Skin care and plastic surgery are not the only ways to "fight" aging. How to minimize its manifestations in a healthy way in 6 easy steps?
Anti-aging as an idol
The term "anti-aging" seems to have become a modern incantation. Everyone simply wants to fight age. Yet ageing is a completely natural process, during which countless physiological changes occur, and not only those that affect appearance. Certainly, the "problem" of greying hair has a relatively easy solution. The same can be said for the appearance of wrinkles - some people settle for the right cosmetic products, others go straight to an aesthetic medicine clinic. However, "old age" means much more - for example, decreasing mobility, cognitive impairment, etc. Does "anti-aging" even make sense then?
The aging process itself has been intensively studied by biologists for many years. There is no consensus among them as to why people actually age. While one group is of the opinion that it is an inevitable biological process resulting from the fact that cells are programmed to gradually deteriorate, the other group claims that ageing is a consequence of external factors, and thus of exposure to the environment. The compromise result of the "argument" is then a consensus that ageing is a complex interaction between genetic and lifestyle factors. Either way, no one has yet been able to reverse the manifestations of ageing and its ultimate outcome, death.
However, while it is clear that ageing is inevitable, the good news is that everyone can have a fair amount of control over how quickly and to what extent they develop the symptoms of ageing. But it certainly doesn't take a hyaluronic acid serum or a plastic surgeon's scalpel to do the job. So how can we effectively counteract the signs of ageing and live longer and healthier lives?
Sleep comes first
You may be thinking that you've heard this a thousand times before. Sure. But sleep is really quite crucial, as it is during sleep that damaged cells are repaired. The fact that people feel refreshed and energized when they wake up is actually just another added value. Sleep also involves muscle recovery, strengthening the immune system, and even processing new information. In addition, a number of studies have reported documented links between sleep and longevity.
Would you like specific numbers? If people sleep less than 6 hours a day, they are also at a 12% higher risk of death. But it's not just short sleep that's a problem - the same is true if people sleep more than they should. So if you want to keep ageing under control, you should sleep on average the classic 7-9 hours a day. Didn't you know that? We don't dispute that at all. But do you manage to follow this recommendation?
Healthy sex hormone levels
Sex hormones control a number of important processes in the body, both in the case of women and men. Specifically, the male hormone testosterone is integral in the process of muscle growth, but it is also a key player in sexual and cognitive function, and so de facto anticipates what male aging will realistically look like. As men age, testosterone naturally decreases, but its optimal level can be supported not only by a healthy diet, sufficient sleep or regular physical activity, but also by various dietary supplements.
Strength training
Ageing is simply not "for sissies". As people age, muscle mass decreases - which of course negatively affects the ability to move independently, increases the risk of falling, disability and general weakening of the body. However, the loss of muscle mass can be quite significantly reduced, and even almost reversed, through strength training. In addition, it will not only make the body in better physical condition, but will also improve blood glucose levels, reduce the risk of inflammation and boost brain health. All of this, in sum, affects how fast a person ages. Overall, regular exercise can reduce the risk of death by up to 28 percent.
Zdroj: Giphy
A healthy diet
You've probably also at least heard of healthy eating. And the truth is that it is by eating right that the signs of ageing can be mitigated. Unfortunately, in this case, it is not possible to say what a "healthy diet" should look like in a universal way, as it needs to be adapted to individual needs. For example, vegetarian and vegan diets have been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood glucose levels, while eating red and processed meat can accelerate the ageing process. In general, however, the classic 'everything in moderation' should apply.
Brain stimulation
It's not just the body that needs training. Ageing leads to cognitive decline and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. This is why it is important to keep the brain "alert" at all times; indeed, research suggests that the risk of death increases when a person loses cognitive abilities. So training the brain and memory is an essential way to combat this - for example, by playing various games. Research is already showing that positive changes can be observed after just four weeks of regular 'brain training'. What form should it take? You can try Sudoku, for example, but also puzzles, crosswords, etc. But a change in routine habits can also be effective.
... and finally, skin care
Of course, it's also important to take care of your skin. But in a different way than you might expect. While you can of course use various cosmetic products to prevent the signs of ageing, experts agree that sun protection is key. Sun exposure is one of the environmental factors that can accelerate aging. In fact, UV rays can cause skin damage, resulting in wrinkles, dark spots and uneven skin tone. Not to mention that overexposure to UV rays can also lead to skin cancer. How to protect yourself? By using sunscreens with an SPF of at least 30 - and on a daily basis. Incidentally, according to one study, adults who used a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily for four years showed no detectable increase in skin aging.
Of course, there are a number of other things that can be done to slow down the signs of aging, and the use of various dietary supplements, vitamins and minerals, for example, has been investigated. Indeed, some of these may contribute, for example, to lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, regulating oxidative stress or relieving joint pain - all aspects of health that can have an impact on ageing. However, no one has yet discovered a universal "elixir of youth". Even so, it's up to each individual to decide exactly what their life will look like as the years go by (and what they themselves will look like).
