How to live a longer and healthier life with no medication (The Nurses’ Health Study)
We have great news for the people that prefer not to take medicine. The Nurses’ Health Study(1) started following over 84,000 nurses, free of Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD), diabetes, and cancer in 1980 for 14 years. They studied risk factors associated with CVD (mainly heart attacks and strokes). CVD is the leading cause of death in the US. By avoiding just 5 risk factors they found these nurses had a 75-80% reduction in CVD and death. These factors were: 1) Not smoking, 2) Brisk walking for at least 150 minutes each week, 3) Eating a healthy diet, 4) Having a healthy weight (BMI < 25) and drinking in moderation (1-2 glasses of wine or 1-2 beers per day). Unfortunately, only 3% of women were able to live this lifestyle. Smoking was the highest risk factor and had 5 ½ times the CVD of non-smokers. So, if you can, not smoke, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, maintain an ideal weight and only drink in moderation all of your life then you may never need medication to avoid premature death from CVD. If you are unable to do and maintain these lifestyles, then you will probably need medication to reduce premature death.
Smoking as the highest risk factor was a surprise to no doctors or scientists. The second highest risk factor, lack of regular exercise, was a surprise. Some of us thought a healthy diet was more important. Many also thought that any drinking of alcohol was harmful. Drinking in moderation turned out to be healthier than not drinking or drinking to excess (more than 2 glasses of wine, 2 beers, or 1 mixed drink per day). Many alcoholics never find out they are alcoholics because they never start drinking, so doctors need to be careful about recommending that everybody drink.
References
- Primary prevention of coronary heart disease in women through diet and lifestyle. Stampfer MJ, Hu FB, Manson JE, Rimm EB, Willett WC. N Engl J Med. 2000 Jul 6;343(1):16-22. PMID:10882764