Startling health effects of living alone?

According to census data, one-person households were quite rare in the 1940s, clocking in at under 10 percent.

As recently as 2020, however, that figure increased to almost 30 percent of all households.

Now, some people long for solitude… just as others long for company.

But let’s take a look at how living alone could impact your health.

A startling risk

According to a new study, living alone could boost your risk of dying from cancer.

Researchers from the American Cancer Society analyzed data from over 473,000 adults from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey—and compared it against the National Death Index.

They looked at the data for up to 22 years to make associations between one’s risk of dying from cancer and living alone.

Turns out, men who lived alone experienced a 38 percent increased risk of cancer death. Meanwhile, women saw a 30 percent heightened risk.

Not to mention, middle-aged adults, ages 45 to 65, who lived alone saw a whopping 43 percent increased risk of cancer death.

“Findings in this study underscore the significance of addressing living alone in the general population and among cancer survivors,” explains study author Hyunjung Lee.

Stay connected for better health

We’ve talked about ways loneliness can impact your well-being—taking a toll on mental and physical health.

That’s why it’s so important to stay as connected as possible… especially if you live alone.

You can video-chat with family and friends, take up a new hobby like cooking or crafting, join a book club, or simply find a walking buddy in your neighborhood or nearest park.

Or perhaps you take advantage of one of my personal favorite ways to ward off loneliness…

Adopt a pet.

In fact, I dedicated an entire newsletter article on the health advantages of sharing your life with a four-legged, furry friend in the December 2019 issue of Logical Health Alternatives (“The surprising secret to living better, longer”).

Subscribers can log in to access that article, and much more, in the archives by clicking here. Not yet a subscriber? Scroll down and click the red button to learn about becoming one.

And for additional simple, science-based strategies to fight cancer, check out my comprehensive, online learning tool, my Essential Cancer Protocol.

Source:

“Living alone raises Americans’ cancer risk by nearly a third.” MDLinx, 10/20/23. (mdlinx.com/news/living-alone-raises-americans-cancer-risk-by-nearly-a-third/4e6pyErZ2SHbHL9yGBBuYN)