Introduction
As we age, our bodies naturally start to show signs of wear and tear. But, did you know that some of your health habits can actually speed up the aging process? Eating the wrong foods, not getting enough sleep, and not exercising can all contribute to premature aging. Fortunately, there are some simple changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle that can help you stay looking and feeling young. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the health habits that are aging your body and provide some tips on what to eat instead.
Health Habits That Are Aging Your Body — Eat This Not That
As we age, our bodies naturally start to show signs of wear and tear. But certain habits can accelerate the aging process, making us look and feel older than we really are. Here are some of the worst offenders and what you should be eating instead.
1. Eating Too Much Sugar
Sugar is a major contributor to premature aging. It causes inflammation, wrinkles, and sagging skin. It also increases your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. Instead of reaching for sugary snacks, opt for healthier alternatives like fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds.
2. Not Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants and other nutrients that can help protect your skin from damage and keep it looking youthful. Aim to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Choose a variety of colors to get the most benefit.
3. Not Drinking Enough Water
Staying hydrated is essential for healthy skin. Water helps flush out toxins and keep your skin looking plump and youthful. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
4. Eating Too Much Processed Food
Processed foods are often high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats, all of which can contribute to premature aging. Instead, opt for whole, unprocessed foods like lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
5. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is essential for healthy skin. Not getting enough sleep can lead to dark circles, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
6. Not Exercising Regularly
Exercise helps keep your skin looking youthful by increasing circulation and promoting cell turnover. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.
7. Smoking
Smoking is one of the worst habits for your skin. It can cause wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots. If you smoke, it’s never too late to quit. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit smoking.
By making a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can help keep your skin looking youthful and healthy. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly are all key to keeping your skin looking its best.
Many of us spend a lot of money every year on trying to prevent aging. But some of the most effective, science-backed ways to stay young cost little or nothing—and can even save you money. It just involves dropping some health habits you may not even realize are aging your body. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
“Findings from research studies suggest that a diet containing lots of sugar or other refined carbohydrates can accelerate aging,” says the American Academy of Dermatology. Eating too much sugar can prematurely age your skin and body, increasing your odds of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. It can also throw a wrench in your personal time clock. A study at the University of California—San Francisco found that people who consumed more sugar-sweetened drinks, such as soda, had shorter telomeres, the part of cells that hold DNA. Telomeres start out long and get shorter as they age. When they get too short, they die. “Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened sodas might influence metabolic disease development through accelerated cell aging,” wrote the study’s authors.
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Consistent exercise can keep you young—even decades younger. That was the conclusion of a 2018 study that found older men and women who exercised for decades had muscles similar to people in their 20s and greater aerobic capacity than their contemporaries, making them biologically almost 30 years younger than their chronological ages. Conversely, not getting regular exercise can up your risk for obesity and related chronic diseases.
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Scientists at UCLA found that just one night of bad sleep actually makes older adults’ cells age faster. Sleep is crucial downtime for the body’s vital systems, which repair and reboot themselves while we snooze. Poor-quality sleep has been associated with everything from accelerated skin aging to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and dementia.
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“People exposed to chronic stress age rapidly,” wrote the authors of a 2020 study published in the journal Biomedicine. “Inflammation is another important feature of stress that, along with aging, accounts for the phenomenon of inflammaging.” Simply put, that’s aging caused by inflammation, which raises the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes, high blood pressure and more. Finnish researchers recently found that ongoing severe stress can shorten your life by at least three years.
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This month, it was reported that cigarette sales went up in 2020 for the first time in 20 years. Taking up smoking remains a very bad move for many reasons. One is that it ages you. According to a study published in JAMA, cigarette smokers had three times the wrinkles of nonsmokers. The hundreds of toxins in cigarette smoke cause blood vessels to constrict, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching the skin. “Smoking greatly speeds up how quickly skin ages,” says the AAD. “It causes wrinkles and a dull, sallow complexion.” And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.