Want to Age Gracefully? Try These 5 Things
When it comes to aging and lifespan, we often neglect the significance of health span.
However, what would be the point of leading a long life if you aren’t able to fully enjoy it? Growing old doesn’t have to be a process rife with mobility loss, decline, and disease. Consistently doing these five things, backed by science, may help you live not only a longer life, but a healthier one.
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise has been demonstrated time and time again to be beneficial in increasing not only lifespan, but also healthspan. Cardio exercise seems specifically effective at doing this. If running is not your cup of tea, don’t worry. Regular walking has also been associated with a dramatic reduction in the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Furthermore, walking can be a fantastic social activity where you can connect with a close friend or loved one.
Eat the rainbow
Having a well-balanced, diverse diet rich in polyphenolic compounds has been demonstrated to increase longevity and healthspan. The best way to ensure that the food you eat is working for you and not against you is to eat a large variety of different kinds. Find which fruits and vegetables you enjoy and try to eat them regularly. Some things to look for in foods are: natural colors — as these are typically indicative of the presence of compounds that can reduce the aging speed, a high fiber content, a moderate amount of protein, a low saturated fat content, and a low sugar content. By having a diet that is low on the glycemic index, you will not only reduce the speed of your aging, but you may even increase your mood, as fiber content has been associated with improved moods in addition to lower levels of biomarkers associated with aging.
Remember that some stress is good
Your body is like a muscle. The concept of “use it or lose it” certainly applies to much of it. The more you use it, the easier it is to remain mobile and have a strong gait. Lack of use of a certain part of the body results in a process called atrophy. In order to increase lifespan and healthspan, some stress is actually beneficial in keeping parts of the body active. Researcher David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School found that xenohormetic compounds, which are a “little bit toxic” for the body, can remarkably increase both lifespan and healthspan. This is because some stress can actually slow — or in some instances inhibit— the biochemical pathways associated with aging. Some ways that you can “stress” your body to increase healthspan include: consuming polyphenol-rich foods, regular exercise, hot or cold showers, and, surprisingly, meditation.
Have a strong support system
A strong support system is paramount to leading a longer, healthier life. In fact, a recent meta-analysis found that social support is “one of the strongest predictors of health.” Social support is fantastic for a number of reasons. For starters, it staves off loneliness, increases motivation to maintain healthy habits, and also acts as a “stress-buffer” to hardship. Humans are innately social creatures. As such, our brain is actually wired to release a cascade of stress-associated hormones when our social needs are not met. These hormones and chemicals associated with loneliness have been demonstrated to be as biochemically dangerous to longevity as smoking a pack of fifteen cigarettes daily. This is because the chemical compounds released from experiencing loneliness activate differential genetic expressions which contribute to chronic disease alongside metabolic pathways that have been linked to increasing the speed of aging dramatically.
Don’t forget to laugh
The cliché really is true. Sometimes, laughter can be the best medicine. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam reviewed the existing scientific literature on laughter and found that laughter therapy “shows some promise” in being an effective treatment for depression and in increasing the immune functioning of the elderly. Psychology researchers also found in a recent study that will be published next December found that laughter is associated with lower systolic blood pressure in partners alongside decreased perceived stress. Laughter has additionally been linked to the inhibition of biochemical pathways associated with loneliness in adolescents, an increase in mood, and a decrease in cortisol levels. All of which indirectly indicates that laughter may be able to stave off one of the largest risk factors for chronic disease: loneliness.
