10 Ways To Slow Down the Aging Process
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10 WAYS TO SLOW DOWN THE AGING PROCESS
Can we really slow down our aging process ?
Some folks who are already in their sixties still look as if they are in their forties, or some of those who are in their fifties look as if they are in their thirties. What are their secrets ? Is there really such a thing as fountain of youth ?
Here are ten recommended ways to slow down the aging.
- (1) Add more antiaging chemicals to your diet.
There is a group of substances known as "antioxidants" that helps greatly in keeping you young. They neutralize what scientists call "free radicals". Free radicals set off a chain reaction that can kill cells, tear holes in cell membranes, mutate DNA which is the mastermind of cell activity. One theory, which was formulated by Denham Harman, PhD, a biochemist at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, contends that the cumulative damage by free radicals is responsible for the decline in functioning that accompanies aging.
Two known antioxidants are Vitamin A and C. The best source of Vitamin C are citrus fruits.Rich source of Vitamin A are carrots, squash, spinach and collard greens.
(2) Take a brisk walk every other day.
Walk fast for 20 minutes three or more days a week.Walking strengthens the bones in your lower half, making you less susceptible to osteoporosis. A brisk pace usually means covering a mile about 15 minutes . Briskwalking is a good alternative for those who are reluctant to do traditional aerobic exercises.
Aerobics exercises reduce your risk of heart disease by helping prevent high blood pressure, lowering artery-hardening cholesterol in your bloodstream and possibly decreasing blood clotting.
- (3) Follow a fat-buster diet
The main health goal in cutting down fat content in the diet is to prevent
your vital arteries from clogging up with cholesterol. The standard advice has
been to shift from animal-based foods like meat and butter to vegetables. The
following foods have been recommended by nutritionists as fat-busters.
- Polyunsaturated fats
Best source : sunflower-seed oil.. They tend to lower blood cholesterol levels.
* Water-soluble fiber, which binds with water and a cholesterol components in the gastrointestinal tract, helps remove the cholesterol from the system. Best sources are beans and oat products and fruits with pectin such as oranges and apples.
- Fish, particularly salmon and mackerel. They contain a component known as EPA ( eicosapentanoic acid), which nullifies the high fat content in fish.
. Nutritionists recommend that you eat fish at least three times a week. If you are really serious to lower your blood cholesterol , eat a standard portion of fish and a hefty portion of water-soluble fiber a day.
- (4) Maintain a normal Body-Mass Index.
Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women . Normal BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight ranges from 25 to 29.9. Above 30 is considered as obesity.
If you are 20 percent over your ideal weight, you must drop some extra pounds. Being an overweight is a factor in adult-onset diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer.
- (5) Build bone density and functional strength.
Most adults lose one percent of bone mass annually. As you lose bone minerals your bones become lighter, more porous, weaker and greater risk of fracture. You can increase bone density and strength with weight bearing exercises such as walking, bicycling, swimming or weight training. Take also Vitamin D to reduce the aging process of bones. Take 400 IU of Vitamin D daily or one tablespoon of cod liver oil.
- (6) Stop Smoking.
According to British physician Douglas Model, ( Member of the Royal College of Physicians), smokers tend to have at least one of the following: pronounced wrinkling and lines, gauntness or an off-color complexion. Dr. Model believes smoking ages looks by reducing the flow of blood to the skin.
- (7) Clean up your dental act.
After 40, the main cause of tooth loss is periodontal or gum disease. The culprit: "plaque", a sticky film made up of bacteria, saliva, and food debris. Bacteria produces toxins that irritate gums, making them recede and form pockets. If the immune system of the body can't fight the bacterial invasion , the bones anchoring the teeth eventually erode and teeth fall out.
Brushing every after meals, and daily flossing will reduce plaque attacks. Teeth must be cleaned by dentist at least twice a year.
- (8) Drink a lot of fluids to maintain healthy skin and flush out wastes.
Maintain at least eight 8-ounze glass of water a day.
- (9) Manage You stress.
Stress accelerates the aging process. Eternally youthful celebrities like Andie Macdowell and Meryl Streep realize that managing stress level is key to looking younger for longer .
When we suffer stress we lose our bodies natural balance which causes damage to hormone secretion, cell repair, and collagen production. More worrying recent research suggests that when the body is exposed over a long period of time to stress hormones can speed up brain aging.
(10) Practice relaxing
Practice relaxing to lower down stress level in your body. Listening to a good music or watching a nice, wholesome television show will help a lot.
Source : 10 Ways To Slow Down Aging by Nancy Stedman
. Published on Woman;s Day (January 20, 1987 issue)
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wow Cris, very informative ;)
Thank you for the generous comment.
Good list. Also, lowering the heat in your home in the winter somewhat and eating less food overall helps to prolong life. So does laughter. :)
Thank you for the additional information.
Nice list, I have bookmarked it. Also one more thing to keep smiling, keeps the face healthier instead of being sad or mad.
Thanks cgull8m for the additional information,
Thanks cgull8m for the additional information,
Thanks, we all need this advice.
Another thing I noticed about those who live long is that they are busy souls.
You are welcome Kenny, yes I agree with you those who live longer are busy souls.
Good advice, thanks.
Thanks Bob.
thank you for your precious advices
Cristina!
You are defenitely right about all your anti aging steps.
I would really like to point out one thing. What's so wrong about aging? I'm not sure that it really matters that we're aging. I probably could use some oil of olay but honestly I think that every one of the wrinkles beside my eyes has come justly. Naturally healthy living is a logical thing to do. So what if we have a bit of grey hair. As long as we grab life by the horns it doesn't matter how old we look only how old we act...
Great Hub
Zsuzsy
Thanks for the comment Zsuzsy. Yes aging is definitely inevitable, but there are ways to age gracefully.
I like that you included the source for these as it is hard to know or find most often when reading an article.
Very motivating!
Thanks for sharing.
Great article - you just forget to mention one very important thing - UVA protection. Over exposure to the suns UVA rays can cause all sorts of early aging signs on your skin - like wrinkles, sunspots, fine lines and blotchiness - so its really important to use a broadpectrum sun screen while your young to avoid loking old and wrinkly later on!
Thanks Annette Rozen for taking time to visit this hub. Thenk you also for the additiona informaton.l
Thanks Cellebrate for dropping by. Regards.
thanks for the great info
Great article Christina :) Health is all too important to be wasted.
I like this acronym (NEW START) to remember the basics of a healthy lifestyle.
N - Nutrition | E - Exercise | W - Water | S - Sunshine | T = Temperance | A - Air | R - Rest | T - Trust in God
What a nice information it is!!
I have always looked younger than I am. Hopefully with these tips I can keep it that way well into my old age. Thanks for the suggestions.
Aging is inevitable. But we have to find ways to slow down the aging process. I believe your article will help to do so. Nice and informative article Christina.
Great hub! I have to say eating collared greens and grapefruit have greatly helped me in the way I feel and look. Thank you for such a good informational hub. Cheers!
good job.You forgot sun protection.Too much sun can cause skin cancer or age spots.or both.
Love this hub! very useful tips! Especially the managing stress and practicing relaxing! I so need to relax! lol. Nice hub!
Hi Jenny I am happy to read that you like this hub and for finding it useful.
Thanks for this hub cristina327. I think you're right on with ways to reduce aging. I'm 72 but still climb to the highest points in the western states (of US) with over 21 ascents of Colorado's "fourteeners." Perhaps it is because I'm a direct descendant of Ponce DeLeon who searched for the fountain of youth in Florida.
Hello juneaukid nice to hear from you. It is very encouraging and inspiring to read your comment. I am encouraged to read that at 72 you are still active physically. Have a great day.Best regards.
thanks for sharing sister, Filipino's have good young genes most of my relatives are look 10 yrs young from their real age
Hi ann garden it is nice to hear from you. Thanks for dropping by. Remain blessed.
This is really helpful. I do agree with this. A nice hub. Well written.
Nice to hear from you revitawellness. Thank you for appreciating this hub.
Great Hub: Under managing your stress....you did not mention any of the techniques that have so much research for not only managing your stress but for actually getting rid of your stress in addition to reversing aging...the research is on transcendental meditation which has thousands of studies on stress and anti aging and many studies are paid for by the National Institutes of Health. Hope you find this info useful. Great hub.
Cristina, you mentioned here great tips that every person that care about his/her health should take into consideration.
Well done!
Nikipa
Nice article. :-)
How about extra virgin olive oil? I use that exclusively, adding it to my rice and vegetables as my primary source of fat. I don't use it to cook as I don't fry food usually and try to stay away from fried food.
Sorry for the double post, but I remember reading a recent article about car & office windows blocking UV-B, but not UV-A radiation. This ages the skin... so close the blinds at work and try avoiding putting your arm up near the car window on a bright sunny day. I have more moles on my left arm and I almost always drove my car with the window closed.
im 52 male black strong ang very much encouraged by this information.Im looking foward to chocking 100.Ive watched my father and mum grow to 88 and 85 respectively and this infomation has reminded me what i see them do every day.They look strong and healthy
Very helpfull information I will remember. God Bless You.
Thanks stsrs439 for gracing this hub. God bless you.
thank u ::: very helpful
slow aging will increase the mental strength and the good
example is my grandpa who still can remember things at the age of 94 looking like 70.
call it weird but most of the people in eygpt live to about 80 or more
The term "ageing" is somewhat ambiguous. Distinctions may be made between "universal ageing" (age changes that all people share) and "probabilistic ageing" (age changes that may happen to some, but not all people as they grow older, such as the onset of type two diabetes). Chronological ageing, referring to how old a person is, is arguably the most straightforward definition of ageing and may be distinguished from "social ageing" (society's expectations of how people should act as they grow older) and "biological ageing" (an organism's physical state as it ages). There is also a distinction between "proximal ageing" (age-based effects that come about because of factors in the recent past) and "distal ageing" (age-based differences that can be traced back to a cause early in person's life, such as childhood poliomyelitis)
This is such an awesome hub. Very contemporary and indeed breath- taking. I am so privileged to read this hub because I am duly informed and educated. Hoping to read more of such hubs from you. Cheers!
D.Virtual.Doctor
Very interesting hub with good info. Great antioxidants are continuing to be 'discovered', but that old A and C are some real staples! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Virtual Doctor and frogfish for appreciating this hub. your visit and comment is much appreciated. Blessings to you.
Hi cristina327,
Very useful hub! Can be among my reference for a happy life.
HI franciaonline thanks fora visit. Blessings and regards.
That's great advice, and I was surprised to see I do all ten things on your list. I just wish I could convince others to the same. The world would be a much healthier and happy place it everyone did these things!
Thanks CalgaryGuy for taking time to read this hub. Blessings and regards.
Hi cristina, this is a great post. Instead of that,we should have enough sleep and accessorize our diet for healthy benefit such as replace butter with olive oils and more. You can read more of my articles on how to slow the aging process in :http://luckynurul.blogspot.com/2010/12/can-we-slow .:)
Thanks for the information. To age prematurely is not natural; but thanks to stress, smoking, drugs, bad eating habits, excessive exposure to the sun, alcohol, polution, soft drinks, lack of exercise, insonia, and dehidration one can age very quickly and in a very unhealthy way!
lovely hub cristina...I am sharing this hub with all my friends and family..u have really shared this info in a simple and lucid manner. Keep up the good work. Cheers
Cristina, Wonderful hub with a plethora of great healthy suggestions! Life is a precious gift from the Lord! As we age we want to do so gracefully and keep learning to take better care of ourselves ... This will be helpful to many! Thank you as always for sharing, in HIS Love, Grace, Joy, Peace & Blessings!
Hi jayb23 thank you for dropping by and appreciating this hub. Your visit and comments are great source of encouragement for me. Blessings to you always. Best regards.
hello sister Right on my friend. It all sounds pretty easy but for me, I would miss one half per day. So I think of Phil 4:13 'With Christ all things are possible'
Thumbs up and awesome precious Child of God. You are awesome.
well frm nw on ill be careful and thank u for adding such gr8 piece of info!
I will follow all your advice.
Regular yogic stretching improve flexibility of muscles and joints.It helps to slow down aging process bcoz aging is nothing but losing flexibility.Ayurvedic herbal oil massage helps to improve natural elasticity of skin
I'm starting to believe the raw food diet is the best. If we can be assured of the quality of our produce, those foods go a long way to keeping us healthy and disease free. Nice hub!
Hi imgreencat thank you for dropping by. Blessings to you.
Thanks for a good advice.Very well explain about the anti aging process. As we age the aging problems effect the function of both individual cells and organ systems.For reducing or stop the anti ageing problem its better to use a anti ageing cream.
Great reminder that we should live healthy and take care of our body, by watching what we eat, drink and staying active! Stress- oxidave stress is the culprit when it comes to ageing. Thanks for the great hub!
Correction on above comment: Ageing is caused by (oxidative) stress and the best way to combat it is with antioxadants! We can eat anitoxidant rich foods and this will help some, but there is a much better way! In fact it is called the body's 'Master Antioxidant' becuase it isn't found in a juice or berry...it's found in every cell of your body! When we start to rapidly age at arround the 18 to 20 year mark we start to lose 'Glutathione'! How can we get it back? Until recently it was impossible, but there is a way...
Really good tips, steps 2, 8, 9 and 10 are my favorites, not sure how much its helping though, lol! Voted and and Interesting!
Hi MaxFueled and carcro thank you for dropping by and appreciating this hub.It is much appreciated. Blessings to you and regards.
Cristina this is really good stuff here. I have voted up, and bookmarked. I must learn to relax that is something I have a hard time with (I love to keep busy. Great list!
Hi adrienne2 it is great to hear from you. Thank you for paying a visit and appreciating this hub.Your visit is much appreciated. Thank you also for voting up for this hub. Yes relaxing is very important to calm down stress. May you be blessed today and always. Best regards.
Just look at your following! You are doing very well. And this well written hub appeals to just about everyone.
Although I am old in years, I am young in attitude and spirit. I love my life with all its struggles, pain and the lessons I learn. I love my Heavenly Father and thank him daily for my life and good health. And I am thankful for you! Voted up!
vocalcoach~
Hi vocalcoach it is great to hear from you again.Thank you for dropping by and appreciating this hub. Your visit means a lot to me. Yes growing older does not necessarily mean aging physically as long as we have many healthful alternatives. And aging is just a state of the mind as long as you are young at heart you could always be young. As long as we have a great God who sustain us throughout all these years we will always age gracefully. May you be blessed today and always. Best regards.
I AM CONVINCED,IT IS REALLY VERY INFORMATIVE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND.I HIGHLY ADMIRE YOUR EFFORTS TO GIVE HOPE TO OLD FOLKS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT AGING.
Very helpful, i will certainly follow these rules to adapt a stress free younger look
alma santander 4 years ago
nice and higly recommended.