HEALTH experts have revealed the small daily habits that can help you live for longer and “change the trajectory of your health”.
Everyone is striving to live a long and healthy life – but what easy steps can be taken to help?
This comes as healthy life expectancy has gone down in the UK. In 2022 to 2024, men could expect to spend 60.7 years (77% of life) in “good” general health, compared with 60.9 years (73%) for women.
Full life expectancy in the UK for 2022 to 2024 was 83 for women and 79.1 for men.
From the one per cent rule to the exact amount of protein and fibre you need for a healthy diet, experts have shared their opinions on how you can increase your healthy life expectancy.
Professor Paul Lee, orthopaedic surgeon and medical engineer at Professor Paul Lee, shared his one per cent rule.
He added: “The body is designed to move, so regular walking, joint movement and strength work help maintain tissues and circulation.
“Hydration, nutrition and reducing harmful inputs all change the internal environment your cells operate in. Sleep, recovery and the body’s repair processes sit here.
“One of the most powerful principles is the one per cent rule. Improve something small and repeatable each day. Walk a little more. Hydrate better. Sleep slightly earlier. When those small inputs compound over months and years, they change the trajectory of your health.”
Improve something small and repeatable each day
Josie Jones, Founder at The Mindful Cook, explained the exact amount of protein and fibre you need in your diet.
She added: “In nutrition, three daily anchors I encourage are very simple and measurable: Around 90g of protein across the day. This supports muscle maintenance, appetite regulation and metabolic health, particularly from midlife onwards.
“About 30g of fibre per day. Fibre feeds the gut microbiome, supports blood sugar regulation and is strongly associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and several cancers. A small amount of healthy fats daily. Foods such as olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish support heart health and help with satiety. Those three habits tend to nudge people towards whole foods automatically.
“Meals built around protein, fibre rich plants and healthy fats usually crowd out ultra-processed foods with little effort. None of this is expensive. Tinned beans, lentils, oats, eggs, yoghurt, frozen vegetables, olive oil and nuts are all accessible foods that support those targets. The key is consistency. When you eat this way daily, the cumulative impact is significant.”
Denise Yeats, Director at Denise Yeats Empowered Partnerships Ltd, said small workouts before Zoom calls can be a game-changer.
She added: “I work with women who think they don’t have time to move. They do. Two minutes between meetings – 10 squats, 10 wall push-ups, 30 seconds of marching – reactivates your glutes and genuinely generates energy rather than spending it.
“I’ve sat on a Swiss ball since 2002 for the same reason: it makes stillness the harder option. For perimenopausal and menopausal women, this isn’t a nice-to-have. Hormonal changes already affect cognition and energy. Consistent micro-movement is protective, non negotiable. The reset isn’t a faddy hack. It’s 10 squats before your next Zoom call.”
Consistent micro-movement is protective
Florence Achery, Founder at Yoga Retreats and More, said spine health can be maintained with five simple movements.
She added: “With the rise in back pain and mobility issues, spine health is fundamental. Every morning I practice the Five Tibetan Rites which are a quick daily sequence of five movements combining stretching, balance and strength, designed to wake up the body and improve mobility.
“It’s a daily energy boosting practice that only takes 10 minutes. Sometimes I will follow with a cold shower to set me up for the day. A walk after lunch is also a great mood boosting habit. Lunch at one’s desk in front of a computer should be banned.
“Your mental wellbeing is equally important. There should be no tech in bedrooms. No doom scrolling first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Dust off or invest in an alarm clock. Don’t use your phone to wake up. Suffering from anxiety? Turn off social media notifications. Take control back.”
Photo by Fabian Møller on Unsplash.
