Stay physically active!

Most people would want to enjoy their senior years to the fullest, and a recent study in the Journal of Gerontology has come up with the recipe for it:

* Maintain a positive outlook
* Keep your stress levels low
* Do away with smoking
* Do have a glass of wine every so often
* Have no chronic health issues
* Arrange to have a retirement income of at least $30,000 a year.

It is a fairly simple formula. Unfortunately, the study finds, few people seem willing to stick to it.

The study involved a tracking survey on the lifestyle and quality of life of 2,432 older Canadians over a period of 10 years. It was carried out by researchers at the Portland State University, Oregon Health and Science University, the Kaiser Permanent Center for Health Research, and Statistics Canada.

The people whose health conditions were rated excellent over the entire 10-year period were called “thrivers.”

At the end of the period covered in the study, those who were considered thrivers comprised only 8 percent of the respondents. Nearly half of respondents (47 percent) did not have excellent health or a high quality of life. Over a third (36 percent) had died while 9 percent were institutionalized.

The researchers said the study provided evidence of the key lifestyle factors that contribute to excellent health during retirement.

The take-home message is that people can modify many of the lifestyle factors during their youth or middle age. It is never too early — or too late — to start adopting a healthier lifestyle.

The researchers also believe that although the study was conducted in Canada, the findings are applicable to the United States and other industrialized nations. The U.S. population has close demographic similarities to Canada and the health care systems in the two countries rely on the same technologies.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, close to 40 percent of deaths in the U.S. are directly related to smoking, lack of exercise, poor diet, and misuse of alcohol.

Safety Tips:

* Eat more nutritious foods. Keep your diet low in saturated fats and sodium. Consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
* Stay physically active and get regular exercise. Physical activity does not need to be strenuous for you to derive healthful benefits. Moderate physical activity performed regularly will benefit all people regardless of age.
* Avoid tobacco. Cigarette smoking kills more than 440,000 people every year.