In recent years, the term “healthy” has gone from buzzword to cliche and beyond, thrown around so often that it’s practically lost its meaning altogether.
What exactly do we mean when we say something or someone is “healthy?” Andrew Demetre, Charleston fitness coach, uses his expertise to dissect this overused word and uncover the scientific standard for human health.
Health Longevity and Lifespan
One of the more interesting discussions surrounding health is the connection between health and lifespan. But extending your life isn’t necessarily the goal of being healthy. The more important thing to focus on is extending your health.
The idea of health extension (or “healthspan,” as it’s come to be called) centers around being comfortable and having adequate energy at any stage of life. Ideally, when you think about health, you want to emphasize ease of life, not length.
Fortunately, many of the keys to health longevity help you to extend your lifespan. Restricting calories, following a balanced, nutritious diet, and getting plenty of exercise are all significant players in a healthier life.
While other elements like genetics can also determine how long you’ll stay healthy, they have much less impact than you might imagine, meaning you have much more control than you might realize.
The Right Stuff
Diet is one of the more impactful elements of health and longevity, so consuming the proper nutrients is essential. Research shows that phytochemicals like carotenoids and polyphenols, which are found in many fruits, vegetables, roots, and herbs, can boost your health and help you live longer.
Dietary phytochemicals are abundant in a healthy diet. These nutrients help keep your immune system strong, reduce inflammation, regulate hormone production, and even slow down the growth rate of some cancer cells.
Eating a wide range of colorful fruits and veggies in their natural (aka minimally processed) form is the key to getting these nutrients into your body in usable form.
Andrew Demetre, Charleston-based bodybuilder and nutrition expert, also notes that exercise is tied directly to healthier living. Cardio, for example, is fantastic for improving the performance of your heart and lungs, making it easier for you to perform various activities with relative comfort and ease at any age.
Health for Life
Living a good life without focusing on your health is virtually impossible. By the same token, taking steps to improve your health will give you a chance at a better life.
You can use what science says about wellness elements like diet and exercise to curate a healthier lifestyle that’s right for you. And now, with more information about nutrients like phytochemicals than ever, you can make more informed choices to live longer and healthier.
Andrew Demetre, Charleston fitness coach, established himself during the pandemic when he realized he could help his clients meet their fitness goals from the comfort of their living rooms. He’s since expanded his influence from the greater Charleston area to just about everywhere else in the world.
Demetre shows his clients that anyone can achieve their ideal body with effort and dedication, even if they never step foot in a gym.
