Simple steps to prolong longevity after 40

Mums Tips

Fitness & Health

Published on Tuesday, 22 January 2019 11:10

Last Updated on 21 January 2019

Monica Costa

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I am a bit obsessed with longevity because I lost my parents at a young age despite being healthy and sporty. I live every day as if it was my last. My motto is Carpe Diem (Latin expression for ‘Seize the moment’). I live a healthy life including a balanced diet and the right amount of sport (not too much, not too little) always in my quest to prolong longevity. I have never been on a diet because I take everything in moderation. But I take the longevity thing quite seriously and treat my body like a temple.

2018 was personally a challenging year: health-wise I had to deal with sport injuries and mentally I simply found it hard to give in to getting older. On the 1st January I decided to face 2019 head on and instead of compiling daunting new year’s resolutions I started looking at things I can change in my daily routine to improve my health to prolong longevity as well as my swinging mood. So here are my initial pointers:

1. Love – I’ll give more love hoping to get more back in return. I mean love to the world, to family and friends not just restricted to a man-woman love. Mountains can be moved when love is present. I am a fan of The Secret which proclaims that love is all there is to attract everything you desire. 
2. Sleep – I’ll get more sleep and especially beauty sleep. Last year I read alarming NHS England statistics which revealed that thousands of people are facing a sleeplessness crisis, leading to the admission of almost 10,000 to hospital, with a sleep disorder. Year on year admissions rose by 30% in 2018 and experts are putting this down to a combination of excessive screen time and or use of social media before bed, soaring obesity levels and a mental health crisis. The statistics are worrying; not only can health problems be among the contributing factors to a lack of sleep, but, can also be outcomes. Although there is no hard and fast rule, The Sleep Council advise that adults need at least 8 hours sleep a night. A lack of sleep in children can have serious consequences on mood and work performance. 
3. Mood – I’ll work on my swinging mood by meditating more, taking walks and laughing with friends more often. 
4. Fitness – I want to increase my fitness levels and become much leaner and toned. I already play football and fence, walk a lot and I feel relatively fit but it’s never enough. Exercise makes me feel good and helps me keep positive. 
5. Nutrition – I will try to eliminate all the food that makes me fat and does not help me feel good. That includes cheese and sugar. By eating certain harmful foods you are unknowingly creating toxicity and inflammation within your body which has been linked to ageing in numerous studies. And if you live with diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, pain, allergies or asthma, and other scary illnesses you are under the constant daily threat of dying of a heart attack, stroke, organ failure, being rushed to the emergency room, and in constant need of prescription drugs and procedures. Even if you think you are healthy, these diseases can strike at any time. For example, about 50% of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital. This means that many people with heart disease don’t act on early warning signs, and more than a third of the people who experience a heart attack will die from it.
6. Me time – Even if we know it is crucial to take time off the kids and the family and look after ourselves, we mums rarely do it. Check out my recent blog on self-care. 

There are countless studies from scientists and doctors all over the world who claim to have found a method that will help you live longer while eliminating disease, lose extra weight, regenerate your cells and organs, heal your arteries and blood vessels, normalise blood pressure and cholesterol levels, restore your hormonal balance, and create perfect health within your body. If you live a stress-free life with a nutritious diet and some exercise you are on the right path.

Having preached so well here, tonight I ate a piece of cheese and I did not go to fencing training! Well, I’ll catch up on some sleep at least. 

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