How many times have you wished you had a crystal ball to see how you would age? Life holds many mysteries, and no one knows exactly how their lives will play out as they age. People feel better when they actively take part in managing their mental and physical health because it gives them some control over the aging process. There are many ways to do this -- following are a few good bets.
Eat your veggies! We all were told it as kids and it matters just as much as we age. Antioxidants that are found naturally in vegetables actually will help keep your cells from aging too rapidly. They protect us from the aging that is done to our cells by oxidative damage.
Work with some weights to keep yourself looking younger. A toned body is a young body no matter what the chronological age may say. Working with the appropriate weights for your health will help you keep your body toned and looking fit, which will take years off of your body and soul.
Many people attribute living to a ripe old age to having a good sense of humor! Life can get you down, but if you can laugh about it, you stand a good chance of living longer. The laughter is healthy. It increases oxygen intake and makes you feel happy!
Did you know that high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes are risk factors for dementia? These risks become more severe due to smoking, lack of exercise, and high cholesterol. As we age, it becomes increasingly important to control these disorders in order to maintain good mental health as aging progresses.
Don't worry about numbers when thinking about aging. You might go crazy if you keep focusing on your 150/90 blood pressure and the fact that you've gained 20 pounds lately. Let your doctor worry about those while you focus on fun aspects instead.
Exercise can improve the aging process. As we get older, our muscle mass naturally declines, making everyday activities more difficult and reducing the number of calories we burn. While aerobic exercise helps maintain muscle mass and control weight, resistance exercise has the added benefit of helping maintain bone mass.
To have a healthy aging process, never stop teaching yourself new things. Learning is essential throughout your life.
Taking care of your skin does not only mean using caution when in the sun. You should also take the time to exfoliate your face and body regularly. This gets rid of all of the dry, dead skin that is all over your body which prevents new skin cells from being able to generate in a healthy way.
Make sure to get sun, but not too much. As you age, it's important to find a balance when it comes to taking in direct sunlight. It's important, as sunlight is a great way to get vitamin D into your system, but too much sun can have serious effects on aging skin like sever burns and skin cancer. Manage your time in the sun, and when you are out in it, wear high SPF sunscreen.
Keep up with the latest styles. Although some of today's fashion is a bit off the wall, you are sure to find a piece or two that you will feel comfortable wearing. Just by adding a trendy top to your outfit, you are sure to feel and look good and the younger generations will notice.
Keep a close friend or minister on speed dial so you can talk to them about anything at any time. If you are able to find at least one person that you can tell anything, you are sure to relieve the burdens that you may carry if you do not let those thoughts out.
Don't smoke! Smoking has been shown to prematurely age you. Not only can it make you look older, but it can actually reduce your life expectancy. If you stop smoking, your body will start to repair itself within a day of no longer smoking. This will lower your risk for heart and lung diseases.
There are 19 foods that are considered to be must-have items in your refrigerator and pantry, and they will work wonders for your health and vitality as you age. Write these down and post it somewhere in your home to keep yourself reminded to stay stocked: seafood, dairy, spinach, nuts, olive oil, broccoli, oatmeal, flaxseed meal, avocados, pomegranate juice, tomatoes, tofu, yogurt, red onions, garlic, beans and lentils! It may seem like a lot but it is the least you can do for yourself and the best results you can yield from your meal planning efforts!
A critical factor to prevent aging and increase lifespan is to not smoke. Smoking destroys the body and speeds up the aging process. Smoking is the easiest way to look older and shorten your lifespan at the same time. It causes disease, ages the skin, and is overall one of the main preventable killers known to man.
Try to get enough water. Older people are more likely to be dehydrated, so it is very important to make sure you drink 8-10 glasses of clean water every day.
Successfully maintaining your attitude and health as you age does not need to be difficult or time-consuming. Just follow these steps, and be on the lookout for other ways to increase your odds of living to a ripe, old age and loving every minute of it. Growing older might just become the most rewarding phase of your life.
