Since BC, myths of the Fountain of Youth have been circulating around the world. While the spring restoring the youth of anyone who bathes in or drinks its waters has never been located or confirmed, research has established that there are other things you can do to slow down the aging process.
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If you are eating lots of processed foods and sugar, you might be speeding up the aging process. Not only has research found that proper nutrients help keep the brain functioning better longer, but specific diets focusing on whole, fresh foods, like the Mediterranean Diet, have been found to slow down the progression of aging.
There is ample research supporting exercise as one of the best methods to slow down the aging process. One study, published in Aging Cell found that people who exercised throughout their lives had the muscle mass, cholesterol levels, and even immune system function of much younger people.
Vitamin D, which you can absorb from the sun, boasts lots of health benefits. One study found that women with higher vitamin D levels also had longer telomeres, the end-part of DNA cells that determine a cell’s lifespan.
While vitamin D can help you live longer, sun damage can shorten your life and result in cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends covering your skin up with clothing, wearing a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, and seeking shade on order to avoid premature aging.
Hydration is one of the key ways to slow down aging. The Mayo Clinic explains that qater helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.
Smoking can not only result in cancer, but smokers age faster, according to science. One study found that smoking tobacco could affect the biophysical parameters of skin, especially thickness and density of dermis and epidermis and nasolabial folds.
Prioritizing dental hygiene will not only keep your teeth looking better, but could help prevent age-related problems like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. Recent studies have also linked gum disease to a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Increasing the amount of “good” bacteria in your intestines, aka the gut microbiome, may help protect you from age-related diseases such as dementia, according to research.
A number of studies have linked chronic stress to accelerated aging. One found that the telomeres in the cells of people with chronic stress shorten faster. Stress has also been linked to inflammation.
Get your beauty sleep. Not only does sleeping give your cells the opportunity to repair damage, but poor sleep ages skin faster, according to research. According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.
Finally, if you want to live longer and slow down aging, consider cutting back on alcohol. Consuming certain types of alcohol over long periods of time as well as binge drinking both speed up biological aging, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the journal Aging.
