Wouldn’t it be great if wrinkles, cancer and other age-related ailments weren’t inevitable? According to two major studies, eating a low glycaemic load diet can slow biologically the aging process.
This type of diet emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods as well as regular physical activity and restful sleep.
1. Eat a Plant-Based Diet
Plant-based diets provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Furthermore, these diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and sodium content compared with their meat-heavy counterparts. According to numerous large population studies and randomized clinical trials, diets that predominantly or entirely consist of plants were linked with reduced rates of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and various cancers as well as environmental benefits like using less resources and producing fewer climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions than other forms of nutrition.
A plant-based diet includes whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), whole grains and nuts and seeds. Furthermore, this type of diet excludes processed and refined foods, added sugars and animal products.
When selecting plant-based foods, it is essential that they come as close to their natural state as possible. For example, sipping 100% fruit juice does not compare with eating whole pieces of fruit due to juicing’s process squeezing out many heart-healthy nutrients. When purchasing packaged plant-based food items, always read through their ingredient lists carefully in order to ensure minimal processing and minimal additives.
Sheinelle Jones, an aspiring centenarian and meteorologist for TODAY News, recently collaborated with meal-delivery service Plantable to try a plant-based diet for the first time. Her aim was to avoid foods like cheese, meat, eggs and fish as much as possible.
Sheinelle found it challenging to resist the pizza temptations at TODAY studio, but credits her plant-based diet with helping her maintain a healthy weight while curbing any unhealthy cravings and improving energy levels and decreasing risk for chronic diseases.
2. Reduce Your Calories
Searching for the Fountain of Youth has led to an obsession with anti-aging products like wrinkle creams and weight loss diets. Laboratory research has long demonstrated how restricting calories through caloric restriction (CR) can extend healthy lifespan in organisms from yeast to rats; however, permanent cutting could have adverse consequences such as muscle or bone density loss.
But according to new research from Columbia University, human beings may actually be capable of slowing their aging. Researchers conducted tests using blood samples from participants of an earlier trial and discovered that low-calorie diets helped slow the pace at which DNA molecules, known as epigenome, changed over time – this translated to 2-3% decreases in participants biological age over time, comparable with reductions seen with smoking cessation.
Scientists recently used an innovative technique to measure biological aging, or the rate at which cells lose function and accumulate damage over time. Their team conducted this experiment on healthy adults who reduced their daily calories by 25% over two years – an extreme reduction that may leave some individuals hungry or lacking essential nutrients, which is why health experts stress the importance of following a balanced diet with the advice of both a physician and dietitian when making any dietary changes.
Though researchers discovered in their study that cutting calories could slow aging, they are unsure why exactly this happens. One theory could involve how cells respond to an energy deficit – such as having shorter telomeres that protect chromosomes over time as a sign of aging.
3. Exercise Regularly
While exercise might not seem relevant for older adults, regular physical activity has proven that it actually reverses aging by improving your appearance, mobility levels, endurance levels and can keep you youthful well into old age.
Aerobic exercises like running, cycling, swimming, hiking and rowing strengthen your heart while helping maintain a healthy weight, improving mood and joint health. Studies have also demonstrated how aerobic exercises like these may reduce senescent cell build-up associated with age-related diseases like osteoporosis.
Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, stair-climbing and squats help increase bone density while strengthening lower body muscles and combatting natural muscle loss that occurs with age.
Studies on mice have demonstrated that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can delay aging by increasing mitochondria regeneration – the powerhouses of cells. It can also increase endurance and help you shed unwanted body fat.
Researchers have discovered that when combined, calorie restriction coupled with regular exercise and stress management programs can reset your biological clock, slowing the aging process by up to ten years and thus increasing your life expectancy.
If you want to get into shape and stay young as long as possible, the key to doing it successfully lies in following a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Aim for at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each week plus two days of strength-training exercises – personal trainers can be an invaluable asset when starting off; they’ll create customized workout programs tailored specifically to you and your goals.
4. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is essential to many functions in your body, including keeping skin looking youthful and eliminating waste products, regulating temperature and avoiding constipation and kidney stones. Unfortunately, most adults remain chronically dehydrated despite research proving otherwise; but staying well hydrated could even slow the aging process and extend lifespan! According to one new study, staying hydrated could slow aging processes as well as extend lifespan by up to 23%!
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) examined data on 11,255 adults tracked over 30 years. Their serum sodium levels provided a proxy for their hydration status; those who were well hydrated experienced less signs of biological aging, developed fewer chronic diseases, and died earlier than those who were dehydrated.
Adults with high sodium levels were at greater risk for biological aging and chronic diseases, such as higher blood pressure and cholesterol, which are known to increase heart failure risk, while also increasing dementia-related neurodegenerative conditions in their bodies.
NIH researchers concluded that adequate hydration may slow the aging process and protect against disease, while at the same time prolonging life expectancy. They cautioned, however, that more research must be conducted into whether drinking plenty of fluids actually has any such benefits.
Not all fluid needs can be met through simple water, however; you can get your daily allotment of fluids from foods such as berries, watermelon and cucumbers as well. Lemon or lime juice added to water is also helpful in adding some additional hydration – be sure to drink herbal tea and coffee occasionally too for best results! Staying hydrated throughout the day – particularly early on in order to prevent needing bathroom breaks at night – is critical.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Though aging is inevitable, you can do your part to slow its effects by eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough restful sleep. These actions will all contribute to slowing your biological age.
Sleep is essential to your health and wellbeing. Sleep has a powerful influence over how your body looks, feels and functions; including reducing fine lines and wrinkles, strengthening bones, muscles and skin as well as supporting healthy hormone production, increasing cognitive performance and decreasing your risk of chronic disease.
No matter the time of year, it’s never too late to make positive changes in your life. If you want to learn how you can improve your sleep and reduce signs of aging, schedule a consultation today with me. I will work with you to modify your routine, address other lifestyle factors and develop an individual treatment and supplement plan for more restful and nourishing nights of restful slumber.
