Chris Rock knows how to get to the point: "You know, some people say life is short and that you could get hit by a bus at any moment and that you have to live each day like it's your last. Bull****. Life is long. You're probably not gonna get hit by a bus. And you're gonna have to live with the choices you make for the next 50 years."
With the right choices, you could make that 55 years - or even more! Researchers at the West Virginia School of Public Health looked at data on 320 folks at high risk for prediabetes, with prediabetes or previously diagnosed gestational diabetes and had completed the National Diabetes Prevention Program. They found that taking steps to prevent full-blown diabetes adds more than four high-quality years to your life expectancy. There are financial rewards too: Year one, each participant's annual medical costs fell by $120. Year three, annual savings rose to $341 per person. Year 10? $989. Joining a healthy lifestyle support group and having a lifestyle coach, nutritionist or exercise trainer increases your chance of success.
Our research clearly shows that if you take your health makeover even further and go from being obese to a normal weight and increase your exercise to 300 minutes a week plus get 10,000 steps a day, you'll see an even greater, high-quality life extension. So start today to live longer, healthier and younger. For great tips, go to "Dr. Oz's Longevity Prescription" at DoctorOz.com and Dr. Mike's whenway.com.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer Emeritus at Cleveland Clinic.
(c)2021 Michael Roizen, M.D.
and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
King Features Syndicate