There is no doubt that a healthy way of life inclusive of diet and yoga could go a long way in improving general health. Northwestern University professionals have revealed that succumbing to a healthy lifestyle as young adults could result in better heart health in middle age.
For the analysis, the team collected data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) trial. Information regarding individuals’ cholesterol levels, BMI, tobacco use, alcohol intake, diet and exercise was taken into account.
Kiang Liu, first author of the study, ,”In this study, even people with a family history of heart problems were able to have a low cardiovascular disease risk profile if they started living a healthy lifestyle when they were young. This supports the notion that lifestyle may play a more prominent role than genetic.”
The team found that nearly 60% of those who maintained healthy lifestyles during young adulthood seemingly reached middle age with a heart healthy profile. On the other hand, less than 5% of those who did not adhere to healthy living appeared to carry low risk for heart disease.
According to this study, healthy lifestyle implied 5 main habits such as no smoking, no excess alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, a healthy diet and a lean BMI. Moreover, a link between a healthy heart and long life has already been established in previous studies.
The report is published in the February 28 issue of the journal, Circulation.