DEAR DR. ROACH: If you would recommend one good thing to do in your life to prolong your life and have good health, what would it be?
By the same token, if you were to recommend not doing something because it is very bad for you, and there is no health benefit to it, what would that be? — J.H.
ANSWER: The second question is easier, because of all the things people do to themselves that hurt them (and there are a lot), smoking probably causes the greatest harm to the greatest number of people.
Smoking reduces the amount and quality of life so much that it has to be the top answer (and for smokers, in almost all cases, the most important thing you can do for your health is to quit smoking).
Your first question has many good possible answers, and if you asked 10 physicians, you would probably get at least nine different answers. However, I am going to say that committing to a regular exercise program is the one good thing to do to prolong your life.
Taking an hour a day, or even 20 or 30 minutes a day, to do something for your physical and mental health has many benefits by itself, including reducing heart disease and cancer risk, giving a better sense of confidence and well-being, and improving strength and balance.
However, it’s my experience that when a person really sticks with their exercise regimen, they are usually able to increase their performance over time (maybe walking or jogging longer or faster, lifting more weights and getting stronger, or becoming more adept at sports). But what is really interesting is that people tend to improve other habits. After running two miles, you’re more likely to think a bit more carefully about what you are eating. You’re less likely to choose unhealthy habits.
I can’t argue with people who say that changing your diet is the best thing to change your health for the better; neither do I argue with those who recommend mindfulness, better relationships with friends and family, stress reduction, better sleep, cutting back on alcohol, or a host of other changes.
For any given person, one particular habit may be easier to start, and any can be the key to changing multiple factors. Small changes in numerous behaviors may have a greater overall benefit than a dramatic change in just one behavior.
I’ll sneak in one more answer to your second question. I see many patients, friends and family spending a great deal of money on supplements just to prevent disease. These are seldom bad for you, but they aren’t usually much good either. You could instead spend your time, money and energy on making other positive changes.
