A lot of people would like to believe that “age is just a number,” but is it true? Are there ways on how to slow down biological aging?
The Aging Process
“Aging” is a normal process associated with the changes in the dynamics of the social, emotional, psychological, and biological aspects of your life. Many good things come with aging: you develop insights, learn new skills, and meet people along the way.
However, physiologically, you also experience “downsides.” Many of these downsides are benign, meaning they are not dangerous. Examples include having grey hair and wrinkles on the skin. Other biological changes decrease the functionality of your organs that result in a variety of conditions like
The great news is experts are saying that you can slow down aging.
Here are 10 ways on how to slow down biological aging.
Pay Attention to Your Diet
When it comes to how to slow down biological aging, diet is crucial. “You are what you eat” rings true when it comes to slowing down the aging process. Doctors recommend doing the following to ensure that your diet and nutrition are helping you look and feel younger for longer.
- Add fish to your diet. Choose those with high omega oil content; just make sure that they are not laden with mercury.
- Consider supplements. Take antioxidants and other supplements that are appropriate to your lifestyle. C and B-complex vitamins are also recommended. But only consider supplements if you think that you’re not getting enough from your current diet. Remember: they are only meant to supplement your current diet, and not to replace it.
- Turn to lean sources of protein. These sources include skinless chicken breast, lean ground beef, as well as lentils and beans.
- Choose your vegetables well. Try to eat vegetables with less carb content.
- Add more berries. Eat berries with a low-glycemic index, or those that don’t affect the blood glucose level too much.
- Say no to processed foods. Experts emphasize that processed foods contain a lot of components that trigger inflammation. Additionally, they also weaken your immune system.
Generally, one way on how to slow down biological aging is to make healthier choices when it comes to your food.
It is best to avoid or minimize the consumption of foods that are also considered “inflammatory” foods:
- White bread
- Sugary drinks
- Fried foods
- White pasta
- Gluten
- Soybean oil
Remind Yourself to Drink More Water
Want to know how to slow down biological aging? Remember to hydrate. The rule of thumb here, according to doctors, is to make sure that you are drinking at least 2 liters of water daily. Aside from keeping you hydrated, water also helps in:
- Making sure that your skin is glowing
- Flushing out toxins in the body
- Lubricating the joints for better movement
Be Careful with Your Skincare Products
One popular and natural way to slow down biological aging is to take care of your skin. That’s why it is quite tempting to use products that claim that they can “do it all.”
Doctors warn the public about such products since, according to them, each component of a product can react differently depending on who uses them.
Still, they recommend the following products:
- Exfoliator. An exfoliator removes the dull and dead skin cells on the surface, encouraging you to produce newer, more glowing skin cells.
- Moisturizer. Dryness causes aging, so choose a good moisturizer you can apply at night and when the weather is cold.
- Sunscreen. As much as possible, use a mineral sunscreen instead of a chemical one. Also, choose one that you can apply every 2 hours, especially when you’re out in the sun.
Since one way on how to slow down biological aging is to take care of your skin, the use of products is recommended. However, remember that even if these products are suggested, skincare should still be individualized. In other words, talking to your dermatologist is the best course of action.
Get Your Beauty Sleep
Guess what? Experts say that one less hour of sleep at night will already affect the body, and that is it can increase the level of the stress hormone, cortisol. This affects blood sugar levels in the blood and results in oxidative stress.
To sleep better, you can do the following:
- Reduce exposure to light. Melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep, is affected by light exposure. We produce more melatonin when it is dark, so keeping the room dark and avoiding the blue light of your gadgets might help you sleep better.
- Time your workout. Physical exercises promote better sleep, but not if they are not timed correctly. Do not exercise a few minutes before bedtime as it may interfere with sleeping. Experts suggest finishing a vigorous or moderately vigorous exercise at least 3 hours before going to bed.
- Choose your food and drinks well. To sleep better, cut back on sweets, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. Additionally, try not to eat a lot before retiring at night. Drinking too much liquid is also bound to wake you up during your sleep.
Finally, before going to bed, be sure to clear your head. It is hard to sleep when you have a lot of things going on in your mind. Since sleep is an important way to slow down biological aging, work on it whenever you can.
Exercise
How to slow down biological aging: Get moving. According to the Hypertension Institute, to slow down aging, you need to move. They recommend working out an hour a day for four days weekly. The workout should also be a combination of varied activities including:
They added that the recommended one hour per day does not have to be continuous. It could be divided into segments of 15 or 30 minutes long. Finally, they advised that any type of exercise would help.
If you are not used to vigorous workouts, you can start slowly with less stressful physical routine and work your way from there.
10 Bone and Muscle-Strengthening Exercises for Older Adults
Lifestyle Changes to Slow Down Biological Aging
Aside from the big steps mentioned above, the other ways on how to slow down biological aging are:
- Quit smoking. Smoking not only causes a lot of diseases including cancer, but it also speeds up the aging process.
- Mind your environment. Pollution affects health negatively. You may not have a lot of control over the place where you work or stay, but if you can, try to avoid areas where there is pollution.
- Boost your brain health. Brain training now is a big business since scientists found out that we are capable of restoring and making new neural connections. Consider regularly performing brain-stimulating activities, like solving puzzles, visiting museums, and playing sports—because when thinking of how to slow down biological aging, we should include our brains in the equation.
- Keep your gut healthy. The majority of the immune system can be found in your digestive system, so you will do well with taking care of it by consuming collagen-rich bone broth, as well as fermented fruits like kimchi. Also, don’t forget your probiotics.
- Reduce stress. There is no doubt that stress can cause you to age faster, so keep it to a manageable level by delegating work, taking breaks, and asking for help when needed.
Taking Care of Emotional Health
Finally, one of the best ways on how to slow down biological aging is to spend time with your loved ones. Spending quality time with them is bound to make you happier, more socially connected, and it significantly reduces your level of stress.
Read more about Healthy Aging here.
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