As the average life expectancy in the U.S. continues to diminish, health experts are trying to figure out ways to help people live longer and healthier lives.
Dr. Brett Osborn, who currently serves as a board-certified neurosurgeon in West Palm Beach, Florida, and also serves as the founder of a preventative health care and anti-aging facility, Senolytix, works with patients everyday adopt better wellness habits and reduce their risk of chronic diseases.
“My motto is, you are never too young or too old for good health,” he said.
In an interview with Fox News, Osborn shared five daily health habits he recommends to his patients to help them live longer and healthier lives.
Although consulting with a healthcare professional is essential, Osborn says people should listen to their bodies and identify risks.
“In general, standard health surveillance for the average American is poor,” said Osborn, who holds a certification from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. “We simply are not aggressive enough in checking for and catching risk factors of fatal diseases.”
He said people must be more proactive in discovering risks for themselves rather than relying too much on their doctors or online health information.
Osborn uses high blood pressure and insulin as an example in which he recommends that everyone self-monitor at home for the early signs of these potentially deadly problems.
“People who wait for their annual check-up to find out what’s going on with their health are making a terrible mistake,” he said. “A lot can go wrong in a year or two between visits to the doctor, and lack of persistent attention or procrastination can kill you.”
2. Take six blood tests and take them seriously.’
Osborn says people should take getting blood tests seriously as it may potentially lower the risk of heart attack and strokes.
“It is nearly impossible to achieve optimal health without taking intermittent snapshots of the inner workings of your body to guide you, which can be provided by laboratory testing that will accurately identify any risk factors,” Osborn told Fox News Digital.
Osborn recommends implementing six blood tests to help prevent age-related diseases.
1 Lipid Profile This test provides a rough idea of the ratio of “good” to “bad” cholesterol, he said
2. Verticle Auto Profile (VAP) This cholesterol, lipid, and lipoprotein test measures all the components of a standard lipid profile and delves further, segmenting cholesterol into subtypes.
“I would strongly consider VAP testing instead of the standard lipid profile if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of heart disease or stroke,” Osborn said.
3. C-Reactive Protein (CRP). Patients with obesity and metabolic syndrome have elevated CRP levels, which is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and atherogenic dyslipidemia, Osborn explained.
4. Homocysteine. “Elevations in homocysteine are associated with various diseases, including heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and osteoporosis,” Osborn said.
5. Hemoglobin A1C. This test measures how well blood sugar levels have been controlled over weeks or months.
6. Vitamin D3. There is evidence that Vitamin D3 deficiency is associated with stroke, insulin resistance, Alzheimer’s Dementia, coronary artery disease, and cancer, according to Osborn.
“Get this tested and intervene if necessary, as failure to do so will predispose you to various diseases,” he warned.
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3. Embrace these Supplements
Osborn says that, although supplements are not to be used as primary treatment to aliment, they could complement a well-rounded diet and exercise.
“Supplements will not remedy your elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, gouty arthritis, and hypertension — only you can. There is no easy way out,” Osborn said. “The right supplement regime, however, can optimize your health so that your hard work is maximized to its fullest potential and should be treated as equally important as the right food choices and fitness routines,
Osborn recommends these top supplements:
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Resveratrol
- Green tea extract
- Vitamin D3
- Curcumin
- B-complex
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Magnesium
- Probiotics
“Supplements will not remedy your elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, gouty arthritis, and hypertension — only you can. There is no easy way out,” Osborn says.
Osborn states to skip multivitamins, he said, because “the dosages of the individual components are fairly low.”
4. Work on your brain
Osborn says the brain benefits from exercise both Mentally and physically.
Physically exercise and critical thinking both forge neural pathways in the brain.
Osborn also explained that physical activity helps to form synapses, which are connections between neurons that help to reduce inflammation, reverse age-associated spatial memory loss, and enhance learning.
That could also help to prevent diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
“There is also evidence that augmented blood flow to the brain during exercise promotes neurogenesis (formation of new neurons in the brain),” he added. “Exercise can enhance both learning abilities and memory.”
He also revealed that learning a new skill can also “turbo-charge” the brain, Osborn said.
5. Food Glycemic Index is important
Measuring your food glycemic index (GI) is a way to. It has an effect on blood sugar and insulin, Osborn revealed.
This knowledge can be used to find any hidden sugars.
He goes on to use Kidney beans as an example, with a glycemic index of 23, and Peanuts rated a 7.
He states the sweeter the food, the higher the GI value.
“Simply put, the sweeter the food, the higher the GI value,” Osborn said
After eating low-GI foods, glucose increases only mildly, meaning less insulin is produced,” He says.” Tight glycemic control is primarily a function of several interrelated factors, such as ingesting low-GI foods, lean body mass, and daily exercise.”
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