Lessons in longevity: Expert tips for living a longer, better life

Exercise more. Drink less. Eat healthier. Make more time for friends.

Chances are one or more of these resolutions was on your list as the clock counted down on 2024, the new year brimming with possibility for a healthier, happier year ahead. But research has shown that, just mere weeks later, many new year’s resolutions are unceremoniously –  maybe even bitterly – retired, before they have even had a chance to begin.

There are plenty of reasons why we put healthy habits on the back burner: according to Manulife’s 2023 Wellness Report¹, 62 per cent of Canadian employees cited a lack of time. Forty-four per cent pointed to mental fatigue and 45 per cent said they lacked motivation to change existing behaviours.

The more we put off building healthier habits into our day-to-day lives, however, the higher the risk is of developing acute and chronic conditions. A recent study² by the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health warned that Ontarians are acquiring chronic diseases, regardless of age, at a faster rate now than in the past – a trend that³ experts say is also playing out on a national scale. 

By 2040, one in four adults over the age of 30 will be living with a major illness, the report said, requiring more intensive ongoing medical care and adding more pressure to an already-strained health-care system.

Among the healthy habits that could improve Canadians’ health now and in the future, nutrition ranks high, Dr. Alfonsi says.

“Eating well is a first-line strategy,” he says – one that research models suggest could add 10 years to someone’s life span. “Research shows it can improve or potentially reverse 30 to 80 per cent of various chronic diseases.”

He suggests journaling to gain a better understanding of what you’re eating and how to improve each meal. For instance: take note of how much of your plate is made up of vegetables and slowly increase it until it makes up half the meal. He also suggests eating a rainbow of colourful vegetables and fruits; different colours contain protective substances called phytonutrients that can lower the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall health.

And yes, exercise matters; research continues to show just how much. Getting 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity per week reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes by 30 per cent⁴, according to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. A 2024 study⁵ published in the journal Circulation showed that working out two to four times beyond the minimum recommendations led to a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

But perhaps more important than making a resolution to crush those numbers daily is committing to build the habit slowly. Try standing up from your desk and taking a one-minute walk every 30 minutes, Dr. Alfonsi suggests. For people with mobility issues, replace the walk with a chair workout.

A slow but intentional route to making exercise a habit means that, eventually, you won’t feel good unless you keep it up, he says – which can be a big motivator. Once you can build up to 150 minutes of activity a week, he recommends adding resistance training two to three times a week, which has been shown to further protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer risk, improve blood sugar metabolism (reducing diabetes risk) and strengthen bones.

And if you’re really looking to boost the positive outcome of that workout, consider inviting a buddy. In fact, make it a habit to carve out time for friends, whatever the activity.

Keeping up positive social connections – in other words, regularly seeing people who give you an emotional boost – goes a long way to protecting mental health, which in turn boosts physical health. “Social isolation is one of the most significant risk factors for developing chronic disease,” Dr. Alfonsi says.  

Even when you start good habits, making them stick can be difficult, says Lori Dennis, a Toronto psychotherapist in private practice. “Unclear goals … or feeling overwhelmed by the basic demands of life can cause new habits to fall by the wayside.”

A concept called the “habit loop” – popularized by James Clear in his book, Atomic Habits – outlines how the brain, on a subconscious level, runs through four steps, in the same order, once a habit has been cemented. The first step is “cue” – meaning a trigger, like time or location, that signals the brain to start a behaviour. Morning, for example, prompts a behaviour like brushing your teeth.

The second step, “craving” or “desire,” is the motivation or payoff that drives the habit. The third step, “response,” is the actual habit performed, whether it’s a thought or an action.

Finally, “reward” is the payoff for satisfying the urge or craving. It’s also what contributes to the continuation of a habit.

Understanding the process of how habits are formed can be used consciously to create new ones, Dr. Dennis says. Let’s say the aim is to make an exercise habit stick. You could start by putting hand weights where they are easy to see, and doing five minutes of strength-training per day, at the same time, then increase the length of workout by a minute each time. 

Both Dr. Alfonsi and Dr. Dennis agree: Forget all or nothing thinking. Building an arsenal of small, specific habits can lead to better outcomes and a greater feeling of control over your physical health. Every little change should be viewed as a win.

The right tools and education can also help build momentum, according to Karen Cutler, Vice-President and Head of Underwriting at Manulife Canada. “Providing people with information about the link between longevity and healthy habits is really important,” she says. “Knowledge is power – and it’s also a key building block to closing that motivation gap and finding solutions that work for you.”

Finding ways to educate and incentivize Canadians to be more proactive about their health is driving innovation at Manulife. Group benefit plan members using the Manulife Mobile app now have the chance to earn Aeroplan ® points for completing health-related journeys and challenges. And Manulife Vitality⁶, a program available to individual insurance customers, offers education, support, incentives and rewards to encourage customers to take everyday steps toward a longer, healthier, better life. The program awards points for making healthy choices such as exercising, taking an online nutrition course, or staying up to date with vaccinations and preventive screenings, which can be exchanged for gift cards on merchandise, and even discounts on insurance premiums.

Cutler also points to Manulife Vitality Health Check, an annual biometrics evaluation that can often pick up on early elevations in blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol levels, giving individuals the motivation to make changes before these conditions worsen or have broader impacts. “When you have that level of information, it can identify any simmering issues and suggest the necessary lifestyle changes,” she says.

It’s all part of enabling Canadians to feel more in control of their health. “At the end of the day, our health is greatly influenced by our day-to-day habits,” Cutler says. “With these tools, we can help people get personalized health information and make small but important changes to better their health.”

This story was originally published in The Globe and Mail on Feb. 4, 2025

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This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation or are seeking medical advice, contact your medical doctor or your healthcare provider.