Research shows that living well creates health

By Dennis Archambault

Occasionally you’ll hear progressive-thinking folks talk about “creating health.” We are so focused on the “sick culture” that we naturally follow the negative narrative. Well, recent research published by the Harvard School of Public Health (https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.l6669) reinforces the notion that you can create health, and in doing so improve quality and extent of life – even offset some of the effects of aging.

It’s all about developing good habits. Heard that somewhere before? Don’t smoke; have a healthy, balanced diet; 30-minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise every day; favorable body mass index; and limited alcohol consumption: We’ve heard this litany many times before. It took a 20-year study to prove that it matters.

Dennis Archambault is vice president of Public Affairs for Authority Health.