Living a Long, Healthy Life

On January 17, Betty White would have celebrated her 100th birthday. The actress, most well-known for her role as Rose in the sitcom Golden Girls, passed away peacefully on New Year’s Eve, after a very successful career that lasted over the span of seven decades – all while keeping herself active and healthy throughout her life.

The news of White’s passing, in combination with the start of a new year, has many people wondering what they can do to live as long as she did.

Dr. Jeremy Carrier, an OSF HealthCare family medicine physician, discussed the important role preventative care plays in staying healthy and living a long life.

“Preventative care is an all-inclusive thing, when it comes to health care. Often, that’s preventative screenings for lung, colon, breast, and cervical cancers. Many times the screenings are of paramount importance for diagnosing and picking up some of those conditions early,” says Carrier.

Not only are annual screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, a crucial part of preventative care, but other measures, including lab work, blood tests, and regular blood pressure checks, can help patients get a baseline and better understanding of their health. It also will help determine if any part of their lifestyle needs to be modified to get them in the best possible position for continued wellness.

“There is heart disease, with the importance of blood pressure regulation, watching cholesterol levels, and other risk factors, so patients can work with their doctors on adjusting or modifying lifestyles – whether it be tobacco usage or something else,” Carrier explained.

Family history also is important when determining risk factors for certain diseases. Knowing one’s family history will help a provider come up with a health care plan tailored to the patient’s specific needs – including, among many factors, the timing of screenings and frequency of visits to the doctor.

Diet and exercise also play big roles in health, and the earlier a patient develops healthy habits, the better. Shortly before her passing in December, White spoke with People magazine about her secret to a long, healthy life, saying: “I try to avoid anything green. I think it’s working.”

Instead, White was known to joke about opting for hot dogs and vodka as part of her diet. While much of that was said in a humorous manner, Dr. Carrier emphasized the critical role our daily choices play in overall health.

“I saw the comment about how not eating greens was a Betty White secret. All joking aside, the best things patients can focus on remain, to this day, the importance of diet, exercise, and lifestyle modification, which are still the bottom foundation of that pyramid. It’s important to have a good, long-lasting relationship with a physician, along with going over and stressing the importance of preventative measures, such as screenings, immunizations, and risk factor reduction,” Carrier said.

Additionally, for years, both health experts and White have been known to say that positivity, laughter, mind exercises, and staying active all aid in a healthy life. Another piece of advice White lived by for keeping healthy was being kind to others. “Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young,” said White.

Dr. Carrier recommended people, of all ages, find a primary care provider who works best for them. Most importantly, do not wait until you’re sick to see a doctor.

“Sometimes I feel, from experience, too, that even though things might seem okay and you’re not acutely having any symptoms or necessarily suffering from anything – that’s awesome and we want that for you – but sometimes establishing contact with a doctor and walking through your health care together are some of the best, most productive visits. Part of that reasoning is, a lot of times, it gives doctors the opportunity to go over those preventative measures,” advised Carrier.

For those not yet having a solid baseline for their health, scheduling an annual appointment with a primary care provider is a good way to start the journey toward living a long, healthy life.

And in the words of White: “Don’t try to be young. Just open your mind. Stay interested in stuff. There are so many things I won’t live long enough to find out about, but I’m still curious about them.”