This study, published in the journal Circulation, suggests poor lifestyle is a major factor that cuts American lives short. Only 8% of the general population followed all five healthy habits. The research focused on the US population, but Stampfer said the findings applied to the UK and much of the western world.
The five healthy habits were defined as:
not smoking;
having a body mass index between 18.5 and 25;
taking at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day,
having no more than one 150ml glass of wine a day for women, or two for men;
having a diet rich in items such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains and low in red meat, saturated fats and sugar.
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Ianc2
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Hi Ian I am hoping by following those rules I will slow down or halt the progression of my P-AF . I have a little way to go with achieving a BMI of 25 but I am half way there.
Some fat is essential to absorb vitamins - but this was a substantial survey of a sizeable population. Do you have any evidence to back up your proposition?
The last thing I read was that the brain needs those fats but please buy the best.
The easiest way to improv your diet, albeit with some common sense, is to double the amount of money you spend on food. After all if you are redoing the kitchen or bathroom or buying a car you spend the most you can afford, well surely your body deserves that. not the cheapest old banger!
The more I know about diet or food the less I am sure of since so much conflicting information exists between the so called experts. Now I am reading not to do Colonoscopy for all the dangers that presents. (Ref GutSense.org) and many doctors on Youtube. I am sure that a sunny disposition and a short memory would also help long healthy life.
What surprises me is that this is news, surely its basic common sense? You can argue all you want about diet and nutrition - what’s good or not - a varied diet and control the quantity and NO to processed food. Problems got out of hand as soon as we industrialised food.
I would also add the good mental health and attitude.
Thank you for your advice but nothing new there I'm afraid ...I'm fed up with nightly television programme stating the bleeding obvious about diet and exercise and we are still a nation of fat (let's use the real word and not fudge it with the word obese) munchers and alcohol overindulgers. I do voluntary work in a hospital and what amazes me t is the number of fat nurses waddling around ...also of course the number of hugely fat patients attending the clinics. Our NHS is fantastic but the obesity problem....sorry fat people problem is bringing it to breaking point. Thanks again but I fear you may be preaching to the converted.
Having been watching old episodes of "Inside the Ambulance" that includes ambulance staff. lol The only thin person I have seen on that show was a heroin addict! Seems the poorer they are the fatter they are so secondtry may have a point.
Just been digging a bit more. It appears the survey was done on nursing staff and health professionals.
Americans have a shorter lifespan than most other high-income nations — we’re 31st on the longevity list. Harvard researchers wanted to find out why. They analyzed data from two major ongoing studies that include dietary, lifestyle and medical information on more than 100,000 adults: the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
Had a laugh at the heroin addict bit.....but fruit and vegetables are so cheap at my local indoor market, it's just that most people are conditioned to go to the supermarket or eat at McDonald's or KFC. I'm becoming so unbelievably right wing nowadays despite the fact that I was a Social Worker....stop treating fat smokers! Anyway must stop now as this is a site for afibbers after all....had an ablation in January but it hasn't worked so, after getting useful info from this site will agree to a second one.
I cannot agree with you. I am a non-smoker but would never advocate the non-treatment of those who are overweight and smokers. It is a slippery road and where would it end? There are many illnesses that can be attributed to lifestyle and I don't think the NHS should be in a position to choose the most 'worthy' for treatment.
I spent 18 years as a Family Learning tutor,part of my role was to encourage healthier lifestyles with the families.This was partly to work on budgeting skills,better nutrition and hence concentration at school,as well as pleasure.Many of the parents had very little clue about food preparation,including not knowing how to peel potatoes(yes really) no idea about menu planning,how to read food labels and although they enjoyed the programmes and the food they made,often didnt sustain this.All too easy to cruise the cavernous halls of ready meals,and let the children decide what they will or wont eat!
Obesity crisis? What obesity crisis? Fuelled by the giant processed food industry,which of course is great for the economy.......!
I agree with the concept of food as medicine for the body and soul,eating a good variety of fruit and veg,good quality carbohydrates,a mixture of fats except transfats of course,some alcohol,caffeine and of water...in other words a little of what you fancy does you good!
Reminds me of the time when my parents had carers in at meal times. my Dad had boiled two eggs to have with their salad that evening. The young lady about 19 who came in was taking so long in the kitchen my Dad asked what was going on, she came in and said she did not know how to get the eggshells off!!!!
I am 71 so my childhood and teenage years were in the 40's, 50's and 60's. We did not have particularly good diets but I cann't really remember any fat kids at school. WE had breakfast, porridge or cornflakes (no fancy serials), school lunch (some good some bad) and tea when we got home, sandwiches and maybe a piece of cake. Biscuits were a special treat as were sweets (very few chocolate sweets though) and fizzy drinks were also limited. Crisps were only when we went out to a pub in the evening, sitting in the pub garden with a bag of crisps and a fizzy drink or if Dad went to the off licence to get a few beers and some crisps, smiths with the little blue bag of salt in them. WE as a household did have plenty of fruit and veg, we grew out own as we had a large garden and kept chickens for eggs.
Now I come to exercise, we were always on the go, walking, walking to school, skipping, cycling, roller skating we never sat in our bedrooms staring at computers.
My mother was not a very good cook, very basic meat and two veg but of course back then there were no convenience meals. Also there was no stuffing yourself in front of the telly with all the snacks and sweet things now available - sorry for long post but times were so different. I have also noted as above the number are very large nurses at hospitals. They are on their feet all day so they get exercise but must overeat at other times.
Well, perhaps l will hit my centurion goal. I am as skinny as a rail ... eat zero red meat ... beef ... non smoker ... exercise 45 minutes per day ... one glass of wine with din. However, l will not have a colonoscopy!! I utterly refuse.
Apart from the wholegrains which I don't eat (on medical advice) I live a perfect lifestyle by those criteria but I've still had four episodes of AF in the last three weeks so I'm thinking maybe I should enjoy myself more 😜
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I am hoping by following those rules I will slow down or halt the progression of my P-AF . I have a little way to go with achieving a BMI of 25 but I am half way there. 
Life after ablations - achievements
Life after Flecainide
life after cardioversion 
LIFE GOES ON IN HAPPY SECLUSION
Paroxysmal AF - but a long episode.
