Why Health Expectancy Matters

Americans are living increasingly longer, with the number of centenarians expected to quadruple in the next few decades. But living into your 80s, 90s, or beyond isn’t the same as thriving into older age. 

Rather than focusing on life expectancy, your health expectancy – or healthspan – considers how long you avoid chronic diseases and age-related disabilities over time. 

Our Essentials Program at Kane Health, which serves Silicon Valley, Redwood City, and the San Francisco Bay area of California, helps you improve your wellness or maintain your current health by limiting age-related decline. Our experts are passionate about this.

Age-related health conditions 

Your risk for health conditions increases with age, particularly as you approach your senior years. Research shows that nearly 95% of adults age 60 and older have at least one chronic condition, and almost 80% have two or more. 

Chronic conditions that become more common in older age include:

• Arthritis
• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Low testosterone (“low T”) and sexual dysfunction
• Type 2 diabetes
• Types of cancer, such as breast, bladder, and prostate cancer

Obesity, which affects 42% of 60-plus adults, raises your risk for these conditions. 

Preventing age-related health issues

While you can’t avoid all health challenges, smart habits and particular treatments and therapies can help optimize your long-term wellness and increase your health expectancy. 

This is important, given that age-related conditions can wreak havoc on your quality of life, mobility, moods, sleep, and self-confidence.

Lifestyle practices that help increase your health expectancy include:

• Eating a nutritious diet based on whole foods, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein sources (fish, legumes, and low-fat dairy products)
• Exercising regularly, including strength training and cardiovascular activity
• Getting at least 7 hours of nightly sleep 
• Managing stress
• Staying on top of routine medical checkups
• Seeking wellness support from qualified professionals

At Kane Health, our Essentials Programs are customized to suit your individual needs and preferences. Our proactive treatments include acoustic wave therapy, personalized medications for sexual health, and nutraceuticals for optimal body performance. We may also recommend testosterone therapy to reverse the effects of low testosterone, such as erectile dysfunction, low libido, and reduced muscle mass.

Our Holistic Concierge Program, which adds support from our functional nutritionist and urologist, Dr. Chris Threatt, can also help protect you from the ill effects of aging. This may be your best option if you don’t currently have a primary care physician.

To learn more about your health expectancy or get started with expert support, call our office or request an appointment through our website today. We would love to help you better thrive for many years to come.