The goal of this website is to bring you valuable information, resources
and tools to help you live your “longest and best” life, not just
extending your years on this earth, but making the second half of your
life as enjoyable as the first.
Your first question is probably “What the heck is healthspan vs.
lifespan?”
The following information is quoted directly from NASM, the National
Organization of Sports Medicine:
“Throughout the pandemic, you have likely spent more time at home by
yourself than you ever expected or wanted to. You almost certainly have
needed a lift at one time or another. Given all the discussion of
precautions, illness, and death, you may have found yourself thinking
more about your health, morbidity, and mortality. This is normal."
Depending on your age, experiences, and phase of life, mortality may
mean something entirely different for you. Death may be the last thing
on the mind of a single 23-year-old straight out of college. And it is
at the forefront of a parent who has just lost their mother or father.
The average lifespan in the United States is 78.6 years. Regardless of
your age, retirement is something we all talk about, plan for, and
hopefully have a chance to enjoy on our terms.
THE DEFINITION OF HEALTHSPAN
Healthspan refers to the period of a person's life during which they are
generally healthy and free from severe or chronic disease. This
definition varies from the more traditional focus of medical community -
'life span' - which spans the entirety of a human life, including
chronic illness.
THE AVERAGE HEALTHSPAN IN THE U.S.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the average retirement
age across the U.S. is 64.4. That means, on average, Americans have 14
or so years to enjoy retirement. Not bad, right?
That is until you factor in that the average
healthspan in the United States is just 66 years of age.
5 WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR HEALTHSPAN
Now let's get into some actionable steps for not only improving the
length of your healthspan:
1. Drink plenty of water
2. Get adequate sleep
3. Reduce time spent sitting
4. Do strength training
5. Build a community and support system
IMPORTANT NOTE:
This website is UNDER CONSTRUCTION. We adding
web pages, information and resources over the next few months in 2022.