Science has proven that many of the chronic diseases and leading causes of death can be prevented or at least controlled, through lifestyle changes. Adopting healthy behaviors will promote better living and a healthy anti-aging lifestyle.
1. Preventative health
If we never develop health problems we don’t need to fix them. It is always the best alternative to prevent the problem from occurring, rather than trying to fix it afterwards.
· Increase intakes of Vitamin D, Calcium for healthy bones, B Vitamins to support healthy DNA replication, and antioxidant nutrients such as Vitamins C and E to address oxidative stress and cellular aging.
· Quit smoking. it’s the most effective approach to reducing death and disease.
· Enlargement of the prostate, is common in aging men. Men over the age of 40 should see their doctor to have regular prostate exams and (PSA) screenings.
· Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation.
· If you’re over 50 ask your doctor if an aspirin a day is a good idea.
· Wear sunscreen.
· Use your cell phone less and don’t stand in front of the microwave.
· Maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk for the diseases of aging. Typically, a loss of muscle mass, accompanied by a gain in fat mass, occurs with aging. An active body is too busy processing those calories to put on fat.
· Eat a balanced diet, low in saturated fats and rich in fruits and vegetables
· Cut down on carbohydrates and sweets.
2. Exercise
We need to exercise our bodies and our minds. Both a body and a mind will age faster without proper exercise.
When it’s time to do your exercise everyone thinks, “Oh no, I’m not doing those sit ups everyday.” You need to make your exercise fun, find something you like to do. Of course, if you love to golf or other active sports, you have a leg up on most of us. But there are other ways of enjoying your exercise, both physical & mental.
Some Ideas for Physical and Mental exercise
· If you like shopping do it, walking around the mall is great exercise.
· Get a puppy. A dog is a great companion; all it wants to do is please you. Taking the dog for a walk is great for you, but even if you just play with it, and care for the dog, you will be doing something to help yourself too.
· SEXercise, talk about a great way to exercise and increase your metabolic rate.
· If you like flowers start a flower garden. It can be a few pots in the house or on the deck, or a section in your yard. Watching anything grow has it’s own rewards.
· A vegetable garden is more work, but wait till you taste how much better the food you grow, tastes. If you want organic foods, you’re in control
· Get a hobby, woodworking, fishing, genealogy, cooking, knitting. Anything you take an interest in will keep you active.
· If you work at a desk, get up periodically, stretch and walk around the office. This improves circulation and relieves stress and neck and back stiffness.
· Spend more time with younger people, your children or grandchildren are a great choice. Younger people keep you more active both physically and mentally.
· Take a walk with someone you enjoy being with.
· Too much stress makes us old. Enjoy life, laugh, it’s good medicine.
· Read, make sure you have interesting books or magazines around that will attract your interest.
· Do mind challenging puzzles – crosswords, Sudoku, computer games.
· Surf the net to find things that interest you.
· Make friends, socializing keeps your mind alert. Join a club, involve yourself in group activities
· The most important thing is that you enjoy your physical and mental exercise. Do a variety of things so your exercise doesn’t become boring. If exercise becomes a job you won’t do it.
3. Anti-Aging Research
Why do we age?
Why do some people age faster or slower and in different ways than others?
Is there a maximum human life span beyond which we cannot live?
How can insights into longevity be used to fight the diseases and disabilities associated with old age to improve the odds that aging will let us be healthy, active, and independent?
Aging is a complex natural process that affects every molecule, cell, organ, and body function. As we age, blood vessels accumulate fatty deposits and lose flexibility, resulting in arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Production of digestive enzymes declines, resulting in decreased nutrient absorption. And maximum breathing capacity progressively decreases in each decade of life, beginning at about age 20.
Although chronological aging is inevitable, unlocking the secrets to biological aging is perhaps the ultimate scientific quest. Understanding the way cells age, as well as how aging impacts their function, reproduction, and death, may help us to better understand the causes and perhaps the solutions for key age-related diseases and condition.
Aging is a fact of life, it begins long before we can see or feel any changes. We can’t stop aging, but emerging research reveals we may be able to influence biological aging in positive ways. This has to do with how efficiently cells repair and replicate themselves, which affects your health, well being and the aging process in various ways.