Wouldn’t it be nice if there were some steps to resist the aging process? Well, we have found seven steps that you can use to slow down aging. We no longer need to be ashamed of aging considering the wisdom we accumulated over the years.
Yes, growing old is unavoidable. However, we don’t need to look or feel old as we age.
There are a number of steps we can take these days that make it easier to look and feel younger.
You can grow old gracefully if you use a proactive approach. One way is to find ways to prevent inflammation and disease in the body.
Here is a list of several ways that you can resist the aging process and add more life to your years!
Find Time to Exercise
It is important to find time to exercise. When we exercise we can improve our balance and flexibility. It is also a good way to keep fit and trim.
Exercising will help to reduce stress, strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve posture as well as improve digestion. It also can help to slow down bone loss.
According to Bob Green who is a trainer, as well as an author of the book 20 Years Younger, “When done properly, weight-training makes micro-tears in the muscles, which leads your body to generate thicker, stronger muscle fiber.”
Another good thing about weight training is it is a good way to improve stamina. It also can make you less vulnerable to possible injuries.
Weight training is good for boosting metabolism and building muscles. All it takes is using some lightweight dumbells and doing exercises such as squats, bicep curls, calf raises, and lunges.
Just do three sets of ten repetitions at least three times a week.
Senior – 30 Minute Weight Training with Dumbbells Video:
Yes, your brain needs a workout! By stimulating the brain you will be able to stay focused, your concentration will increase and your memory will be good.
While dementia and Alzheimer’s may be genetic, our lifestyle habits can have an impact on the health of our brain cells.
Here are some suggestions for keeping your brain in good shape:
- Read books regularly.
- Work on puzzles such as crosswords, sudoku, or even jigsaw puzzles.
- Don’t play a musical instrument, why not start to learn one?
- Never learned a foreign language? It’s never too late to learn.
- Attend the theatre or concerts regularly.
- Play games with friends like scrabble.
Take Care of Your Relationships
One of the most important aspects of how to resist the aging process is by having strong social connections and relationships.
In fact, an eighty-year-old Harvard study found that having good relationships was a better predictor of an increased life span and good health than other factors.
They found that this could reduce stress which results in a boost to the immune system and reduction of potential heart disease.
They also found it was how satisfying people’s relationships are rather than cholesterol levels that predict the quality of our health as we age.
Also, they found that people who were the most content with their relationships at age fifty were the healthiest at age eighty.
Eat Right and Stay Hydrated
Making sure that we eat right and as well stay hydrated is very important. In fact, the Harvard School of Public Health reports that our cells are threatened daily by free radicals.
These free radicals are the byproduct of how our body turns food into energy.
We also get free radicals entering our body from our environment which also damages the cells.
Unfortunately, this damage results in a structural change to our cell’s DNA. We can defend the body against free radicals by the use of antioxidants.
Antioxidants can be found in fresh vegetables and fruit. Another important factor is incorporating fiber into the diet.
Fiber is important for fighting chronic disease and a good way to resist the aging process.
As well fiber keeps blood sugar and cholesterol levels in check. Another plus in taking in fiber is that it fills you up.
Fiber will also slow down the digestive process. This means that you will consume fewer calories each day.
It is also a good idea to reduce the amount of sugar you take in. You will find that you will have more energy and inflammation will be reduced.
It is important to avoid at all costs the use of processed sugars. The problem is that most high-fat and processed foods contain a lot of processed sugars.
You will also want to avoid soda as it contains phosphoric acid that can cause muscle loss as well as osteoporosis and heart and kidney issues.
In order to stay properly hydrated you will want to drink ample quantities of water each day. Water helps to enhance blood flow to the skin’s surface.
It also can help to improve circulation, boost brain function and increase energy. It is recommended that we drink at least eight glasses of eight ounces of water a day.
Dr. Henry Lodge, co-author of Younger Next Year for Women, recommended “Start every meal with a fruit or vegetable and a tall glass of water. Loading up on the vitamins and antioxidants in fruits and veggies will make you feel refreshed, recharged, and reenergized.”
Make Sure to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Dr. Henry Lodge also recommends getting a proper amount of sleep. He has stated that “the only time your body can truly restore itself is when you’re asleep. It helps build a more vibrant body and brain.”
Experts tend to agree that having eight hours of sleep is needed to repair any organ damage as well as regenerate new cells.
However, the exact number of hours each person needs can differ from person to person.
In order to give your body the quality sleep it needs, you may want to set up a goal and a plan. This will help to maintain good mental and physical health.
Find Ways to Reduce Stress
We all know how stress can age-related psychological disorder which causes a reduction in the way the immune system functions. Stress can also lead to cardiovascular diseases.
Making time to schedule a few minutes a day to alleviate stress is a good idea. Just pick somewhere that is quiet and start breathing deeply.
Focus on the present moment! This is the best medicate and will impact how well you look and feel and helps to resist the aging process.
Here is a list of a few ways to relieve stress and even calm the mind and body:
Try mindful meditation. This is a good practice since mediation is a great way to reduce anxiety and depression.
Mindful meditation can result in more energy, a better posture as well as an improved mood, and increased flexibility.
10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation Video:
In fact, yoga poses have been designed to work both inside and outside the body.
Yoga is a great way to boost the immune system and even helps to revive all the physiological systems in the body. This can protect us from many diseases.
Yoga also helps to keep the joints flexible and our muscles strong.
Get Rid of Bad Habits
Getting rid of bad habits such as smoking is a good idea. In fact, smoking can cause all sorts of age-related diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis, and even hardening of the arteries.
If you want to create the best life for yourself, you need to get rid of habits that aren’t serving you.
Any number of bad habits can result in the speeding up of aging and can have a detrimental effect on our teeth and especially our skin.
When it comes to drinking alcohol, one drink per day for women and two for men is just enough to reap its benefits.
However, overindulging in alcohol leads to premature aging from the inside out. In fact, it negatively impacts every single physiological system in the body.
Final Thoughts
While dealing with aging is never easy, it is inevitable, and the better we handle aging, the happier and healthier we will be.
When we are healthy and happy we have a better chance of being able to resist the aging process!
