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The pillars of self-care Americans are far less healthy than they could be. Six out of every 10 live with at least one chronic disease, according to the CDC. Four in 10 people have two or more conditions. Chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes exact a heavy toll on our collective health and productivity. Researchers from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from the CDC and two long-term population studies-the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They found that people who practiced five specific lifestyle habits dramatically reduced their risks of heart disease and cancer, compared with those who did none of these things. Get your copy of Your Whole-Life Wellness Program Your Whole-Life Wellness Program Special Health Report is your guide to “lifestyle medicine” — an evidence-based approach to disease prevention and treatment that helps you focus on adopting and sticking with healthy habits you can live with. Learn the importance of getting restorative sleep. Having a positive attitude. Being resilient in the face of stressful situations. Getting “unstuck” when the going gets rough. Having maximum energy for every day. Enjoying quality connections. And living a fulfilling life purpose.   SHOW ME MORE → The healthy participants: ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fatty acids, and low in processed meats, sugary drinks, trans fats, and sodium did not smoke got at least three-and-a-half hours of moderate-to vigorous physical activity each week drank only moderate amounts of alcohol (no more than one drink per day for women, and two drinks or less per day for men) maintained a healthy body mass index (BMI) in the range of 18.5 to 24.9. How effective were these measures? The researchers found that practicing all five habits from age 50 onward extended life by more than a decade compared with practicing none of them. Women who didn't adopt any of the habits lived on average to age 79, while those who did all five lived to 93. Similarly, men who did not practice these five habits lived to 75 on average, while those who did lived to nearly 88. Self-care habits These five habits fall in the realm of self-care-an evidence-based approach to disease prevention and treatment that focuses on adopting healthy habits. Based on lifestyle medicine, self-care doesn't replace traditional medicine, but it is a powerful complement to it. When it comes to self-care, habits that foster a healthy body are a good place to start. But one thing scientists have learned over time is that the mind and body are inextricably linked. Thoughts and emotions influence health in many ways. For example, stressful events can raise your blood pressure. Depression lowers your tolerance for pain, making pain feel worse. And loneliness now appears to be a cause of premature death. These are just three examples among many. That means that any program for true self-care must go beyond these five habits, but they are the foundation of creating wellness. For more information on self-care practices, check out Your Whole-Life Wellness Program, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Image: © BestieVanderMeer | GettyImages Share this story:

FEATURED CONTENT Your Whole-Life Wellness Program • Self-care: A holistic approach to well-being • Nutrition • Physical activity • Sleep • Attitude • Resilience  • Time-outs Click here to learn more »

 

Week in Review Your weekly check-in for better living
HEALTH FACT OF THE WEEK
Even if you work out, long stretches of sitting increase health risks; getting up for a few minutes each hour helps.
THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHT
Got hand pain? Try these kitchen hacks
Tired of always asking someone to open jars for you? Does chopping and slicing vegetables hurt your hands so much that you've stopped doing it? Are you cooking less because of pain, stiffness, or deformities in your fingers, thumbs, or wrists? You don't have to give up cooking or other kitchen tasks. Most limitations caused by hand pain can be overcome using simple strategies and helpful gadgets. "A lot of it has to do with joint protection and ergonomics," says Deborah Simmons, an occupational therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation. Ergonomics includes the use of tools designed to be comfortable, safe, and easy to operate.
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Get your copy of Healthy Hands Beneath the skin, your hands are an intricate architecture of tendons, joints, ligaments, nerves, and bones. Each of these structures is vulnerable to damage from illness or injury. If your hands hurt, even simple tasks can become a painful ordeal. Healthy Hands: Strategies for strong, pain-free hands describes the causes and treatments for many conditions that can cause hand pain. It also features information on hand exercises, as well as handy tools and other gadgets that take strain off your hands. READ MORE →
EXPLORE MORE CONTENT
Mini-Course: Understanding Atrial Fibrillation Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of arrhythmia, or abnormal heartbeat. While afib can cause serious complications such as stroke or heart damage, a variety of treatment options can successfully manage the symptoms. In this mini-course from our exclusive All-Access Online Learning subscription, we’ll cover the ins and outs of afib so you can take charge of your condition and work with your doctor to find a solution that’s right for you. TAKE MINI-COURSE →
Pilates: A good workout option, even as we get older Pilates is once again growing in popularity after first going mainstream in the early 2000s. Nearly 12 million Americans tried the low-impact workout in 2023, 15% more than during the previous year. And the attention on this exercise workout might make you wonder if Pilates is a good option for you. READ MORE →
Get your copy of Core Exercises Want to bring more power to athletic pursuits? Build up your balance and stability? Or are you simply hoping to make everyday acts like bending, turning, and reaching easier? A strong, flexible core underpins all these goals. Core muscles need to be strong, yet flexible, and core fitness, like that found in the Special Health Report Core Exercises: 6 workouts to tighten your abs, strengthen your back, and improve balance, should be part of every exercise program. READ MORE →
Eye care in an emergency Q. What should I do if I ever have an eye emergency, such as sudden pain or light flashes? Is it best to go to a hospital emergency department, or is it better to go to an ophthalmologist's office for care? A. If you have an established eye doctor, it's best to call that person first for advice, even if it's outside regular office hours...  READ MORE →
			MUST READ The Aging Eye How the eye works Common changes in the aging eye SPECIAL SECTION: Safeguarding your sight Cataracts Glaucoma Click here to learn more »

HARVARD HEALTH EXPERTS REVEAL THE SIMPLE STEPS TO HELP YOU Halt bone-thinning osteoporosis, strengthen your bones, and protect your mobility FOLLOW US ON:  Facebook Twitter Your must-know UPDATE to help keep your bones strong: ✓ What causes osteoporosis ✓ Risk factors you can control ✓ The consequences of osteoporosis ✓ Detecting osteoporosis ✓ Developing a plan of action ✓ Bone-protecting foods and supplements ✓ Exercises for bone strength and mobility ✓ Choosing a bone-strengthening medication ✓ How to cope with fractures ✓ And more from the experts at Harvard Medical School, America’s #1 medical school for research as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Sadly, many people have no idea that they have been losing bone mass for years until — suddenly and without warning — a twist, a bend, or an unexpected jolt or fall leads to a painful fracture in the hip, spine or wrist. You probably know someone who has experienced a bone fracture and you know how drastically it can turn your life upside down. A hip fracture, for example, can severely limit mobility, making it difficult to drive, cook or even get out of bed. A spinal fracture — the most common type of fracture — can result in ongoing pain, stooped posture and even digestive problems. The older we get, the more likely we are to have our bones weakened by osteoporosis (literally “porous bone”) — making us more susceptible to potentially devastating fractures. The good news is that osteoporosis is not inevitable! And it’s treatable. That’s why the health experts at Harvard Medical School have published Osteoporosis: A Guide to Prevention and Treatment, a Special Health Report filled with evidence-based practical steps to help you strengthen your bones and prevent life-altering fractures. For example: Simple bone-protecting exercises You may know that exercise can help strengthen your bones and improve your coordination and balance, but you may not know how quick and EASY these exercises can be! Your Special Report reveals the exercises that work best to prevent and treat osteoporosis — including 10 simple, clearly-illustrated exercises you can do in your living room. Smart bone-building nutrition tips Do you know that too much supplemental calcium might be dangerous — and what dosage experts recommend? The simple food swaps that may have a significant bone-protecting impact? The surprising vitamin that research has proven is “instrumental in bone formation?” Or the little-known nutritional dangers to your bone health? Find out all this and more in your Harvard Special Report! Which bone-strengthening medication is best for you If you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis or its less serious cousin osteopenia, your doctor will likely prescribe a medication to curb bone loss. But before you say “yes”, get the facts you need to help you decide between bisphosphonates like Fosamax…monoclonal antibodies like Prolia…hormones — a variety of estrogen products…and other options. PLUS: You’ll get a fascinating close-up look at your bone’s structure — how it grows and heals itself when injured. Discover the osteoporosis risk factors and why it’s not just a “woman’s disease.” Find out how to diagnose osteoporosis and develop your action plan to fight back. See how to recover well from hip fracture and cope with the pain of a vertebral fracture — including two surgical options. And more! If you want to help guard yourself from potentially devastating bone fractures and protect your mobility and independence as you grow older, get the facts you need in Osteoporosis: A Guide to Prevention and Treatment. Order now and save 30% off our regular price!