becoming weaker and weaker. However, though a healthy lifestyle, they are able to strengthen their physical condition. It helps people live a longer life.
As stated above, a healthy lifestyle helps people maintain good health. In other words, people are able to reduce their expense on health care and doctor visit.
By maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age, people may have better control of their life. People maintain a better body condition and physical function, which helps them work better in their career and live a better life. For example, insomnia is a problem that bothers a lot of workers. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, people are able to gradually improve their sleep pattern. With enough rest and sleep, they feel energetic in the daytime and perform better in their career. With a better physical appearance (for example, slimmer), they look better and feel better about themselves, which enhance their self-image and self-esteem.
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Conclusion
Good health is not a commodity that one can purchase from a hospital or a drug store. However, it can be obtained though maintaining a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle into old age does not means one have to be trained like a professional athlete. Nor, it is something can be done overnight. The secret lies in perseverance. If one keep repeating the healthy lifestyle he has chosen, he will enjoy the benefit sooner or later.
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