Target: 2050 (Roughly)

Calculate Your Life Expectancy

Your calculated health span is 84.3 years. Below, please find the reasoning behind the questions, which you answered that made your score less than it should be:

Healthspan Calculator: Feedback and Reasoning

A: PERSONAL

1. What is your gender:

As a guy, you have your work cut out for you. Women have about a ten-year advantage over men. To catch up, you need to be extra-diligent about healthy habits.

Facts: Women have a head start in the longevity marathon. Many scientists speculate that estrogen plays a role. After menopause (average age 51 years), this advantage seems to diminish. Another theory holds that chronic iron deficiency (due to menstruation) gives a woman her advantage. Iron is critical to our cells' ability to produce age-accelerating free radicals that also predispose to heart disease, stroke and cancer.

3. What is your marital status:

New England Centenarian Study data suggests that in the case of men, being married provides a survival advantage.

Facts: Interestingly, New England Centenarian Study data suggests that marriage or having a partner in your life has different effects upon your life expectancy depending upon whether you are a man or woman. An unusual proportion of the female centenarians never married (about 15%). Perhaps personality features that lead to perseverance, independence, and assertiveness provide a survival advantage. Such women may also be particularly good at managing stress. On the other hand, nearly 100% of the male centenarians are married or were only recently widowed.

4. Close distance to family members:

Excellent, having family or friends who are like family to you can be an important feature of your ability to manage stress well and is probably a life expectancy extender.

Facts: Extended family cohesiveness and frequent contact is a notable feature of centenarian families. Researchers have noted that people who do not belong to cohesive families have fewer coping resources and increased levels of social and psychological stress. Psychological stress is associated with heart disease, various cancers and increased mortality risk.

5 (a and b). Stress Level/ Coping with stress

Keep up the good work. Doing your best to better manage your stress will positively impact many different aspects of your emotional and physical health. Consider numerous options in better managing your stress. Take a deep breath next time you are stressed and step back for a moment knowing that shedding the stress will be a much better immediate way of dealing with the matter and in the long term it will help you delay or even avoid illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Try to learn methods (Tai Chi, breathing techniques, meditation) or activities (physical exercise, prayer) that help with shedding stress instead of internalizing it.

Facts: Centenarians shed emotional stress exceptionally well. Their stress-shedding personalities and the familial support, which they receive and contribute to are important stress-reducing mechanisms. Refer to the Mind Body Institute for more information [http://www.mbmi.org/default.asp]

6b. Sleep

Not getting enough sleep or experiencing ineffective sleep is common. There are many causes of sleep-related disorders and of not getting enough effective sleep.

Facts: Not getting enough sleep or experiencing ineffective sleep is common. There are many causes of sleep-related disorders and not getting enough effective sleep. There are also numerous good approaches and treatments to reverse these problems. Unfortunately, there are ineffective and even harmful ways of attempting to cure sleep problems. Two helpful sites are the Stanford University Center for the Center of Excellence for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Disorders [http://www.med.stanford.edu/school/psychiatry/coe/] and sleepnet.com [http://www.sleepnet.com/].

B. Lifestyle Habits/ Environment

1. Air quality

The good news is that cities are cleaner now than they were even ten years ago. The bad news is that you are still exposed to air pollution. If you are experiencing new respiratory symptoms and you don't smoke, consider air pollution as a potential cause and discuss this with your physician or a specialist. Don't go out exerting yourself when smog alerts are in effect.

Facts: Numerous air pollutants are potent causes of cancer and contain oxidants, which accelerate aging.

2. Seatbelt usage

You obviously know the statistics about survival from a car crash with a seatbelt versus without one. Continue to be diligent in wearing your seatbelt.

Facts: Wearing a seatbelt, even in the presence of an airbag, dramatically increases your chances of minimizing injury or surviving a serious car accident.

3. Coffee

Whatever your reason for not drinking coffee, it definitely has you on the right track. Don't start because it is much harder to stop the habit once you pick it up.

Facts: Excessive coffee can be a sign of increased stress. Stress can lead to a hormonal imbalance, which can physically stress and age numerous organs. In addition, coffee predisposes the stomach to chronic inflammation of the stomach and ulcers. Such chronic inflammation leads to the release of substances that raise the risk of heart disease. Tea, and especially green tea, on the other hand, has been noted for its significant antioxidant content, and tea drinkers in general appear to be healthier.

4. Tea

You are a tea connoisseur! This is a very healthy habit and because of the antioxidants in tea, it may well be life extending as well.

Facts: Tea contains a powerful class of antioxidants known as polyphenols. It is controversial whether green tea has more bioavailable polyphenols than black tea. Either way however, you can't go wrong.

5b. Smoking/ Tobacco exposure

Facts: Cigarette smoke contains toxins, which directly damage DNA and subsequently cause cancer. Cigarettes are the biggest direct source of nitroamines humans are exposed to. These substances along with other constituents of cigarette smoke are potent oxidants and carcinogens that lead to accelerated aging, and diseases associated with aging. Each day, nearly 5,000 adolescents (aged 11-17) smoke their first cigarette. Almost two million teens annually, and approximately one-third of those that become smokers will eventually die of smoking-related illnesses. Helpful internet sites: Quitnet [http://www.quitnet.org/qn_main.jtml] and the American Lung Association [http://www.lungusa.org/]

5c. Second hand smoke

Avoiding second hand smoke is a very important habit. Because second hand smoke is even more toxic than the filtered smoke that smokers inhale, it takes less of a "dose" or exposure to be toxic to your lungs and your body in general. Thus, keep avoiding the secondhand smoke as you have been doing.

Facts: Second hand smoke is more toxic than what the smoker gets because it is unfiltered. Such exposure is clearly a substantial cause of cancer, heart disease, asthma and other lung diseases.

6. Alcohol consumption per week/day

A moderate amount of alcohol consumption as you have indicated is healthy for you and probably reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Facts: Excessive alcohol is a toxin, which damages the liver and the mitochondria within most cells of the body. This leads to acceleration of aging and increased susceptibility to many diseases associated with aging. Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with decreased heart disease risk. This may be one explanation for the "French paradox", in which the French are known for their love of high saturated fat foods, and yet their heart disease risks may be lower (except in the case of those who smoke cigarettes), perhaps because of the higher consumption of wine in that country. Refer to Alcoholics Anonymous [http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/].

7. Aspirin

Perhaps you cannot tolerate an aspirin a day because it hurts your stomach or you have a propensity for bleeding. On the other hand, if you really don't have a reason to not take an aspirin a day, consider taking one daily.

Facts: 81 mg of Aspirin per day has been noted to significantly decrease heart disease risk. This benefit may be due to the anti-blood clotting effects of aspirin. Chronic inflammation may also play a role in heart disease (see 11, below) and therefore, aspirin's effect on inflammation may also be helpful. For more information go to: American Heart Association's findings [http://www.americanheart.org/]

8. Sun exposure & Sunscreen

You are doing an ok job of protecting yourself from the sun and therefore from accelerated aging of your skin as well as from deadly skin cancers such as melanoma. But you could do better. The payoff could be big! Especially when you are not as diligent as you should be in protecting your skin, you should have a regular skin (dermatology) check up and perform a monthly self-examination of your skin.

Facts: The association between sun exposure and accelerated skin aging is clear. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight directly damages DNA. More sun means more wrinkles sooner. It also means a higher risk of deadly skin cancer. Excessive sun exposure may also have toxic consequences for the body in general. For guidance on a self-exam, see skincheck.com [http://skincheck.com/]

9. Sexuality & Drugs

You are exercising good judgment.

Facts: Viruses such as HIV and others, which are transmitted by risky behavior, not only cause AIDS but also various cancers including lymphoma. These viruses change DNA and probably also, as a result, influence aging as well. For more information, go to: Centers for Disease Control and Advocates for Youth and Prevention Online

10. Flossing

You need to floss your teeth. There are benefits that go far beyond better breath, but don't underestimate the benefits of good breath! Diligent and regular flossing means keeping your teeth and very possibly reducing your risk of heart attack.

Facts: Recent scientific evidence reveals that chronic gum disease leads to the release of inflammatory, toxic substances and certain bacteria into the blood stream which potentiate plaque formation in arteries and ultimately lead to heart disease. This process probably also increases the risk of stroke and accelerated aging. For more information, go to: American Dental Association's findings [http://www.ada.org/].


C. Nutrition & Exercise

1. Preserved meats & fast food

Fast food, generally fried foods and hamburgers, are high in calories and saturated fats. These will make you gain weight and they increase your risk for heart disease, stroke and perhaps cancer. Another potential risk factor for cancer is preserved meats.

Facts: Fast food, generally fried foods and hamburgers, are high in calories and saturated fats. These will make you gain weight and they increase your risk for heart disease, stroke and perhaps cancer. Some studies suggest that 90% of all human cancers are environmentally induced, 30-40% of these by diet. Preserved and cured meats (bacon, sausage, lunch meats, etc.) are the largest source of nitrites in our diet. Nitrites lead to the formation in our bodies of nitrosamines, which are important environmental oxidants and probable carcinogens. For instance, there is a suggestive association between nitrosamines and stomach cancer.

2. Fish, poultry, Meat preparation

Not barbecuing your food helps you avoid the carcinogens that can develop as a result of cooking meat and fish at very high heat. If you would like to barbecue, using a sheet of aluminum foil on the grill will help decrease the food's exposure to such protein-altering high heat.

Facts: Broiling (high heat) can change proteins and amino acids into substances called heterocyclic amines, which are potent mutagens or substances, which can alter your DNA.

3. Calcium Intake

Continue to do your best to insure that you are getting plenty of calcium from your diet and if needed, from a vitamin or calcium supplement. The recommended calcium intake is generally about 1,000 - 1,500 mg per day. In addition, be sure that you have enough vitamin D in your diet (fortified in milk, often added to calcium supplements, made by our bodies with 15-20 minutes of exposure to the sun}.

Facts: Adequate calcium intake in later life can slow the bone loss associated with aging. In addition to dairy products, calcium-fortified juices, breads and cereals are also excellent sources, as are calcium supplements like TUMS and over the counter calcium supplements. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb the calcium we get in our diets. Milk is fortified with vitamin D and our bodies also make it when our skin is exposed to 15 to 20 minutes a day of sunlight. People who rarely go outside are prone to vitamin D deficiency. Large quantities of salty foods and meat can significantly increase the amount of calcium lost in the urine. Adequate calcium intake may not prevent the accelerated bone loss in women during and for several years after menopause, caused by estrogen deficiency. Some foods high in calcium also contain oxalic acid, which interferes with calcium absorption. Spinach is such a food.

4b. Snacks

Good job… some of the snacks you are eating are at least healthy. Be careful that you don't eat too much though, leading to weight gain. Be mindful of the number of calories in the foods you eat and try to not go above a healthy number of calories per day.

Watch out! Snacks are a common cause of excess calories that lead to being overweight or even obese. Add on top of that the poor nutritional value of the snacks that you are eating and you could really be doing yourself some harm. Do your best to change this habit. At least change the type of snacks you eat. Try fruit, vegetables like carrot sticks, popcorn, healthy fruit drinks etc. Even with some of these healthy foods, such as fruits and fruit drinks, you can take in significant calories so be aware of not only what you are eating but how much.

Facts: Nutrition experts vary on the benefits of snacking. Some say that 6 small meals a day is better than three big meals. Others indicate the opposite. You should choose a dietary habit that works best for you with the goal of not being overweight. Certainly if you do snack, be sure they are healthy snacks. Most sweets have little if any nutritional value and in the end, because they are so calorie rich from fats, they will certainly predispose you to being overweight or even heavier. Switch from those unhealthy snacks to healthy ones. Then, consider if the snacks are helping you maintain a lean body mass or not.

5. Meat

You are eating too much meat. Those who eat meat as often as you do are more at risk of heart disease and stroke than those who eat it less often. You are also missing out on alternatives to meat that actually can protect you from these and other diseases. For example, polyphenols present in certain vegetables and fruits, and the omega-3 fatty acids in fish that help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol contribute to a more healthy cardiovascular system.

Facts: When weighing meat against vegetables and fish or skinless poultry, meat definitely loses out when it comes to your health. The American Heart Association recommends a diet that minimizes meat in the diet and emphasizes these alternatives. Vegetarian dishes, in addition to being an alterative to meat, also have antioxidants that protect the heart and brain. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help a person raise their good cholesterol (HDL) and lower their bad cholesterol (LDL) thus decreasing their risk for heart attack and stroke.

6. Desserts

Wow, such restraint! You should be proud of yourself and keep it up. Certainly, it is understandable if you have diabetes or significant heart or cerebrovascular disease (stroke and dementia) that you are staying away from sweets. By staying away from these foods that have little in the way of nutritional value and yet significantly increase propensity for obesity and therefore heart attack, stroke, cancer and diabetes, anyone will make great gains in their life expectancy and the proportion of their lives spent in good health.

Facts: Most desserts and certainly candy bars are high in saturated fats and calories. Both are terrible for you predisposing for weight gain, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. By helping you become obese, they increase your risk of various cancers.

7. Carbohydrate consumption

Facts: Not only is the number of calories you eat important, but the type of calories are important as well. Grains, pastas, fruits, and starchy vegetables like potatoes are the most common carbohydrate foods. Simple carbohydrates like white bread, potatoes (especially French fries), pasta, white rice and sugar as well, cause the body to produce insulin in response to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. The insulin in turn induces the storage, instead of burning, of fat. Other foods like fats, protein, and more complex carbohydrates like whole grain foods and fiber are less prone to turn on the production of insulin.

The glycemic index of food is a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels and thus the production of insulin. Carbohydrate foods that break down quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic indexes causing blood sugar and insulin to rise fast and high. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low glycemic indexes. The lower the glycemic index, the less likely that food is going to contribute to the production of fat. There are numerous books and websites that provide the glycemic indices for foods and drinks. However the general food groups noted above are a good start in your education.

9. Calorie consumption

Good for you! You are doing better or at least aiming for a goal better than more than 60% of the country who are at least overweight. Being overweight is a significant risk factor for many age-related diseases as well as various cancers. Keep up the good work. Stay lean!

Facts: Obesity is associated with inefficient energy production and an increased production of oxygen radicals within cells, therefore leading to increased risk of various cancers, heart disease and accelerated aging. It may also lead to diabetes. For more information, go to: ShapeUp America! and NIH: Nutrition and Obesity

11. Exercise and physical activity

Good job. You are already making a great effort at getting that exercise into your daily routine. If you can increase the frequency even one day to three times a week, the added benefits to your physical and mental health could be substantial. Don't forget to be balanced in how much aerobic exercise you do versus strength training. Both are very important. Also, if you are doing a lot of high impact workouts, gauge how much wear and tear you are putting on your weight-bearing joints so that you don't set yourself up for premature osteoarthritis.

Facts: Exercise leads to more efficient energy production by your cells and less oxygen radical formation (which speeds up aging and increases your risk for heart disease, stroke and cancer). Muscle is a tremendously efficient burner of fat and maintaining muscle mass has many benefits. Therefore, strength training is important. Depending upon how much one weighs, we generally lose a third of a pound of muscle every year after age 30, which is replaced by fat. Muscle loss can be completely reversed no matter what your age, by regular strengthening exercises.

D. Medical Check-up

1. Bowel movement

Having a bowel movement at least once every two days may be at least associated with decreased risk of colon cancer.

Facts: Keeping gut transit time under 20 hours seems to decrease the incidence of colon cancer, probably by decreasing the contact time between the gut lining and cancer-potentiating substances in the diet. These substances influence DNA damage and repair and therefore probably also influence the rate of aging as well. Epidemiological studies in humans and animal studies suggest that increasing dietary fiber will reduce the risk of certain cancers perhaps by increasing the frequency of bowel movements. On the other hand, recent reports indicate that the association may not be as clear as once believed. In addition to increased transit time and therefore less contact between carcinogens and the bowel wall, perhaps other factors that increase transit time such as regular exercise might be the real reason for decreased cancer risk.

2. Male: Self- examinations for cancer

Self-examination is critical in detecting this cancer before it is too late. What's the big deal to check yourself while you are in the shower? In about 90% of cases, men have a painless or an uncomfortable lump on a testicle, or they may notice testicular enlargement or swelling. Men with testicular cancer often report a sensation of heaviness or aching in the lower abdomen or scrotum.

Facts: Most testicular cancers occur between the ages of 15 and 40. But, this cancer can affect males of any age, including infants and elderly men. Self-examination is critical in detecting this cancer before it is too late. In about 90% of cases, men have a painless or an uncomfortable lump on a testicle, or they may notice testicular enlargement or swelling. Men with testicular cancer often report a sensation of heaviness or aching in the lower abdomen or scrotum. For more information, go to the American Cancer Society's Testicular Cancer resource Center: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/lrn/lrn_0.asp

3. Cholesterol & Triglyceride level
HDL

The first thing to do is congratulate you on knowing what your HDL level is. And second, it is good to know now, rather than later that your HDL level is too low. The sooner you can correct the situation the better. There are a number of steps that you can take to lower your LDL level, including diet, exercise, not smoking, weight loss and certain medications.

Facts: HDL cholesterol is known as the "good" cholesterol because a high level of HDL cholesterol appears to protect against heart attack. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is processed, dumped in the intestine and then passed from the body. Some experts believe that excess cholesterol is removed from atherosclerotic plaque by HDL, thus slowing the build-up. However, low HDL cholesterol levels (lower than 35 mg/dL) may result in a greater risk for heart disease and stroke. For more information about cholesterol, other risk factors and treatment, go to the American Heart Association's website at: http://www.americanheart.org/

LDL

Good job on knowing what your level is! And, congratulations on having a level that places you at lower risk for developing atherosclerosis or plaque in the arteries. However, there are other risk factors as well.

Facts: A high level (higher than 130 mg/dL) of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, reflects an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. That's why LDL cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol. When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can lead to the formation of plaque in the blood vessels that feed the heart and the brain. When enough of this blockage occurs, a heart attack or stroke can occur. To learn more about risk factors you can modify, go to the American Heart Association's website at: http://www.americanheart.org

Triglycerides

Good job on knowing what your level is! And, congratulations on having a level that places you at lower risk for developing atherosclerosis or plaque in the arteries. However, there are other risk factors as well.

Facts: Triglycerides are the form in which fat exists in meats, cheese, fish, nuts, vegetable oils, and the greasy layer on the surface of soup stocks or in a pan in which bacon has been fried. A recent Danish study found that men with the highest levels of triglycerides were more than twice as likely to have a heart attack when compared to those with the lowest triglyceride levels. In a healthy person, triglycerides and other fatty substances are normally moved into the liver and into storage cells to provide energy for later use. People with less than 200 milligrams of triglycerides per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood are considered to have normal triglyceride levels. However, the Danish study indicated that levels even as low as 145 mg/dL could indicate increased risk. Between 200 and 400 mg/dL is borderline high; between 400 and 1,000 mg/dL is a high triglyceride level; and greater than 1,000 mg/dL is considered very high triglycerides. For more information about triglycerides go to the American Heart Association's Website at: http://www.americanheart.org/

4. Blood pressure

a. Systolic

You have a normal systolic blood pressure. Exercise, stress management and, if you are overweight, getting your weight down will probably lower it… the closer to 100-110 the better.

Facts: Blood pressure results from two forces. The first force is created as your heart pumps blood into the arteries and through the circulatory system and this is the systolic pressure. The second is created as the arteries resist the blood flow and this is the diastolic pressure. A systolic blood pressure greater than 140 is considered high, meaning that the person is at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. The risk climbs thereafter in proportion to the pressure.

b. Diastolic

You have a normal diastolic blood pressure. Exercise, stress management and, if you are overweight, getting your weight down will probably lower it… the closer to the 70-80 range the better.

Facts: Blood pressure results from two forces. The first force is created as your heart pumps blood into the arteries and through the circulatory system and this is the systolic pressure. The second is created as the arteries resist the blood flow and this is the diastolic pressure. A systolic blood pressure greater than 140 is considered high, meaning that the person is at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. The risk climbs thereafter in proportion to the pressure.

5. Diabetes/ Blood Sugar Level

Of course, it is great that you don't have diabetes. Lower your risk by losing weight if you are overweight. Get your blood sugar checked at least every three years and watch for some of the more common symptoms of diabetes including excessive and persistent thirst, voiding large amounts of urine frequently with normal amounts of fluid intake, unexplained weight loss.

Facts: Diabetes occurs because a person's body does not make enough insulin and/or because the cells and tissues in their body are relatively resistant to the insulin they produce (and so the insulin is less effective). As a result, diabetics can have large amounts of glucose in their circulation. By far and away, the more common form of diabetes is Adult Onset Diabetes and this is often associated with obesity. This form is often well controlled (meaning the blood glucose level is kept normal) with weight loss, diet and/or oral medication. Sometimes insulin injections are necessary. The other form of diabetes is called juvenile diabetes, which more often occurs in children and requires insulin injections. Good control has been shown to decrease risk of heart and kidney disease and diabetic eye problems, all unfortunate problems associated with diabetes. Like high blood pressure, a person can have diabetes for a long time and not know it, thus it is very important that children and adults are regularly screened for it. The good news is that people are living long, productive and basically otherwise normal lives given the excellent treatments available. Watch for some of the more common symptoms of diabetes including excessive and persistent thirst, voiding large amounts of urine frequently with normal amounts of fluid intake, unexplained weight loss. Take a diabetes risk test: American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp

6. Last medical check-up

E. FAMILY HISTORY

1. Diabetes in Family

You are lucky to not have diabetes running in your family. Now do a good job of taking advantage of those genes and don't do things that could predispose you to the disease nonetheless, such as being obese.

Facts: Diabetes causes excessive exposure to glucose and therefore debilitating cross-linking of proteins. This results in age-related problems such as cataracts, impaired nerve function, eye disease, heart disease and other vascular problems. Take a diabetes risk test: American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp

2. Cancer in Family

You are lucky to apparently not have cancer running in your family. Now do a good job of taking advantage of those genes and don't do things that could predispose you to cancer nonetheless, such as being obese, smoking, etc.

3. How old and how healthy are/were your parents?

Mother:

It is great that your mom is healthy. Given that she is less than 80, it is still a bit hard to predict her longevity and therefore form some idea of the longevity in your family.

b. Father

It is great that your dad is healthy. Given that he is less than 80, it is still a bit hard to predict his longevity and therefore form some idea of the longevity in your family.

Facts: Genetics plays a significant role in the ability to achieve extreme old age. If both sides of your family contract diseases associated with aging significantly before average life expectancy, then it behooves you to do all you can to maximize your health status. If you have significant extreme longevity in your family, this will help significantly in your own ability to achieve old age in good health.

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