How to Age Healthfully - 8 Tips for Getting Older and Staying Well
By: Suzanne Kvilhaug
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My grandmother lived until she was 99 years old and whenever I’d ask her how old she was, she’d give me a dirty look and basically whisper the number. And every time like clockwork, I’d tell her the same spiel. Your age is not something to be embarrassed about, be proud of how long you have lived, and so on.
It’s always surprised me how society views getting older in a negative light and places the key to happiness in all things youth-related. Most men prefer younger women, women want any anti-aging product they can get their hands on and nobody should dare ask someone their age if they look a day over 20 (but why?!). Yet when you look back at your 20’s you can probably laugh at some of the memories but also be thankful it’s over.
With age comes experience, established relationships, great lessons, and lots of wisdom so if you were to really think about it - shouldn’t aging be viewed positively? Shouldn’t getting older be celebrated rather than shunned?
Naturally, as we age, things are going to happen that well, if we could choose to not have them happen, we would. But we can’t. It is what it is. But what’s really powerful is that we do have control of how we age. As the saying goes, you are entirely up to you. To make the most of your life and all of the years ahead, here are some insightful tips on how to age healthfully.
Make Movement a Priority
You don’t have to sign up for a marathon or become a gym rat to reap the benefits of exercise. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death and with the aging process, your heart can weaken over time, especially if you’re not active. Regular movement can help strengthen your heart and slow the heart’s aging process. And as if that isn’t reason enough, research shows exercise can take 10 years off your brain. Fitness programs that focus on flexibility and strength for older adults can be extremely helpful for staying fit without putting too much stress on your body.
It’s Never To Late To Increase Your Water Intake
I remember years and years ago I forced myself to make drinking water a habit. All it took was reminding myself to always have a bottle of water with me, sip on it, get another bottle when it was empty, and repeat. Over time I became one of those people who happily drink water all day. All it really takes is starting to drink water and sticking with it until it’s something you do on autopilot. What does water have to do with aging? Water is needed to make cells work efficiently and when toxins accumulate in our cells, aging happens. Better skin, weight management, and memory loss prevention are just a few reasons to fill ‘er up.
Be mindful that there’s a connection between nutrition and aging
You are what you eat was a phrase that took me a while to understand but when I did, it made all the sense in the world. Once you make the connection for yourself, it’s much easier to eat healthy most of the time. You know how much of an impact food can have on your health and you choose wisely because of that. By eating lots of fruits and vegetables you’re consuming nutrients which research shows as a promising strategy for enhancing skin protection from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins, and DNA, which can contribute to aging. And what if you really want to take it up a notch? Consider adopting an anti-inflammatory diet.
Do things to boost your metabolism
How many times have you heard people say that they can’t lose weight like they used to? Or that they can’t get away with eating whatever they want anymore without gaining weight anymore? One of the reasons is likely due to having a slower metabolic rate. Our metabolic rate declines in our 20’s and continues to decrease by 2% to 3% every 10 years. Extra weight gain can increase your risk of problems like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Eating enough protein, doing high-intensity workouts, drinking green tea and/or coffee, eating spicy foods, and sleeping well are ways to help boost your metabolism.
Learn how to effectively handle and manage stress
Everyone experiences stress. It’s what you do about it that can change how you think, look, feel, and age. The biggest problem with being too stressed all the time is that stress causes physical changes in the body that can speed up the aging process. Meditation, yoga, walking, running, therapy - there’s no one size fits all when it comes to finding what helps you deal with life and keep your stress levels down. Find what works for you and make sure to keep it consistently on your schedule.
Incorporate supplements that will benefit your health
Finding the right supplement for your body can change everything for the better. Better health = you’ll experience a more pleasant aging process. I’ve been on what feels like this never-ending quest to heal my gut and I bought a bunch of supplements in hopes of finding that one that could change everything. After trying a few and seeing some improvements but nothing too major, I started taking grapefruit seed extract and MIND BLOWN! The change I experienced was everything that I hoped for and then some. Can you imagine what you could heal if you focused on finding the right supplement for it? You can look for the right combination through require some trial and error, or try a personalized vitamin subscription.
Get on a good sleep schedule and stick to it
You know those mornings after a rough night’s sleep when you know that you don’t look your best? Imagine what a lot of those nights can do to your body over time. A study done by UCLA researchers discovered that just a single night of insufficient sleep can make older adults’ cells age quicker. Sleep is essential for our health and mental well-being and sticking to a good sleep schedule is crucial.
Choose things that your spirit feels good about
Not only can relationships be toxic but friendships can be too. Certain people can bring you joy simply by being around them while some people can bring nothing but trouble. Some jobs can be soul-sucking and some jobs can make your spirit soar. If you choose to be around things that make you unhappy or stressed, you’re going to age quicker. It’s good old fashioned common sense. Whenever possible make the choice that brings you peace, joy, and purpose. Detach from things and people who bring you pain. Untie ties that no longer make you feel good. Let go of what’s not working to make room for what’s right. I’ve heard it before and I think there’s a lot of truth to it - the happier you are the more beautiful you become.
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