Ep. 104: British Columbians Live the Longest in Canada

Guest: Dr. Rhonda Low, Copeman Healthcare Centre

British Columbians have the highest longevity in Canada.

That is something Dr. Rhonda Low points out, noting that the key to how long you live is how you live. “We know a small proportion of longevity is due to your genes, around 10 to 15% and then another 15 to 20, 25%. Depends upon where you live. But the vast majority of longevity can be attributed to your lifestyle habits. Being proactive minimizes the chance of getting chronic diseases.”

Dr. Low says you need to arm yourself with data about your body. She says, “You need to ask questions of your family. What do they have? What are you more at risk for? What's gotten grandma and grandpa in the end? Know what your personal risk factors are for diabetes or heart disease, high blood pressure. Everyone needs to know their blood pressure, their cholesterol levels, their fasting blood sugars, because if your mom or dad had Type II diabetes, you have a 20 to 25% chance of having Type II diabetes. But the good news is that you can prevent all that by lifestyle.”