Fountain of Youth - Fight the effects of aging with six easy lifestyle changes
I loved this article written by Ashley Gartland in Home by Design Magazine. Some great tips for us!
With each passing year, your body and mind are aging. But growing older doesn’t have to be an inevitable fact of life. Aging is, in fact, something you can control. By making lifestyle changes and practicing good habits each day, you can slow, and even reverse, the aging process without turning to cosmetic surgery or extreme diet and exercise programs to keep your body in check.
Ready to turn back the clock? Here’s how to decrease your disease risk, stay physically strong and mentally sharp, and start looking and feeling younger today.
Make exercise a priority. According to an American Cancer Society study, otherwise inactive women who sit for more than six hours a day increase their likelihood of early death by 98 percent compared with active women who sit less than three hours per day. And that’s not all: individuals who don’t exercise face muscle and bone loss and increase the likelihood of dealing with bodily injuries in their golden years. To combat the effects of aging, experts recommend a combination of stretching, core work, strength-training sessions, and cardiovascular activities each week. Books such as Bob Greene’s 20 Years Younger provide guidelines and programs to get you off on the right foot.
Embrace a healthy diet. Menu plans that emphasize healthy fats, whole grains, and plentiful fruits and vegetables—such as the much-praised Okinawan and Mediterranean diets—are shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and increase longevity. Adopting principles such as swapping olive oil for butter and keeping meat consumption to a minimum can offer life-lengthening benefits. So too will making important dietary changes such as limiting your intake of saturated fats and sugary treats.
Practice good sleep habits. On average, Americans get 6.9 hours of shut-eye per weeknight, according to a 2011 Sleep in America Poll. That’s not enough to combat aging, says Dr. Michael F. Roizen, author of The RealAge Makeover, who recommends that women get at least seven hours of sleep each night and men get at least eight. Set yourself up for a good night’s rest by establishing a standard wake-up time, which will help set your circadian rhythm; creating a dark, comfortable sleep environment; and avoiding stimulating activities such as e-mail and television before bed.
Improve your skin-care routine. Smoking and sun exposure are the main culprits behind old-looking skin. To keep skin looking healthy and youthful, don’t smoke, and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. Your skin will also benefit from a simple at-home skin-care plan that involves an exfoliating product to remove dead skin cells; a cleanser to clear dirt and debris away; and a nourishing lotion, cream, or serum to deliver antioxidants, vitamins, and anti-aging ingredients to your skin.
Tap into your social network. Individuals who live with others and have a strong support network and a rich social life live longer, healthier lives and suffer lower rates of chronic diseases, accidents, and psychological harm than those who lead lonely lives, according to The RealAge Makeover. Make your social life a top priority by scheduling weekly activities with friends and family. Better yet, make a habit of exercising with friends often so you can tackle two anti-aging strategies at once.
Give your brain a workout. There’s no doubt that getting older can increase forgetfulness and bring a decline in mental agility. But you can counteract the effects of aging on your brain by challenging yourself mentally each day. Do the daily crossword puzzle, sit in on a lecture series, or take up a foreign language. Stimulating activities like these will help you stay mentally sharp as the years pass.
I think we can do these!
This information is presented by:
Connie Taylor
Keller Williams
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
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