Many people want to fight the signs of aging. This makes sense since the natural aging process can lead to health problems. You might find that tasks you once found easy become difficult or tiring when you get older. Plus, you may not be too happy about the wrinkles appearing on your face or the sagging skin you spot around your body.
What can you do about it? How can you help your body adapt to age, instead of letting it catch up to you?
Here Are 10 Natural Ways To Slow Down Aging
1. Eat Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that keep the body strong against the effects of aging. One of these antioxidants is anthocyanin, which is anti-inflammatory. Blueberries have also been found to help fight degenerative brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s, by boosting brain signaling. This, in turn, keeps glucose levels well-balanced and helps memory stay sharp.
On top of that, the Harvard School of Public Health has found that eating blueberries regularly can greatly decrease the chances of developing a heart attack by as much as 32%.
2. Eat Lots Of Protein
Collagen – a component every proponent of anti-aging products knows about – is one of the body’s most crucial proteins. It’s a protein that boosts nail, skin, and hair strength; consuming sufficient amounts of protein can help skin stay firm and elastic so you don’t show signs of aging before your time.
There’s plenty of collagen found within the body, working on the muscles, joints, tendons, and even bones for more positive health. Basically, it supports the body and holds everything together, according to Dr. Roger Adams, who owns eatrightfitness and is a certified nutritional doctor and personal trainer.
But collagen levels decline as someone ages. That’s why many people turn to supplements to get their needed fix. You don’t have to, though – because you can get good protein from food!
- In addition, protein can help the body to balance its levels of insulin, allowing for stable glucose levels within the body.
- This, in turn, keeps away stress thanks to cortisol balance, and it helps you maintain a healthy weight.
- Plus, protein is great for tissue repair!
- There are few things protein can’t do.
How much protein should you eat in a day? Between 70 and 90 grams is great for the body. You’ll meet this goal easily by making protein a central part of your meals.
3. Drink Green Tea, Not Coffee
Tea has been considered a healing, anti-aging drink for centuries. It’s healthy, packed with great nutrients, and very low in calories. Green tea also has the ability to enhance cognitive function, allowing for more positive thinking, higher levels of concentration, and sharper memory.
Studies have found that green tea’s positive points can have significant effects, suggesting that it can lower the risk of developing heart disease and even prevent premature passing. If you’re looking to add tea to your diet, consider swapping it with your daily coffee. Just one or two cups of this soothing, beneficial tea can give you the results you need.
4. Exercise
Regular exercise is crucial to overall physical and mental health. Aerobic exercise is one of the best, helping the cardiovascular system and even the brain keep in tip-top shape
Why does exercise work so well? It’s all thanks to the mitochondrial decay theory. You probably know that the mitochondria is responsible for creating energy for your cells and body. As you age, the efficiency of this part of the cells deteriorates. But exercise, especially the aerobic kind, can counter this negative change.
You can also opt to lift weights. This will strengthen your body and make you feel great. It also helps to tighten up potentially sagging skin, all while keeping your weight in check. Weight-lifting is also great for your bones, blood sugar, oxidative stress, and even blood pressure.
Not enough time in the week to exercise? Or maybe you have mobility issues that prevent most kinds of exercise? Find something that works for you. It can be as simple as doing a few moves while sitting or lying down. Here are some more relaxed exercise options.
- Going for a walk
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Doing housework
- Gardening or doing yard work
- Grooving to some music
Keep your body moving; that’s all that matters. Regular levels of physical activity are the single most scientifically supported natural way to slow down aging.
5. Eat Good Fats
Many people make the mistake of assuming all fat is bad. The truth is that good fats are crucial to one’s diet. Take, for example, Omega-3 fatty acids. These are packed with positive benefits, helping to keep the heart healthy while boosting brain and eye health. These fats can even fight mental illness and boost positive thinking!
Omega-3 fatty acids are also crucial for healthy skin, and they can reduce bodily inflammation. They’re so important for the brain’s cognitive skill that studies have suggested consuming them during pregnancy helps fetal development! Plus, they regulate hormones and are just great for disease prevention.
How much omega-3 fatty acids should you eat? Around 3 grams is sufficient as a supplement, but you can easily get what you need from foods that contain this fat. Examples include:
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Albacore tuna
- Mackerel
- Walnuts
- Chia
- Flax
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado
Mediterranean diets are often rich in these foods. This may be why research has suggested that a mix of that regional diet and olive oil actually boosts cognitive function and slows down aging. This diet can even help keep skin lubricated, fighting wrinkles and dry spots and providing you with a youthful glow.
6. Maintain A Healthy Bedroom Life
Maintaining a good intimate life is surprisingly important in keeping up health and a youthful appearance, says Dr. David Weeks. Regular intimate activities performed with a partner thrice weekly, usually a long-term committed one, can lead to someone appearing up to a whopping seven years younger than they are.
More studies are needed to determine why this happens, but some hypothesize that this may be because of the connection and intimacy you share with a person you love. Intimacy also releases positive hormones that might help slow down the aging process, especially since some of those hormones get scarcer the older you get.
Don’t have a partner, or just not interested? Research shows that orgasms improve collagen production all on their own, so you don’t need a partner to benefit from this natural anti-aging remedy. In fact, going solo can reduce stress and boost positive thinking, and plenty of research has suggested it does a lot of great things for the body, too.
7. Have Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate might be a sweet treat, but it’s also got plenty of positive benefits to the aging process. It is rich in antioxidants, especially flavonoids, which all help the brain stay sharp and fight deterioration.
Plus, regular dark chocolate consumption helps reduce wrinkles, makes skin firmer, and even keeps your skin strong against sun damage. This is according to Dr. David Friedman, a doctor of chiropractic medicine, naturopathic doctor, chiropractic neurologist, and clinical nutritionist.
8. Cut Down On Sugar
Does enjoying chocolate mean you can pig out on sugary foods? Absolutely not! Sugar is one of the most dangerous parts of the average person’s diet. Not only does it bring blood glucose levels skyrocketing, but it also dehydrates crucial skin proteins (including collagen!) in a process called AGE, or advanced glycation end product.
Glycation leads to the aging of the skin, causing it to sag and experience dullness. The dramatic effect sugar has on aging is pretty shocking, and for those with blood sugar issues to begin with, eating too much sugar is a surefire way to fast-forward the aging process.
9. Drink More Water
Yes, many of us roll our eyes at people who act like drinking more water will solve all their problems. But the fact is that drinking enough water truly does work wonders. It can make all the difference between aging gracefully and aging ahead of time.
A lot of the human body is made up of water, and drinking sky juice keeps you well-hydrated. This hydration keeps the digestive system functioning well, aids waste product removal, keeps the joints swinging along smoothly, and helps nutrition from food travel from your mouth to all your different cells. This is according to doctor of osteopathic medicine and physician, Barbara Joy Jones.
This also means that hydration helps to keep the skin glowing and smooth, as opposed to dry and aged. It helps prevent sagging and brings youth to your appearance. In fact, chronic dehydration is arguably one of the most common causes behind skin that ages too soon.
How much should you drink? It differs from person to person, but the average person needs to consume around 2 liters – or 8 glasses – of water daily. If you feel thirsty or dehydrated, drink up!
10. Sleep A Little More
Most people around the world aren’t getting enough sleep. A lack of sleep doesn’t just make you tired, give you brain fog, and weaken your immunity, though. It also causes fatigue that can age you at a startling rate.
Cutting out crucial hours of sleep boosts cortisol levels within the body, which in turn leads to exhaustion and adds oxidative stress that speeds up cell death. Plus, it can lead to a lack of blood glucose balance, which makes weight gain a real risk and removes that glowing look associated with youth.
The body is constantly repairing itself as you sleep, and this is how it regenerates cells, heals the body, and gets rid of harmful toxins. As such, it makes sense that less sleep means not enough time for this repair to take place fully. It can even reduce the production of growth hormones that are necessary to fight aging.
On top of all of that, a lack of sleep makes you look older immediately. Your eyes get puffy, dark circles form, and wrinkles begin to set in. Given the fact that the chance for poor sleep gets higher the older you become, it’s important to try and have an even, reliable bedtime. This will give you better focus, healthier skin, and more positive thinking.
Aim to get between 6 and 8 hours of pure sleep every night. Note that this figure changes depending on your age. When you wake up, you should feel well-rested, not like you desperately need five more minutes.
Final Thoughts On Natural Ways To Slow Down Aging
The world puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on looking young. Still, the fact remains that aging is a normal part of life and it isn’t something to be fought – only embraced. Yet, one cannot ignore the obvious deterioration in health that comes with age.
So, practice these natural ways to slow down aging! They’ll help you fight diseases, allow you to age gracefully, and keep you feeling and looking great.
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