World Health Day Celebrates 'Adding Years to Your Life'

April 7 is World Health Day and this year’s theme focuses on how good health can add years to life, enabling people to not only live longer, but also extend their active involvement in activities.

One of this year’s key messages is minimizing the consequences of non-communicable, chronic diseases through early detection, prevention and quality care.

“World Health Day is an excellent vehicle for everyone to gain greater recognition of health issues that face the entire world. This year’s theme, Adding Years to Your Life, is a positive way for people to incorporate preventative measures in their daily lives to not only add years, but add healthy, quality years. The best part of this is that these five tips are so easy, everyone can participate! Life is meant to be enjoyed and greater health is a very important factor in that process,” Dr. John M. Koval of Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology said in an email.

Here are five stress-free things you can do to add more years to your life:

1. Take the life expectancy calculator and true age test: The test, based on your age, gender, health, habits, vitality and lifestyle choices, answers the “how long will I live" question. The test takes into account that life style choices such as drinking alcohol, smoking, driving dangerously and being overweight are factors that can reduce your life expectancy. Remember, have fun, take each day as it comes but be conscious of your health. The test can be found online at www.livingto100.com.

2. Don’t smoke and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke: For each hour you spend in someone else's smoke, you ingest four cigarettes of smoke. To avoid secondhand smoke, keep out of enclosed spaces, ask smokers to smoke outside, open windows in a room and use fans to ventilate the room.

3. Limit your alcohol intake: Excessive consumption of alcohol can cause breast, liver, colon, rectum, pharynx, larynx, mouth, throat and esophagus cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The advisable limit is a drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

4. Protect yourself from powerful sunrays and recognize when your skin changes: Skin cancer is most common in places where the sun is strong, according to the National Cancer Institute. Limit your time in the sun and stay away from sunlight and tanning booths. Keep in mind that getting a tan might increase your risk of developing skin cancer and that skin cancer can be treatable if found early.

5. Get screened for cancer regularly – To live long, regular checkups are important. Tests like pap smears, mammograms and colonoscopies can detect abnormal cell changes early.

Find out more about Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology, which serves patients from Pasco County at its Tampa location, 12206 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.