我们控制了多少衰老？

年龄可能只是一个数字，但它决定了我们的一生，包括驾驶，投票和退休等里程碑。但是，人们似乎以不同的速度衰老，导致许多医生和科学家认为您的实际年龄可能与数量有所不同。这使您的古老格言有一定的信任，即您只会像您那样古老。更准确地说，您的健康状况只有年龄。事实证明，您的心脏健康是长寿的最佳预测指标。

Chronological age is the amount of time you’ve been alive. Biological age — sometimes called real age or physiological age — considers lifestyle factors and other health markers to better assess the miles on your body. For that reason, it’s often a better measure of life expectancy. But how, exactly, do you measure it?

There are online age calculators that evaluate your health and fitness levels, asking questions about lifestyle habits and BMI to determine your real age. But according to Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder and chairman of库珀有氧运动和预防医学医师库珀诊所在达拉斯，这种公式的价值不高。相反，他说这主要是关于心脏的。

“冠状动脉钙化是喜神贝斯t and most consistent way to measure physiological age,” he says, noting he prefers the term “arterial age.” He explains that coronary calcification increases with age, so being above or below the expected calcification levels results in your heart being older or younger than your chronological age. For example: If a 65-year-old has the expected coronary calcification of a 55-year-old, it’s reasonable to say their physiological age is 10 years less than their chronological age.

幸运的是，您的生活如何在您的心脏年龄中发挥着重要作用。

2018年的研究发表在《流通杂志》上分析了来自100,000多人的数据，并确定了五个关键因素的健康和寿命：

1. 吃健康的饮食
2. 经常锻炼
3. 不要抽烟
4. 仅适度喝酒
5. 保持健康的体重

他们发现遵循这些良好习惯的人可以将自己的寿命延长10年或更长时间。

库珀博士指的是another study确定长寿的最佳预测指标是您可以走多快。根据数据，如果您80岁，可以在17分钟内步行一英里（平均时速3.5英里 /小时），则有84％的机会将居住在90英里处。

尽管许多健康因素无法控制，但我们仍然对此事有很多发言权。库珀博士说：“我们不能只是试图专注于治愈疾病。”“我们需要专注于预防。我们为自己所做的事情会对我们的寿命产生巨大影响。”

库珀博士is 88 years old and still works full-time. He exercises regularly and eats a healthy diet. He even helped to popularize aerobics in the late ‘60s. So, he knows a thing or two about longevity. “No drug can replicate the effects of a healthy lifestyle,” says Dr. Cooper.

在下面，他分享了他的悠久健康生活的技巧。

Maintaining a healthy weight是您可以为身体做的最重要的事情之一。一个BMI calculator可以是为您的身高找到平均体重范围的有用工具，但这并不是一个完美的测量方法，因为它不考虑肌肉质量。

这里的关键是大多数时候。您偶尔可以挥霍。库珀博士订阅80/20规则。Make good food choices 80% of the time, and you’ll be on a good path. He also suggests increasing your daily servings of心脏健康的水果和蔬菜从五个的典型建议中获得九个。

目标是每天锻炼30分钟，每周五天。Find activities you like, whether it’s跑步，，，，骑自行车，，，，游泳，，，，篮球或者椭圆机，您更有可能坚持下去。

Eating a balanced diet should be your first defense against vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Use supplements as needed to ensure you’re getting everything your body needs, including vitamin D and omega-3’s.

Smoking and using other tobacco products is linked to a host of diseases, from lung cancer to heart attacks. Just don’t do it.

There are benefits and drawbacks to alcohol. Most importantly, if you drink, do so in moderation. For most people that means about one drink per day.

除了影响您的心理健康外，压力还与身体疾病有关，例如增加血压和体重增加。锻炼，冥想，，，，按摩与朋友或治疗师交谈都是管理压力的好方法。

Receiving a comprehensive picture of your health is the best way to improve it. And that starts with a physical exam to evaluate vital information like your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, along with lifestyle factors and health behaviors.