Under the Microscope: A lot is now known about the sort of lifestyle that promotes a long and healthy life, writes Prof William Reville.
In this article, inspired by a piece in the recent issue 134 of Focus, I will take you through a day in the life of a person who adopts the habits advocated by contemporary wisdom in this regard. For the purpose of our story I have invented Bill, a solicitor in his 30s.
I choose the legal profession because a solicitor is very likely to be financially secure. Good health and life expectancy correlate with socio-economic status and people in the higher social classes do the best.
Bill rises early after seven hours sleep and, after a hot shower, finished off with a burst of cold water, he joins his wife Mary in the kitchen for breakfast. They have a light-hearted conversation and exchange some jokes over a breakfast of high-fibre cereal and fruit.
Studies have indicated that a short cold-water shower after a hot shower stimulates the immune system, boosts fertility and confers resistance to colds. Bill is married, a wise move in the health stakes. Beyond the age of 20, married people are less likely to die than single people. Husband and wife support each other psychologically and are more likely to avail of health services than single people. Divorced men are at risk of heavy drinking.
It is well established that good eating habits contribute to vibrant health. The basic trick here is to eat a wide variety of foods in moderation.
The light banter at the breakfast table is healthy as well as enjoyable. Bill might advise Mary of Al Capone's recipe for getting things done: "You can get much further with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone." Good humour boosts the immune system and reduces the release of stress-related hormones. A good laugh also quickens blood circulation and oxygen flow in the body and relaxes tense muscles.
Bill and Mary live in the country and after breakfast, accompanied by their dog, they take a stroll down a nearby lane. Following this, Bill gets into his car, taking care not to bang his head as he is more than six feet tall, buckles his seat belt and drives to work.
Country living is healthier than living in town because of the cleaner air. It is less well known that owning a pet is very therapeutic. People who own pets are less likely to visit their GPs and to develop cardiovascular problems. Also, children with pets develop stronger immune systems. It is even less well known that being rather tall also enhances your health. One study has shown that men over 1.7 metres tall are less likely to suffer a stroke than men under 1.6 metres tall.
Every second day Bill joins friends for a nutritious lunch accompanied by a glass of red wine. Every other day the group goes for a four-mile run at lunch time, which takes about 35 minutes. Humour is liberally indulged in, both at the lunch and the run. For example, one might quote one's favourite country and western song titles: I Still Miss My Man, but My Aim's Getting Better; Take Your Tongue Out of My Mouth 'Cause I'm Kissing You Goodbye; Your Wife's Cheatin' on You and Me.
Many studies have shown that drinking a glass or two of red wine every day has positive effects on health. Red wine contains polyphenols, chemicals that reduce the "bad" cholesterol in the blood in the form of low-density lipoprotein that can choke up arteries and lead to strokes. A daily glass or two of wine can effect a 40-50 per cent reduction in deaths from all causes. It is also well established that aerobic exercise is good for the health and it is found that the least fit people are three times more susceptible to premature death than the fittest people.
Bill drives home at 5 p.m., enjoys a nutritious dinner with Mary, accompanied by another glass of red wine and then relaxes for a while in an easy chair while he completes the more difficult version of the daily newspaper crossword. At 7.30 p.m. he heads off to attend his weekly church group meeting.
Bill has a high IQ and, yes you've guessed it, a high IQ correlates positively with better health and longevity, as does the regular practice of religion. Studies have shown that religious people suffer less from depression, have stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure than non-believers. Another study showed that weekly attendance at religious service correlated with a 23 per cent lower risk of death over a 28-year period when compared with the non-religious.
Bill returns home at 10 p.m., relaxes in front of the TV for a while and then retires to bed, has sex with Mary and goes to sleep.
A healthy sex life is good for peace of mind, reduces stress and leads to higher quality sleep. When older people remain sexually active, they tend to enjoy better health and live longer.
Finally, and just between ourselves, research indicates that the greater the frequency of male masturbation between 20 and 50, the less the likelihood that prostate cancer will develop later. Frequent ejaculations may prevent poisons from accumulating in the prostate gland. On average, sexual intercourse may not be as effective in this regard because of the risk of sexual transmission of infection.
William Reville is associate professor of biochemistry and director of microscopy at University College Cork