Introduction
As we age, our bodies naturally start to show signs of wear and tear. But did you know that some of your everyday habits could be making you look and feel older than you actually are? According to experts, there are certain foods and activities that can accelerate the aging process. Eating the wrong foods and not getting enough exercise can cause wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging. On the other hand, eating the right foods and engaging in regular physical activity can help you look and feel younger. In this article, we’ll discuss some everyday habits that make you look and feel older, as well as some tips on how to eat healthier and stay active. So if you want to stay young and vibrant, read on to learn more about the everyday habits that make you older, say experts.
Everyday Habits That Make You Older, Say Experts — Eat This Not That
We all want to look and feel our best, but sometimes our everyday habits can have an adverse effect on our health and age us prematurely. According to experts, there are certain habits that can make us look and feel older than we actually are. Here are some of the everyday habits that experts say can make us look and feel older, and what we should be eating instead.
1. Eating Too Much Sugar
Eating too much sugar can cause wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots. Sugar molecules attach to proteins in the body, forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These AGEs damage the collagen and elastin in the skin, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. To avoid this, experts recommend limiting your sugar intake and eating more natural, unprocessed foods.
2. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can cause dark circles under the eyes, wrinkles, and dull skin. Sleep deprivation can also lead to a weakened immune system, which can make us more susceptible to illnesses and infections. To look and feel your best, experts recommend getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
3. Not Drinking Enough Water
Not drinking enough water can cause dry, dull skin and wrinkles. Water helps to keep the skin hydrated and plump, which can help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Experts recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water a day to keep the skin hydrated and looking its best.
4. Eating Too Much Processed Food
Eating too much processed food can cause inflammation in the body, which can lead to wrinkles and other signs of aging. Processed foods are often high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats, which can cause inflammation and damage the skin. To avoid this, experts recommend eating more natural, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
5. Not Exercising Regularly
Not exercising regularly can cause the skin to lose its elasticity, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Exercise helps to keep the skin toned and firm, which can help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Experts recommend exercising for at least 30 minutes a day to keep the skin looking its best.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the everyday habits that experts say can make us look and feel older. To look and feel your best, experts recommend limiting your sugar intake, getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating more natural, unprocessed foods, and exercising regularly. By following these tips, you can help to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.
Whether we like it or not, aging is inevitable and while we can’t stop the process, we can slow it down by practicing healthy lifestyle choices that help prevent signs of aging. There’s many bad habits that can deteriorate a youthful appearance and Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, MBBS, Ph.D., a professor of public health at New Mexico State University who explains what they are.Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Dr. Khubchandani says, “There are many behaviors, lifestyles, and habits that can either make a person look older or cause accelerated aging. Most of us will not know about the aging or degeneration of internal body parts unless we have distress or disease symptoms. Rarely, some people may have a genetic makeup making them vulnerable to chronic diseases that can accelerate the aging process (e.g., progeria). However, for the most part, lifestyle habits have a major influence on aging and the most prominent manifestations of aging occur in skin (e.g., thinning, dryness, sagging, hair loss, etc.). One should keep an eye on S related issues (stress, spirits, smoking, sleep, sun exposure).”
Dr. Khubchandani states, “These are the most stressful times for people with a pandemic, quarantines, economic and social upheaval. People are feeling more stressed today than ever and may also be experiencing physical and mental weakness. Stress promotes inflammation in the body resulting in release of toxic chemicals and a variety of neuropsychological, immunity related, and biochemical imbalances that influence the aging process. These changes may also lead to feelings of distress and fatigue. What makes it worse is poor stress management, social isolation, negative outlook, pessimism, and not taking care of yourself. The combination of stress and inflammation causing biological changes related to aging are also referred to as inflammaging.”
According to Dr. Khubchandani, “Often related to stress, coping problems, emotional distress, and mental health issues, ATOD are used as a means to feel better or cope with these problems. However, these habits are linked to cellular and biochemical changes in the body increasing the probability of many diseases (e.g., heart attacks, cancer, stroke, etc.), cause these diseases at a younger age, or accelerate aging/ degeneration and increase risk factors for these disease (e.g., fatty liver, obesity, etc.). Individuals with heavy ATOD use will have manifestations in skin indicating aging (e.g., loss of elasticity of skin, pigmentation, etc.). The earlier you quit or reduce usage, the less the aging related damage.”
Dr. Khubchandani explains that, “More than a third of adult Americans sleep less than the required number of hours (6-8 hours) and almost a quarter experience acute insomnia every year. Millions of individuals worldwide either sleep less or do not get quality sleep. The process of aging and sleep may have a bidirectional relationship (e.g., aging may be related to sleep problems and vice versa). Genetic and biochemical alteration of human body cells due to sleep deprivation may result in acceleration of aging process and also cause aging indirectly by increasing risk of many chronic diseases that cause body organ damage or degeneration. Individuals should get quality sleep for an adequate number of hours by maintaining good sleep hygiene to avoid aging and looking older and distressed.”
“Sun exposure is essential for our body and skin (e.g., to get Vitamin D and mood regulation) and everyone should get exposure to sun on a daily basis,” says Dr. Khubchandani. “However, excess exposure to sunlight may affect skin tone and texture, accelerate the process of aging and feeling of aging or also cause serious disorders such as skin cancer. Regulating time of sun exposure and wearing sunscreen or keeping skin covered are the best options against aging due to excess or repeated UV radiation from sun exposure.”
Dr. Khubchandani shares, “Intrinsic aging is the natural process of degeneration that occurs inside our body, but extrinsic aging is more of what appears outside (e.g., on skin). While there is mixed evidence on hydration, it is prudent to drink adequate water for numerous health benefits including maintenance of skin elasticity. In addition, protecting the skin from chemical exposures, burns, etc. and moisturizing ensures that skin tone and texture are maintained and skin aging acceleration is halted.”
Heather Newgen